ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 232, 29 March 1912, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

EMPIRE THEATRE. A STARTLING ATTRACTION. The Wellington Times says:—Dramatic tastes are well catered for at the New Theatre, Manners street, this week. The new film, 'A Victim of the Mormons," is a highly interesting drama, by the Nordisk Company—a company which specialises in dramatic studies. The picture is a good one, full of exciting incidents, and the aeting is clever and smart. The story relates how a handsome young Mormon is introduced by his friend to the latter's family. The Mormon becomes infatuated witk his friend's sister, who is already engaged to ft very worthy fiancee. The girl is lured away by the Mormon, and once he has her in his power he leaves for America, accompanied by the girl. The Mormon and his "victim" are chased by the girl's brother and her fiancee, with almost frenzied! desperation. The two men follow in motor-cars, express trains, cabs, Atlantic liners, taxi-cabs, etc., and yet the Mormon manages to elude the pursuers by a hair-breadth each time the'" appear to be on the verge of capturing him. Finally, on arrival at his destination, the Mormon is betrayed by a woman associate. The (kidnapped girl is then rescued by her friends. In addition to this great and thrilling dramatic masterpiece there will be a complete programme of the finest picture productions. The usual matinee will be held at 2.30 to-morrow, when the star film, "A Victim of the Mormons," will be shown. Another star attraction at the matinee will be the Vitagraph Company's star release, "Lady Godiva."

"LAND OF THE SHAMROCK." TO-NIGHT. Lovers of drama, and their name is legion, will have a great treat to-night at the Theatre Royal by the presentment of this new and original Irish play. It is founded upon one of Lover's best Irish novels, and the fact of its characters including French spies, Irish exiles, moonlighters, smugglers, etc., gives promise o! plenty of excitement in the action of the play, The scenic effects are varied and effective, one of the most realistic being the smugglers' lair. Cue of our exchanges says: "For fun, sensation and situation, 'The Land of the Shamrock' is an easy winner against the majority of Irish plays, the only two that are in the running with it being 'The Shaughraun' and 'Arrah-na-Pogue.'" There could be no higher praise than this, to we look forward with confidence to a very successful performance this evening.

FASOLA, THE MAGICIAN. Messrs. John Fuller and Sons, the well-known theatrical firm, will open a season of one night at the Tiheatrx? Royal on Thursday next, when they will present Fasola, described as the great Indian Fakir, or master magician. The Sahib Fasola is credited with many new and mysterious workings in magic, and the press everywhere asserts that he begins .where magicians of the past have' left off. His acts are new and savour of the mysticism of the East. One journal says: "Fasola is very thorough throughout. The big mechanical illusions and the small incidental sleight-of-hand tricks are effected with the same ease and placid unconcern. His is a quiet enjoyable stroll through the fields of necromancy, and conviction, born of and impelled by his suave demeanor, meets an insuperable barrier only in the spectators' mental reminder that "it's all a fake.' And so he watches for an indication to explain the simple cause lying behind a complicated and (confusing , effect, and finding himself mystified till the curtain ends his researches and sends hiin away convinced that 'seeing is believing' is not an axiom to which exceptions may not, occasionally, be advantageously applied. A number of artists, specially selected by John Fuller and Sons, will appear in support of Fasola, prominent amongst them being "The Windsor Choristers." The latter is a very fine juvenile male quartette, whose singing has created a wonderful impression wherever they have appeared. "The Windsor Choristers" include Master James Hes, described as the boy who sang before the King. The box plan is open at Collier's.