AMUSEMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 13707, 23 September 1908, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

BOYAL PICTURES. lixiv «a« ;i pretty good ltou>£ at tlir IJiCiitt.? biri for tin* first of t»o vibibitioiiK of tin- Uoyol Pictures. .ui<! judging by the .ippluu-e and t.h.<t tiif films dicitcd. tho uudicm:.* cu joyed tin; .-how very- ninth. A f«»t«r<j of i\w. Roy id Picturts" 11 th« comparatively -mall iiumb-r of su-ins, numy of them bvuij; that re*iuir«- * good while t«. work *>«! Some of them w*.'i»» bud out in rural m-«iw-. and :b- *<-.-iitry alomw.oi well worth »i.-einj*. Tin? *tibj*ct»« it«i' ail piep.src*! for th«' machine; %rf.n in„'««miitv bad been devoted in devnutii; p!ol». aft-1 evid.ll'.iy C-XIK*TP>« was no ob j.-.-l in ibe working <>ut of tho d. r am\-, ami fsror*. l>n*i of tb«* b««t "tor ie> :o!d by i!k? machine lAat- mgbt «ai a Uttb- d..-mV*tif: tragedy of a coxswain of ... 'V;u«:ty eight, whos* Josses si q»rdi bi mm to nt range to **Jl a r*r* •; }>w. t; s «- pbi! *ra, discovr-red »nd a fm-sh vox '•warn oht;.in*d. The* w *c*-mr* were jjfxxi that on*- \fj»-ii<-*l for m»f of *hem Anoib-r. *nd perhajw nioti poj-ulaj ~j>.. v.ll tlie " Merry Widow'* W.ih.- ' Jhc auuiioc tued one «,* Use

latest, and with the electric lights is a perfect projecting instrument. It is a marvel that the film pictures measuring onlv one inch by threequarters can contain all the fine detail which magnification thousands ,of times brings out. Tcvnight there will be a change of programuv.-. and the list announced should draw a full house. One of the American aeroplanes flying over cornfields; films from the Olympian games, with the finish of the "Marathon Race"; a run through the Tyrol, and other *cenery iu a "stag buui"; .some beautifully coloured films, are promised, and a fresh series of comics. As" a finale and by special request, the excruciatingly funny "Merry Widow's Waltz" will be repeated. If the programme is as good as last night's it will do; but it promises to be better, and therefore well worth seeing.

• l HUMPTY dvmfty." Tl»e author of " Humpty Dumpty." the J. C. Williamson production that w due at ihe Theatre Royal next Mondny. is J. Hickory Wood, who was also responsible for the book ol "Mother Goose." There is little doubt that two more successful panlomincs have never come from one pen. For the purposes of stage presentation ,Mr Hickory Wood in -Humpty Dumpty." ba» re»uireeted the ill-fated hero of nursery rhyme from the awful smash that baffled all the king's bora* and all the king's men. and has. carried on the story to "the. 'exhaust iou of six wish*.**. Thiuugh all Ihe comic episodes, the gorgeous spectacles, and musical interludes the story "is never lost oight of. The strings are pulled by the demou and the fairy ueen as the* presiding destinies for evil and good. " Humpty Dumpty" is far from being k lovable character." Mr Bert ««irbert. who plays King Solium, insists that he is a bad egg, and gets no bct.er as he grown older, and Mr Harry Shine ah- UiMin Hob curses him seven times. ' Tlt«v malevolent spirit of "Humpty l)ump:y" *> icsponsible for many changes ol scene's for those who cross his ambition. He dethrones King Solium and deserts th« crown. Ho disperses the court, so that the characters journey to At range regions. The result is described by the Melbourne " Argus," which sums up the production a a "an amazing succession of appealing .utistic picture*, a wonderful union of illusions, graced by colour, harmony, bevies of charming damsel* KivWily costurned, excellent comedy, troops of clever little people quaintly earnest, hi their business, tuneful incidental music, and songs above (he average." The box plan ojteiu to morrow morning at the Dtesdcii.