Montgomery's Entertainers.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7927, 7 October 1904, Page 5

Montgomery's Entertainers.

■Mr E. Montgomery's hew company of "entertainers openejirKere in the Zealandia- Hall last night. .Mr Montgomery has the reputation- of being one who always presents a bright, attractive programme to the public, and th'o company now touring under his direction, is •no exception to the rule. All the " turns " are {clever and. cannot fail to interest the audience, while another: creditable feature—unfortunately rare in many variety shows—is the-absence of vulgarity and suggestive "• double-meaning ;.in. the' programme. ■- Professor Parker, "the Hand-cuff-King,";, is the central artiste'an the .company. . He undertakes, to ' free himself from- any .handcuffs or locks invented % i£notiee be given of the intention to: try' him. Last night a committee of gcn'tloinen from, the audience inspected, a formidable array of regulation and.other handcuffs. They then secured the professor in various, positions. A few minutes' retirement into a cabinet was sufficient for Mm to free himself from the " darbies " in a way that would cause a "Bill Sykes "to turn green with envy. A member of the audience then produced a. curiously-shaped pair of gyves, but Professor. Parker unlocked them quicker even than he did the regulation article. Finally he wasj loaded >with:half a ew.tr of'chains, two "padlocks,' four'pairs of handcuffs and.some manacles, all of which he cast off and appeared amidst applause in about three minutes. Another good turn "was that of Zeno, an expert in the juggling line. All his feats were cleanly done and he was heartily applauded. The company is strong in vocalists. Mr Montgomery is as good as ever in sentimental and descriptive songs, and they are illustrated by striking lantern views. Miss May Dagmar is a serio-comic artiste, whose items received well-deserved' applause. Miss. Blanche Hargood. is' also a pleasing-.: soprano singer, ..who was vociferously' encored for each of her mimbers.; Mr Harry Hall supplies the -humorous: element in his usual style. Miss Esther Nordcn, A.L.C.M., acted' as pianist and also played a mandolin selection, which was well received. A biograpli machine projected on to the screen some moving pictures that had the merit of being fresh and novel.

To-night an entire change of programme takes place. Prof. Parker has accepted a challenge to free himself from a pair, of American handcuffs.