ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 78, 19 August 1912, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS.

MARGARET COOPER. When Miss Margaret Cooper apcare nt the Theatre Royal on Friday next Messrs John Tait "will introduce an artist who, until tile last few months lias only appeared in London. A little over (six years ago, after her great success at one of Cliappel'i grand ballad concerts with her songs at the piano, she was at once engaged for the Palace, and became the idol of fashionable London, and sang frequently before Royalty. So wonderful was this conquest that the Story Journal of January Ist headed a description of it with "The Fairy Story of Miss I Margaret Cooper." Nearly three years ago Messrs J. and N. Ta'it approached the young artist to tour Australia and New Zealand, but so great was the demand for her in London that it was impossible [for her 'to break away ftr sufficient time from her bookings to tour. However, a few months ago it was found possible for Miss Cooper to arrange for a six months' tour of Australia, Xew Zealand and South Africa. She has so far visited Melbourne, Adelaide jind Sydney, and the. press and pnblio have alike been enchanted with her art. In Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin she has been equally popular ; as, in Australian centres. In rendering I her songs she conveys a wide knowledge of 'human nature, a charming sense of humor, expressive face and vocal play,

and gesture full of meaning. Miss Cooper is accompanied by Mr H. Scott, Leslie, a brilliant humorist and raconteur of the Mel. B. Spurr class, Signor Manzoni, who shows possibilities on the mandoline seldom dreamt of, Mr Horace Witty, a young baritone from the Queen's Hall, London, and Mr Charles (Lnnreifce ias aecompanastp Box Jilan will open to-morrow morning at 9 at Collier'*. - ■..-...

EMPIRE THEATRE. The reputation of the management lost nothing from the entertainment of Saturday night. Pictures grave and gay, educational and elevating, pathetic and humorous, combined to' furnish, an evening's entertainment to suit the most fastidious. A full and enthusiastic house 'signified their pleasure in a maimer most gratifying to the management. "The Law and the Lady," a powerful Vitagraph drama, was perhaps the star film. The audience wer6 shown the counter forces of love and honor, the film depicting a man swayed on the one side by love of a woman, and on the other by' a stern sense of duty and jealousy for his own good name. The central figure is a young American judge, who is called upon to try, on a charge of "graft," a railroad king, the father' of his sweetheart. The girl, horrified at the thought of her father's disgrace, entreats her lover to acquit him, and in the stress of her emotions threatens to break off their engagement if he refuses. Not. even love, however, will sway the young judge against his 'Sense of right, and the friends "of the erring railroad king hatch a plot to have the judge murdered. The girl, however, is instrumental in frustrating this, and in a powerful scene the judge convicts her father, but is happily reconciled to his' sweetheart. ''Tracked Down" was a powerful detective drama, which took the fancy of the audience. An exciting escape from a moving train, a daring crime, a clever detection, and a stirring crinvnal hunt, are forcibly depicted, and the film provides moments of .thrilling excitement. The scenic films were excellent, "Glimpses of the Caspian Sea." with its moonlight effects, the sea in its varying moods and multitudinous shipping, of every description, being especially worth seeing. The comic side of the programme w.as well catered for in "A Persistent Suitor," "Freezing Auntie" and "A Spanish.Dilemma," the latter being a screamingly funny representation of the trials of two suitors and one girl in a state of indecision between the two. The whole programme made a pleasing combination.

The management has secured a new cinematograph feature by the worldfamed Nordisk Company. This film, entitled "Love in the Tropics." is reputed 1 to be one of Nordisk's best. It is 3000 feet long, and every inch is magnificently colored. When shown in Wellington recently, it broke all, previous picture records for popularity. "Love in the Tropics" will be screened for the first time next Wednesday. }<c exua Charge k to be made for this picture, which has taken Europe by storm'.