ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 90, 2 September 1912, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS.

EMPIRE PICTURES. Something distinctly weird and mystifying was screened at the Empire Theatre on Saturday, in the shape of "The Mystery of the Glass Coffin." Having an Eastern setting, the story distinctly flavors of the supernatural, and has just that realistic touch to make it intelligent to the audience. In the construction of the "mystery," the author has drawn considerably upon his imagination. Workmen engaged on excavation work in the grounds of an ancient palace accidentally unearthed a glass coffin containing the perfectly preserved and apparently lifeless body of a beautiful Hindoo girl. It is conveyed to the palace, where a young count enlists thtf services of an old Indian fakir to solve the mystery. The latter discounts the theory of death, holding that she is merely in a state of everlasting sleep. By his hypnotic powers he restores her to a real live human being. She is befriended by the count, who falls in love with her. A rival enters the scene, and kidnaps the girl who, after many exciting episodes, is rescued by her more principled lover. The villain makes hia "conge" as the result of an exciting duel with the hero. All then goes well until an old girl friend—a lover, in fact—of the count unexpectedly turns up. The count then becomes distracted with grief, painfully' realising that his first love is the more absorbing and attractive. Happily, fate, or rather the fakir, intervenes. Rather than see one or the other die of broken-lieart this exponent of .the "black art" persuades the Indian maid to consent to again be put into an endless sleep and thus pave the way for the European girl's affection. A few "passes" and the trance is induced. In time the count is sufficiently recovered from his lost love to marry his first love, and "'live happily ever afterwards." An unusual attraction in the comic line was served up in a well-contrived setting of Sir Arthur Gilbert's famous burlesque "The Yarn of the Nancy Bell," In different vein was a powerful dramatic subject, "One is Business; the other Crime." It seeks to show that the rich may accept bribes and escape with impunity, but a poor man who steals in order to provide for a starving wife and family is branded as a criminal. The plot in the piece is well thought out. Other films were shown, including one descriptive of an Austrian tin mine, and an interesting number of the Gaumont Graphic. "THE DANDIES." «. ■ ' It is not given to every tomaatf IB meet with the success wtiich AM lot* lowed "The Dandies." Individual merit and exceptional skill in concerted numbers are the outstanding features of Mi'. Branscombe's latest troupe. Altogether, Mr. Branscombe controls five different troupes of "Dandies." The company appearing in the Theatre Royal to-morrow evening are the famous "Red Dandies," who ran for a season of eight consecutive weeks in tke Town Hall, Wellington, and on Saturday last concluded a season of seven weeks in Auckland. In each city the merit of their performance was responsible for exceptional business. "The Dandies" present a programme which is at once clean, bright and vivacious. The personnel of the, company consists of a coterie of clevi r irtists. Miss Hilda Lane is a g/itted soprano; Miss Evelyn Ward, a delightful contralto; while Miss Irene Yere, as soubrette and dancer, shines conspicuously throughout the performance. The male members of the company include Mr. Claude Dampier, a comedian whose fund of humor is great; Mr. Gavin Wood, an excellent basso; Sir. H, Peacock, a fine, robust baritone; nd Mr. George Madigan, a light comedian and dancer of exceptional skill. The musical director is Mr. Leonard Griffiths, Mho was associated with "The Scarlet Troubadours" in a similar capacity. "The Dandies" will appear to-mor-row night at the Theatre Royal, for one night only. The box plan is at Collier's and day sales are at Hoffmann's.