Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), Wednesday 15 March 1911, page 13


AMUSEMENTS.

Theatre Roval.

There is a rich Australian flavor about "My Mate," a new Australian drama staged at the Theatre Royal on Tuesday evening by Mr. William Anderson's Dra-matic Company, and its many exciting inci-dents found much favor with an apprecia-tive audience. "'My Mate" comes from the pen of Edmund Duggan, part-author of "The Squatter's Daughter" and "'The Man from Outback." and the author, who sus-tained a prominent role hist night, had every reason to be satisfied with the re-ception of his drama, which had a success-ful run in Melbourne last month. The dialogue is smart-- redolent of the bush and station-- and if at times there is a tendency to profanity, playgoers must not expect soft, smooth phrases from an Australian blacktracker who has served an apprentice-ship in back blocks life. The staging of the drama evinced careful preparation, and the frequent changes must have involved a great deal of organisation. The play was capably presented.

The story would require a long time in the telling if described in detail. The play opens at Moreland's homestead, where pre-parations have been made for a suitable welcome home to Nellie Moreland, who has spent half a dozen years in Sydney com-pleting her education. All the principal characters are introduced, including the mates, Jack Melton and Jim Fernleigh, as well as Ralph Seymour, the villain, whose presence is unwelcome. Nellie Moreland's arrival is a signal for general rejoicing, and with a precipitancy that is almost absurd Jim declares his love, only to be told that she will be a sister to him. His mate has better luck, and Jim, discovering the lovers, finds his love for Jack turned to hate. The following day he seeks a quarrel, and a tragedy is averted only by the ar-rival of Nellie, who declares she will re-turn to Sydney and be no longer a source of enmity between two lifelong friends. Then follows a reconciliation, Jim fore-going his claim on Nellie's affection, and the mates set out to overtake her. Mean-while the villain appears on the scene --the selector's home-- and Nellie's return gives him the opportunity to pay his addresses to her, only to be lashed to fury by her scorn and taunts. In his frenzy he attacks the heroine, who is rescued at the proper moment by Jack, who hurls him to the ground, and as he is giving attention to the distressed heroine Seymour rises, draws a knife, and is about to murder Jack when

Jim appears on the scene, and with the un-erring precision of a bushman, shoots the would-be murderer dead. The remaining incidents of the drama deal with the arrest of Jim, his escape from gaol, the pursuit by blacktracker and police officer, his journey to Melbourne, the financial troubles on Moreland's farm, threatened eviction by Cashman (who holds a bill of

sale over the property), and emancipation by Jim's winning a racing event in Mel-bourne and restoring the fortunes of the family. Of course, there is the happy union of "two souls with but a single thought, two hearts that beat as one."

The two mates are Mr. Roy Redgrave and Mr. H. Sweeney. The former in the happy position of the favored lover, acts naturally throughout, and sets a high standard. His mate, not so fortunate in his suit with Nellie, is called upon to fill the difficult role of a rejected and jealous lover, and afterwards the magnanimous friend. Most of the humor of the play is supplied by Mr. Bailey, as a young stock-man with sporting proclivities and much originality of expression. Miss Helen Bur-dette, as the heroine, is a typical Austra-lian bush girl, with city experience. She displayed marked ability throughout, and was especially effective in her encounter with Ralph Seymour (Mr. Rutland Beckett), the squatter, in the second act. Mr. Duggan appeared as Joe Moreland (a farmer), and the other characters were Alic. Cashman (a storekeeper), Mr. Edwin Campbell; Mrs. Moreland, Miss, Lily Bryer; Jessie Moreland (her daughter), Miss Fanny Erris; Gunyah (a black-tracker), Mr. Max Clifton; Sergeant Haynes, Mr. J. H. Nunn; Trooper Wilkins, Mr. Temple Harrison.

"My Mate" will be produced nightly till further notice.

Tivoli Theatre.

At the Tivoli Theatre the public are be'ng entertained by Velanche's dogs, who excite the greatest interest. They have been trained to a remarkahle degree, and the house has been packed nightly. The per-formance is of a class which can seldom be seen, and should therefore not be missed. The dogs wfll" appear for two more nights only, and at tlnj matinee to-day. The turn of Mr., A. Holt is another bright item in the bill, and Messrs. Keldine and Klimo 'n their remarkable bicycle act continue to iro.use ' enthusiasm. Messrs. Julez and Marzon. heavy weight-lifters and balancers, will finish their Adelaide engagement this week. Mr. Victor Martin, the accom-plished American juggler and hoop---pinner, juggles to the entire satisfaction of the au-dience. TT*'s act throughout is skilful and novel. Mr. Rickards announces that on Saturday next the American dancers, who have been brought frcm the Palace Theatre, London, will make their first appearance in Adelaide. They are an artistic dancing team of three men and three ladies, and they are said to give an extraordinarily clever xact, which comprises much that is entirely new. In addition, the manage-ment announce that the_ Allons. Chinese acrdb'its, will make their initial appear-ance here m a specialty act; and the Kava-nagh boys, tennis racquetepin-ners and jug-glers, will also join the company. .»

West's Pictures. j West's pictures have completed arrange-ments 'ay which the Adelaide branch will receive films' direct norn London by each incoming mail. This means ¡that in future the pictures screened will never previously have been shown in publ'o. On the new programme to-night is a film specially taken by "West's own- operators, of placet* of in-terest in and around Adelaide. It includes the mahi streets of Adelaide and its most

important public buildings, and also Northtei-race, Botanic Gardens, Henley Beach, Semaphore, and a panoramic view of the town of Tanunda, taken from the tower of the Chateau Tanunda. Three magnificent

dramatic stories are included in the new

bill, entitled "Her Indian Mother" (Ka-ien), "Winning His Love" (A.B.), and

'Circle C. Ranch's Wedding Present" (Essanay). Amonget tne comedies ara productions by the Vi ta graph and A.B. companies. J.ne musical programme bye DeGroen's Orchestra __ has been care-fully selected, ano", includes the overture "Eclipse" (Williams). A matinee takes place on Saturday.

Lyceum Pictures. j

An entirely new programme of pictures was presented to a la ige audience at the Empire Theatre last night. The principal attraction was a reproduction on the screen of the opening of the British Parliament ay King George. The film was by Gaumont, and provided a striking portrayal of the procession -as seen from several points on the route. The dramatic pictures are un-commonly good, particularly one entitled "The Rescue of "¡bolly Finney." It was a narrative of a capture by Indians of a young g"rl of the backwoods of Canada in the days of early French settlement. Edlowing their custom the redskins sold the girl to a wealthy French resident of Que-bec. Molly's lover, discovering her where-abouts, accomplished a rescue vyhich pro-vided some of the most sensational inci-dents of the drama. The picture was not extravagant in conception, and was well acted. "The Nine of D'amonds," another dramatic picture, with an American setting, was fidl of pathos, and illustrated the strength of friendship. A poem of Tenny-son's was adapted in a story entitled "The

Golden Supper," which was artistically re-' produced. The acting was powerful, and the picture one of the best of its kind yet seen in Adelaide. Taormina, one of the most picturesque portions of Italy, was the subject of some first-cla«s cinematography, and the wonderful natural beauty of the

coastline was noted. The life of a salmon wnts clearly " illustrated by photographs taken on the coast of British Columbia. The comedy pictures were entitled "Bobby as a Bootblack." "The Children's Revolt,"

"Strike at the Make-You-Young Business.^ |

and "Ma-in-I«'iw- Goes roller Skating.'*! There will be another change of programme on Monday next.

Thomas* Pictures.

The- management of Thomas' Pic! ures have arranged a ¡rood programme foi- exhibi-tion this evening on the Unlcv Oval. Many of the subjects are entirely new fo this Stale. Tne growing popularifv of Thomas' Pictures is evidenced bv the increasing ciowds that throng- the grandstand and overflow to the lawn. Scenic, cowboy, dramatic, and comic clements are all well

rcpiesoiitcd m to-night's bill, and the Pre-mier Brass Rand will play. The^ same programme will be shown on the Norwood Oval on Friday next.

Semaphore Miragraph Pictures.

This evening in the Semaphore Town Hall the People's Picture Company will screen an excellent series of moving pic-tures, including "Faust."' a remarkable r re-

production of that notable work. The other pictures to be shown are all of ihe usual high standard, and should prove in-

teresting and instructive. The next tiro-1 ¡rnfmine will be presented on Saturday | afternoon and evening.

Pictures at Glenelg.

To-night at the delightful open-air theatre at Glenelg, Messrs. Fanniug and Ives will submit a cliange of programme. Scenic, dramatic, industrial, and comic sub-jects arc all included in the bill, which will be well up -to the high standard at-

tained.

Rest's Pictures at the Trocadero.

The first-class programme now being pre-sented by Rest's pictures lias many ad-mirers n'jrhtly at the Trocadero. at Moore's Corner. Victoria-square. Pathe's Continen-tal Gazette serves to introduce, amongst other items, King George opening his first Parliament. A pensat'onal indian picture is entitled "A ChevMies Love for a Sioux." I Other films of a li gil quality are:-"The Funny Story," Pafcne's Australian Ani-mated News." "Paoli Equilibr'sts." "David and Goliath." "Max Misses Another Good Chance," "Singapore." "Unforgotten Kind-ness," "The Scrivener," "Two S-sters," "Birds in the >iests,'' "Vagaries ot Love." and "Chimney Sweeper's . Boy." Rest's Lyric Orchestra render selections." A change of programme will be given on Sat'urday evening.

Royal Pictures. ,

There will be a change of programme th»s evening at the Royal Picture», on the Portroac", Hindmarsh. Tlie star films will be "or.g of "the Wildwood Flute," dramatic; "Sunshine Sue," tlramat'c: "Cri Cri ¡is a Detective." connie; "Tonny will Be-come Rich," comic.

Unley Competitions. ' ¡ The Southern Literary and Musical Union ennual competitions will b~ held in the Unley City Hall at the end of next, month, and entries by inlending com-etitors must reach the seci-tary (Mr. H. W. Sutherland), Australasia Chambers. Kng William-street, not later than Saturday next. The following adjudicators ba»-e been appointed:-Singing and oh'r. musi-cal sections, Mr. Carl Sauer, of Victoria: elocution, Mr. Claud Hall. Vic'ora: band contests and sO'o items, Mr. W. Parting-, ton, New South Wales. " |

N0 CHOLERA AT PERIM. I

. Messrs. George Wills & Co., of Grenfellstreet, on Tuesday morning received the following cable from the -Perim Coal Com-pany. Perim:-"Cholera. Last case , here January 27; qtiarant'ne has been abolished, February 11. Please communicate it to titi» press. There is no sickness here, and none

apprehended." ,

MR. GEORGE SPICER DEAD.

, Mr. A. 0. Gilchrist, the Adelaide -repre-sentative of Messrs. James Spicer and Sons, papor-ir;trchanls,_on Monday morn ing received the following teiog'.aai from the head office in Melbourne:-"London cable just received stating that Mr. Georg" Spicer, direUe-r of our company, died last

Wednesd-.v afternoon after a few days'i illness. The fur.erai takes place on Mon-

day, at 2.30 p.m. Memorial services "wal'

bp cond'iet'»d it Et»cl's'i bronches at same time." The Adel-idè office was clrsed on Monday. Mr. S; ic r s as a Trothrr of Sif Albert Spicer, the head of the firm.

UNDERTAKERS' FEES.

To the Editor.

Sir-I seldom reply to an anonymous let-ter, but your correspondent, "An Under-' talter," is evidently writing in eood.faith, and assuming that he is an undertaker his not signing his name is in good taste. 1 have no objection to an undertaker being well paid for his work.-nor is my general experience of undertakers such as would warrant me in . making any unfavorable comments on their business or their .me-thods of carrying it on. On such "few sad occasions as I have come in contact with them, I have found them very con-siderate, thoughtful, kind, and reasonable, and I cannot therefore contradict your cor-respondent. But I have a very strong ob-jection to the methods adopted at the Ade-laide Hospital. When a working man died at 7 o'clock in the morning,'tlie night porter and the day porter informed the widow that she must be at. trie hospital a,t S o'clock to see the doctor, the

Coroner's clerk, jyid the .'undertaker. Of

course the woman felt herself bound to obey suth a request. When she arrived at the hospital the night norter and the dav porter ushered her into a room, where she foirad herself shut in alone with the undertaker, and she did not leave that room uutil she had signed an agreement to pay £15 for the funeral. I say most emphatically that this sort of thing ought not to occur. The hospital undertaker .contracts to provide all funerals of desti-

tute persons from the hospital at Sd. apiece. Why does he contract, at this priée? Eightpence certainly cannot pay him. Then what does pav him? It is abundantly clear that someone must pay for the funerals, which are conducted at a loss. If the State accepts a render of Sd. a funeral for the purpose of giving the undertaker the opportunity of imposing the cost of these cheap funerals on the widows anid orphans of working men, and if it is the duty of the night porter and the duv porter to arrange an unwitnessed interview between the hospital undertaker and widows in the most distressing mo-ments of their bereavement, it is, in my humble opinion, time for a self-respecting community to protest against such a state of affairs. In court I gave utterance to my disapproval of what . the undertaker had done. I don't retract a word of what 1 said. Rut in view of further in-formation I would like to add that this undertaker is not one-twentieth part as much to blame as the Government which allows an undertaker to 'conduct ita funerals at Sd. a time, knowing' that the burden of those funerals is to be imposed on shoulders ill able to bear it. The undertaker should be property paid for the work he does for the Government, and if he enters into a special agreement 4 for further payment with bereaved relatives, such an agreement should be entered into only in the presence of the secretary of the hospital or someone appointed by him, who should inform the distressed re-latives that almost anv undertaker in Ade-

laide will conduct a modas-t funeral for _ £8, and that a decent burial can be provided for £6.-I am &c.,»

N. A. WEBB. Wavmouth-street, March 14, 1911.