ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 7, 3 July 1911, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE ROYAL PICTURES. The "Royal Pictures," a permanent picture entertainment, opened to splendid business at the Theatre Royal on Saturday night. The building was filled in all parts. Messrs. Crust and Gjcdsted, the proprietors, who left Dunedin on Monday last for New Plymouth, arrived iere on Wednesday night. The next few days were busy days, and on Saturday "night iliey were ready for the large gathering of the picture-going public who gave them such a housewarming welcome. A splendid new Gaumont flickerless cinematograph had been installed in a fire-resisting operating room in the old Burlington Club rooms, the picture being projected on to the large stage screen through an opening cut in the back wall of the dross circle. Difficulties met with had been overcome one by one. The theatre interior, which the theatre company has never felt very proud of, had been renovated, a warm maroon paper covering the walls, dark maroon carpet look much more comfortable than before, the windows curtained, and so on. Altogether there were many indications that the Royal Pictures people intend doing things well in order to keep the theatre filled. The music-loving public, as well as the picture-goers, are being catered for, Mrs. Woods' orchestra of seven playing fine selections almost continuously throughout the evening. The firm, it will thus be seen, is under very heavy expense to attain their object—a big, satisfied, regular clientile. The programme submitted contained scenic, scientific, historical, and comic subjects. •'The Magnet" was a clever and interesting film, illustrating the affinity of the magnet for steel filings, and shnwin •' some peculiarities of magnetised. steel nils. Another series of pictures showed "he planetary system, our little earth r -olving around the sun, and her little l. hi encircling the globe all the I time. .' ! the other great planets went I steadil' on their appointed course, giving :• very fair idea of what the estrone-- "■•» have discovered for us. "The G-errero Troupe" was a picture devoted to the clever, gymnastic feats of a wonderfully clever organisation, whilst "Bear-hunting on the Malay Peninsula" was wonderfully realistic. "Hardly the Dog's Fault," "Arresting the Thief," "The Girl in the Film," and "Max and his Mother-in-law" were side-splitting comic films. There was a brilliantly colored dramatic film, "Boniface VIII.," depicting the cowardly, revenge of Sciarra upon His Holiness Boniface '■ VTn., who interfered between the young man and Boniface's niece when they were ardently engaged in love-making. The Pope, who excommunicated the French King Phillip because of his treatment of the monasteries, fled before a punitive force sent out by the enraged monarch. H> was betrayed by Sciawu- 'kftsW-ffiipfU :i d, but hio niece aroused the peopK and rescued the Pontiff from hit prison, where he had made up his mind to starve himself to death rather than accept food from the violators of the laws of the chiirch. There were one or two slight accidents to the films, but these were no of sufficient importance to count against such steady illumination of the many and varied subjects presented. The management is taking every precaution against a repetition of the annoying faidt, and also intends to still more brilliantly illuminate the pictures. They open again to-night, and to-morrow, and nave a complete one-night change on Thursday. FRED STEPHENS' BENEFIT.

In view of the benefit performance for Mr. Sti-phens, which takes place on Friday rext, a brief account of his valuable work in New Plymouth may . be of ! who had successfully piloted the Alfred Woods dramatic company through New Zealand, arrived in New Plymouth on i his way '.u Auckland, and was prevailed ' upon to stay and assist Mr. Stoyle, who had charge of the staging of the Gondoliers for the Dramatic Club. The Gondoliers was staged afterwards at Stratford and tiawera, with Mr. Stephens' assistance, and his services proved so valuable that he was retained by Mr. Jones as theatre manager in New Plymouth. Mr, Stephens did valuable service for the amateurs subsequently in the production of the Cloches de Cornville, H.M.S. Pinafore, and La, Mascotte, as he wrote up the libretto from memory, made and painted the scenery, and assisted in the production. It was on the last evening of the performance of the first of these operas that, while moving scenery. Air. Stephens had the accident which led to the loss of his leg. Besides the operas mentioned, Mr. Stephens has assisted in many other dramatic ventures as well as at balls, bazaars and socials innumerable. His long experience renders his services ol the greatest value, and as his health is improving, he hopes to be able to find some occupation in which his talents will be of use. It is Imped that the appeal on his behalf will meet with the hearty response it deserves, and that Friday evening will see the Theatre Royal packed with his friends and patrons.