ENTERTAINMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1212, 24 February 1914, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS.

MUNICIPAL PICTURES.

The star drama for to morrow night is a stupendous and mystic story of the Indian Idol Buddha, in three acts; While six priests are at praj'cr, a band of marauding coolies sweep down and annihilate them. The last priest to die, perceiving that the coolies are taking the sacred eye of Buddha, curses the stone, and exclaims that the possessor of it shall die. One by one they die, and the surviving coolie grasps the stone and runs away with it to the jungle, where fear and excitement make him a madman. A merchant sells the stone to Sir Hugh Wheeler and his niece. A despatch comes to them that the lanatical Sepoys have thrown down their arms and deserted. Nana Sahib, a bad man, oilers bis assistance to Sir Hugh, which is accepted. High Priest Djalma makes a vow that he will devote his life to the stone. Twenty five years later the emerald, after passing through many hands, finds its way into the possession of Colonel Van Alston, his wife, and daughter Nellie. The High Priest Djalma, realising that he must die, calls his adopted son, Afga, and makes him swear that he will devote his entire life-to the restoring of the eye of Buddha. Afga sees Nellie admiring the stone one day, and geutly refusing the proposal of a suitor. Nellie becomes very ill. She goes to Cawnpore, and with Afga is taken before the idol of Buddha. Pointing to the eye socket, Afga tells Nellie of the story of the emerald. Impulsively she gives him the precious stone, and, immediately after it is placed in the socket, it flares fire. The other items are, "Gillon Acrobatic Duo’' (vaudeville), "The Influence of the Unknown” (drama), "Pathe Gazette” (topical), "The Butler’s Secret” (drama), "River Banks” (scenic), "Her Present” (comic), "The Seed Industry of New Zealand (interest), "Shorty and Sandy Work Together” (comic), all helping to make up a first-class programme.

“ 80-PEEP ” PANTOMIME

NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT

An announcement is made in this issue that on Friday night the Royal Pantomime Co, will make it’s first appearance at the Town Hall. Though this Company is quite new to the Dominion it has been on tour in Australia for some years, where it has been most successful. Messrs George Stephenson and AU Linley, well known in the theatrical world, saw the company in New South Wales playing in “Little 80-Peep,” and at once entered into a contract to bring the company to New Zealand. This meant that the company would have to break the continuity ol its successes in Australian States, for the company has an undoubted reputation, but as it meant breaking new ground and the probable extension of the field of action in the future, it was decided to make the tour. Although it will be a short one, new scenery has been painted for this tour, the work being carried out by Mr Harry Whaite, which should be a sufficient guarantee of its excellence, and a number of new artists have been engaged leaving nothing undone in order to present the public with a complete and up-to-date performance. The wardrobe has also been renewed, and will include costumes of original design, more especially for the ballets and marches, which are made a feature in “80-Peep.” The box plan is now on view at the Town Clerk’s office.