HIS MAJESTY’S.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1020, 23 September 1909, Page 16

HIS MAJESTY’S.

“A ROYAL DIVORCE.” MISS BEATRICE DAY AS. JOSEPHINE. With the presentation of “A Royal Divorce” to overflowing audiences at His Majesty’s Theatre on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the Julius Knight Company concluded a characteristically successful season, that old historic story proving as magnetic a “ star” piece as ever. With the theatre-going public, Julius Knight and- Napoleon are almost synonymous terms, so closely has the popular actor identified himself with the fo? tunes of “the man of destiny,” the man who refused to recognise the word “ impossible,” presenting ro them the “ Corsican General of Artillery” in the flesh, and portrayng nis character with striking realism. Next to Napoleon, and for the successful striking of the human note, the role of Josephine must stand out, and Miss Beatrice Day’s conception of the injured Empress was worthy of Mr. Knight’s Napoleon—than which no higher praise could be said —and must be counted as one of her greatest triumphs. Miss Day proved the public’s ideal of a proud Empress, of a noble, tender, loving, self-sacrificing wife, a sweet, gracious womanly woman, investing the part with a life that was markedly reflected in the audience, and appealed strongly to their emotions, from the time she lays down her crown to when she would follow the fallen Emperor. Miss Elsie Wilson revealed considerable dramatic ability as Marie Louise, the Austrian Empress, and her unpopularity with the audience testified to her faithful interpretation of a thankless role. Mr. Leslie Victor was an admirable Talleyrand, crafty and cautious, with no thought but for his country, and;.' Mr. Reynolds Denniston was successfully cast as the Marquis de Beaumont, sacrificing everything for love. Mr. George Chalmers as Grimaud, a drunken innEeeper, made the most of his part, and Mr. Sydney Stirling did good work as General Augereau, as also did Mr. Winter Hall as Marshall Ney. Mr. Alfred Andrew as Jacques sang “ The Little Corporal” in stirring manner. Miss-E. Guildford Quin made a pretty and dainty Stephanie de Beauharnais, Miss Ethel Phillips being charming as Blanche. Little Rene Danerlo was quaint and natural as the King of Rome. Special features of the production, which evoked much admiration and applause, were the effectively arranged tableaux “The Advance,” “ The Retreat,” and “ Alone at St. Helena.” HAYWARD’S NEW PICTURES. “THE TRAVELOGRAPH.” Pictures have again replaced drama at His Majesty’s, where Mr. Henry Hayward’s new Picture Entertainment, The Travelograph,” is now engaging attention. Opening on Tuesday night an enjoyable programme was presented to a fair house, the most interesting, from the scenic standpoint, being “Industrial India” (a series of interesting phases of native life in our Indian Empire); ‘‘The Blessing of the Waters” (a fine set of pictures illustrating one of the great religious fetes which are held annually • : in Russia); “A Panther Hunt in Java,” “A Day in Washington” (giving some very fine pictures of the : " ! capitol, as the building in which the American Parliament assembles is .A termed the White House, the Army <■: and Navy, and other public buildings, with street scenes, etc.) .“Fishing m Astrachan,” and “On the River Paunce H depicting scenes from the bank ; of a very picturesque Mexican& river. -TSshSatroi;/and t Hus-

trating the Tambourine-making Industry. The dramatic pictures include ‘ A Well-deserved Revenge.” “ Miss Sherlock Holmes” (this, as its name might be taken to imply, covering a detective story); and “ Rip’s Inheritance,” the latter being the story of a dog’s legacy and the good fortune it brought to the people who befriended him when his master died suddenly-.

The humorous side of things s well catered for. In “ An Animal’S Friend,” we have a cleverly-" faked” series, in which a French professor, by means of some wonderful preparation of his own, recalls to life the turkeys and geese exposed on a poulterer’s stall, the rabbits from the skins carried round by a hawker, the pigs from the carcases exposed for sale by the butcher, and so on, until in the finale at a banquet given by his friends he transforms the soup into chickens, in-

vests the cooked poultry with life, and clears the table of all its viands ’n this way, until his own friends, hungiy and disappointed, turn upon and rend him. “ The Immortal Goose,” another clever and very laughable set, and “ Kate’s Birthday,” the concluding picture series, both need to he seen to be properly appreciated. An excellent orchestra adds to the enjovment of the proceedings.