AMUSEMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVI, Issue 16311, 13 August 1917, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS.

FULLERS' PROGRAMME. PICTURES AND VAUDEVILLE. One of the really clever and fascinating screen scars to-day is Anita Stewart, and . local pieturegoers will have a further opportunity of seeing her wonderful ability at the Theatre Royal this evening, when Fullers' will present her in greater Vitagraph's Blue Ribbon play, "The Combat.'' The p'.ot is taken from a well-known book, but where tho novel drags the motionpicture speeds along, throwing into sharp relief the main episodes of the story. Jn "The Combat'' the crux of i tho story is the predicament- of a j woman whoso iirst husband, whom she ' believed to be dead, is being sent to the electric chair by her sor-ond husband, the district attorney, for a murder which she herself has committed. But before this intensely dramatic phase is revealed we arc treated to a wealth and variety of incident in remote Alaska, which, in the spoken drati".a, would 1)e dismissed in a few word-; of explanation. There is no denying, however.. that a. thrillin<r

shootine affair, the sensational escape of a pr ; soner through ihe window of a. crowded "ourt-toom, a desperate chase on horsebic-k, a snowstorm, a. train smash and a trek across the snow by dog team, provide opportunities for (;•-.. t-i-np., rft'of*--*, mid are taken advantage o'. In the closing scene of the play proper Anita Stewart has ample * -op ■ for the display of her remarkable talents. Tho management will present photo postcards of Anita Stewart to the first 500 ladies who attend to-night's session. On. the same film programme is "Her Cavo Man,' 1 a funny Triangle Keystone comedy, and an educational subject, "A Swedish Model Farm." A bright specialty will be presented in "Murfayne," who is credited with being the king of xylophone soloists. This difficult musical instrument is rarely heard. Mr Murfayne is an export, and is most dexterous in his manipulations of the hammers, and .overs a keyboard of an unusual size. Reservations may be made as usual through 'phone 570 without extra charge. NANCE O'NF.IL. AT THE GRAND. To-night at the popular Grand Theatre Nance O'Noil, the celebrawd stage and screen star .will make her dthut on tlie M-tro programme in an elaborate live-part feature entitled ••The Iron Woman." This is a pictut isation of tho novel of the same name written hy Margaret, Behind. Many tho scenes in and around the iron mil's which figure so prominently in the story were photographed at the. fame] st.p.-l plant; at Bethlehem, Pensylcania. There are many artistic touches in the production, which is con-s'd|.|-..il tli.. must artist.iv achievement of Miss O'Noil"s career. While appearing' in a previous nro'luction Miss O'Neii met for the first time Alfred Hickman, tvlio was her leading man.

They were married the day before Miss O'Neil began work in "The_ Iron Woman.'' for Metro, and ther honeymoon was spent in the studio, Mr Hickman appearing in her support. Miss O'Neil appears as Sarah Maitland, a simple unpretentious woman, who manages skilfully tho iron mills left her by her husband. By her methods she wins the almost unwilling admiration of.everyone. She tries to bring up her children, Blair and Nannie, with the same lack ot sentimentality with which she conducts her business affairs and puts down insurrections among her workmen. Nannie is a. sweet, lovable girl, but Blair, her idol, is a headstrong youth, inattentive to his lessons. The rigid simplicity of Lis mother's house galls him, and when ho is sent to college he indulges in wild extravagance , and luxurious surroundings. How the mother battle's with her son to put him on the right road forms one of the most powerful dramas the Metro Company lias yet given us. Supporting films include "Co-Operative Weekly Pe.vipw," and splendid comedies. Mrs Hurdley's orchestra will be heard in new musical items.