ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 272, 14 May 1912, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

PROFESSOR NORWOOD. Professor Norwood, on his return visit to New Plymouth, drew a good audience to the Theatre Royal last night, and it is safe to predict that he will draw a still larger one to-night. At the outset the Professor stated that this was the first town in which he had endeavored to entertain the audience "on his own," and 'he was very pleased at the reception he received. He must have been still more pleased at the conclusion of the entertainment, for the audience appreciated the programme placed before them, and manifested this by the close attention with which they followed the performance and the roars of hilarity that greeted the ridiculous antics of the Professor's assistants, the majority of whom were members of a committee selected from the audience. In fact, the Professor remarked that he felt rather at a loss, as he only had one ? ibject with whom lie was familiar, two others whom he had worked with for six years having recently left. Still, with bis raw material, he achieved remarkable results, which kept his audi- ■ ence in roars of laughter, not the least lof which was caused by the looks of horror and disgust pourtrayed on the countenances of the actors when they , realised to what extremes of ridicule they had gone for their fellow citizens' entertainment. ."What hynotism is, is not the subject of this article. Its object is to depict as briefly as possible the merits of the performance. First, the Professor, having tested his committee, some of whom did not prove easily susceptible to the influence lie exerted, proceeded to get them subject to his will. To this end he danced rapidly round them, executing various mystic passes, while the orchestra, which is a bright feature of the entertainment, wafted strains of entrancing music, anon fast, anon slow. Gradually the subjects heads fell on their breasts, and the Professor had control. Then they lost their individuality and became what the Professor willed, saw what he wished them to see, and did what he commanded. In this way the audience witnessed the ridiculous performance of grown men who could not put their fingers together, Who chased imaginary mice, who fished in all seriousness with sticks and string with imaginary frogs for bait, over the footlights, in a lake wihich, to them at all events, was real enough. The waltz scene was particularly good, the actions and gestures of the men walking their invisible partners being simply scream - able. So also was the scene in which four of the subjects, who for the time being were negro preachers, gave powerful addresses, using only the letters of the alphabet. The final scene, however, metaphorically brought down the house. Six of the subjects were made to perform a musical comedy sketch as leading lady i and chorus girls. They were allowed to jdo 'their make-up in full view of the J house, and its realism appealed strongly . to the female portion of the audience. The song and stepdanee were excruciatingly funny. The value of hypnotism in surgery was exemplified by the control which the Professor can exert over all the muscles of a subject's body, relaxing or contracting them at will. 'While one of the troupe was stretched across two chairs the Professor stood on his rigid body, and later upon his rigid arm. The picture reading and thought transference, in which Miss Norwood assists, proved intensely-interesting. Miss Norwood performed various feats among the audience, which had been suggested by them just previously to the Professor. About 10 p.m. the Professor sent a man literally to sleep for 24 hours, and in this state he was taken across to Mr. Geo. Griffiths's establishment, where he will be in full view of passers-by till 7.30 p.m. to-night, when he will be removed to the Theatre, there to be awakened at 9 p.m., after various interesting tests have been made by a committee. To-night also a complete new programme will be submitted, including the famous circus act.

BERNARD'S PICTURES AT STRATFORD. A good all-round programme was submitted' a:t Bernard's Picture Theatre, Stratford, last night. "Won by Wireless" unfolded an intensely exciting drama, which, incidentally, demonstrated the important part that ethergrams can play in love affairs. Memories ef the stirring days of Crimea were recalled bv the screening of a dramatic and in-terest-compelling film in the shape«of "The price of Victory," a tale of the Balaclava charge. The industrial side was well represented bv a picture dealing with "The Industrial Blind," while the programme was rounded off with that ever popular series, Pathe's Australian Gazette.