THE LORGNETTE

Observer, Volume XXXIV, Issue 24, 21 February 1914, Page 6

THE LORGNETTE

[By Prompter.]

EVERY Monday night the Opera House company of vaudevil'ians is augmented by strangers from afar who unpack new goods. ' This week George R:;w)ey. direct from the land of the padded shoulder .and the peg-top pant appears with a wealth of new clothes 'that are the latest among New York's Ten Thousand. George's ispectacular stunt, "A Foot Ahead," has the alluring charm of absolute novelty. He has an easy, natural way of feeding amusement to the populace. The Strattons are Scottish specialists in the 21 carat class, who put a fiosli on their movement and shine up their music and mirth till! it glitters. They have been -specially engaged to do it and are worth the money. The Phillip sister serios, with the twinkling toes, have a bunch of songs and steps that are extraordinarily good and get the " hand " they deserve. " The Five Musical Las&ies' are up to concert pitch and their turn is novel and pleasing. The Red Indian gentleman, "Eagle Horse baritones with mellifluous "lethod and is highly melodious. Carlton and Sutton continue to please Ihe eve and ear. Charles Zoli, who personates'ltalian characters very well, is still doing it. Fanny Price, the jr-ally talented entertainer, has her mannekins and her songs in fine working fettle. Tom Lennard is most eccentric. I accuse him ot greater originality than most comedians. His face lends itself to the work. Vernade, the clever har balancer, is amazingly agile with his upside down stunt. Do yon reverse?" one asks. "I always do! answers Vernade. The m Banzais, who were so gladly received, are down for a new apearance.

Oscar Ashe in the Homeland stated that the takings an his sixtyneht weeks' tour of Australasia 1 counted to £120,00.0 a. m , * n \ie of the smartest of Sir A. r „' '.n Doyle's Sherlock Holmes de£"•l c stories is "The Silver n\Zl " The said blaze was on the lila/e . a race ] lorse arl d anything nn Ce +h°P ?ace of a racehorse or any on the . fhi will go blg m other pa ictured at the King's, Auckland He x atory is told wit h .great .Mieatie, t. d £ he var i olK mcidexceillence . , D Doy i e 's creation ents m wh. c di { \ are worked takes the le. £' faithfulness, out with a j b Conan Doyle's Without excep * d into remark .. stones, can be , 0n Mon . **>* + d + r L tensely day night the au draim A par . interested in the . . (l The Anima j ticularly good him ,- y. repre - Acrobat," which is fan | y? sentative of the an tencies and a with tree climbing t terity and tail of marvellous < **T are pliancy The pictui beauty fully coloured in n "Better Days " toucl « einotiona] of all, for it uses th downfall material available m t • • of a person who from **• -of a carriage descends to tm rffleg ftn(| tram car and instead <>1 cheese champagne makes bee i &a } do. Florence, the muel l graphed and always beautilu . across the screen a aPieous £ ama «»f wealth, novrfty, .vnd . The "underworld' of *Jou j not shown. It lias a «ha;m-- fc ? „ stiletto of its «wn. \Jhu and "Baffles" are hdaiiow edies masterly cxi sion. The N*w Zealand All ma Gazette and the Pftiie tjjge bring the events of the in *. tf to the door of the local happenings that are interest ing New Zealanders.

"The Pitfall" is the chief pictorial sermon being preached excellently at the Globe Theatre this change. The story is one of a girl who is told she can sing and who goes to New York to become absorbed in the giddy theatrical vortex. The director doesn't want her voice, but the manager wants her— hence the pitfall. It is, of course, a warning to girls. The girls who are warned won't take the warning and the other kind of girls don't need it—so there you are ! The point, however, is that it is beautifully staged and finely acted. The fact that Hazel escapes the wishes of the manager and remains a pattern to her friends is encouraging. " Their Mutual Friend " is a Vitagraph production of sterling merit. It is wholesomely illustrative of the contention that the earth is not inhabited solely by selfish people. " The Cattle Rustler " is a study of the bad man who flourishes so persistently in new {countries and ropes in more beef on the hoof than he needs for breakfast. There is some slashing riding and a few fights and things — revolvers, "chaps," high horned saddles, and girls. "A Masked Mix Up" is a cheerful tale of errors, wherein one person is taken for someone else and someone else is taken for one person, with hilarious results. Then there is a good number of the Warwick Chronicle, which keeps one up to date with a record of world happenings.

There is much that is terrific in the picture edition of "Humanity, which went up at the Queen s Theatre on Monday. Shortly, the story is one of gambling and murder." John Lawson is Silvani, the Jew who keeps a swell gambling den. but is otherwise a good chap and "game as a pebble." The story shows Silvani is lured from lus house so that the villain of the play may "rook" one Captain Grey, how the villain does so and shoots Grey, afterwards poisoning the mind of Silvani's wife and so on. The ultimate series of sensations are achieved when Silvani returns and puts up a large fight with the villain in a burning house. It is a triumph in stage "scraps" and the pair fear all the furniture to bits and throw it at each other. For who throw chairs, tables, and bureaux at each other while the house burns and still survive, they are living marvels. Two excellent nature studies are shown. "Our Home Birds" and "The Hermit Crab." The first shows common English birds nesting and the latter the extraordinary sea antics of the little gentleman who collars the other fellow's left off shell, and lives in it. The KmgYs gazette gives local glimpses, chiefly ot visiting bandsmen. There is a new record of " Two Men and a Mule, in which the comedians pose as hotel touts, there is a Keystone comedy in which "Fatty" takes a large part and other pictures of great interest. In the "Humanity" star play the outstanding feature is the exceedingly dramatic and natural acting of John Lawson.

Kecent files of the European press contain some glowing references to Harold Bauer, the great pianist, who will be touring Australia in a few weeks time. The Paris "Matin " refers to him in the following terms: —"It is useless to say that this great virtuoso has created a veritable enthusiasm by his incomparable gifts, his art, his sentiment, and his warmth." The Berlin "Tageblatt" is equally kind, and says":—"Harold Bauer occupies an incomparable position among the present generation of pianists. His incontestable technique, his subtle and suggestive fingering, apart from his interpretation, prove him a musician born and make him one of the greatest virtuosos of the piano." The Copenhagen " Dannebrog" calls the artist " a rare phenomenon among the most brilliant stars." The Hamburg " Fremdeiibaltt " asserts that " his technique and power are phenomenal," while the Lisbon " Epoca " is of the opinion that "his gifts of execution often attain the miraculous."

Cinema firms exist but to beat the other fellow for sensation and any cinema player who cheerfully risks his life for a film is mopped up at a large salary. Take " The Bridge ;of Terror," for instance, one of the star films showing at the Lyric this change, has an incident of a specially thrilling brand, the necessities of the drama insisting that a young woman shall dive off a cliff eighty feet high to rescue a gentleman v ho is having a bad time in the river below. It is one of many startling features in this sensational story. " The Feudists " is a simple domestic comedy, founded on the wellused superstructure of a neighbourly quarrel. The chief interest is in the work of Mr John Bunny, the stupendous, and his activity in the family feud. John is one of the few cinema humourists who is as funny as he looks and who looks as funny as he is. ( ■ The Scapegrace" tells the story of a drinking, gambling, ynung man and his good brother who for fraternal reasons shields him and thus makes a story that is most human in. its appeal and preaches the requisite sermon to the young man about to start out in life. A notable comic film is " Noah's Boarders." "The Antigona Valley" shows the finest spots in that beautiful'locality and the latest Gaumont Graphic is of great topical interest.

The moving picture, event of the week is the production at the Princess Theatre of " From Manger to Cross," the life of Christ. The greatest story that has ever been written is told and acted with a reverence, feeling and . completeness that is beyond all cavil. The minutenes of detail is remarkable in the extreme. Each event in the life and death of the Man of Sorrows is preceded by the verse of Scripture that has inspired the producers and the appeal is so profound that a reverential awe falls on the audience, which sees before it the actual places which the Scriptures name as having been the scenes of life and death of the Divine Man. The incidents in the early life of the Saviour are acted with'a simplicity of genius that is very touching. The devoted people who take the leading parts do not allow o-i any occasion any gesture that might lead an audience to belittle the telling story. Intensely dramatic is the scene before Pilate, the Judas kiss, the bearing of the Cross to Calvary and the last great tragedy of all on Mount Calvary. This latter scene is beyond all description, powerful, if not heartbreaking in its awful realty. It is worked out with so much minute detail that even the actual "It is finished—and He gave up the Ghost " seems physically accurate. The series of miracles of which we have such vivid record in the four Gospels are among the most remarkable features of the production, the physical characteristics of specific deseases being simulated with terrifying exactness. The actor who takes the part of the Christ in His manhood, the actress who assumes the very difficult role of the Mother Mary impress with their exceedingly reverential and devotional methods. Quite apart from the telling of the Greatest btory the picture is of vast interest because of the actual use made _of those places in the Holy Land which are mentioned in the unperishable history. The frightful realism of the crucifixion must remain a memory to all who have seen this astonishino- moving picture. The pictures which are shown prior to the o-reat Biblical drama are up to the high standard set at this Theatre and the orchestra music in the evenings for the great feature is highly appropriate, including all that is finest in sacred music.

Mr Julius Knight sees a new career opening up for lum when he returns to the Old Country. "When I fro to England again," he has said, "I shall await my opportunity to secure a few good comedies of the unfarcical order. Only the hick to succeed in this will induce me to venture on another tour of the country (Australia) that has treated me so splendidly.

Miss Ellen Terry, the famous English actress, who was associated with Sir Henry Irving in all his great stage successes, and who is about to make a tour of Australia ■and New Zealand in order to ■deliver lectures on Shakespeare, will open in Melbourne in April. • •' » * » Mr L. Philip Dunn, a young Sydney organist, who has been practising for some time at Maryborough, Queensland, where he was or- • ganist of the Anglican Church, has been appointed organist and choir master to the Presbyterian Church at Invercargill, New Zealand. m m * The army of friends in New Zealand of Mr Edwin Geach will condole with that gentleman in the loss of his father, who was knocked down by a Sydney tram lately, and so seriously injured that he died in a hospital an hour later. The late Mr Geach was for a number of years in business in Melbourne as a draper,, having shops in Bourke Street and at Prahran. Besides Mr Edwin Geach, Mr Frank Geach, a Melbourne barrister, is a son of the deceased gentleman, and Miss Portia Geach, the well-known artist, a daughter.