ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 201, 14 January 1913, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

THEATRE. ROYAL. An excellent secies of pictures comprised last night's change of programme at the Theatre Royal. There was a very fair attendance. The feature film of the evening was a superb dramatic production, "The Mystery of Souls," occupying 3000 feet of film.. It wais a unique cinematograph picture, and represented a distinct advance on all previous efforts from the point of' view of the weird and mystifying. It was at once a most sensational and tragical study, woven around a remarkably cleverly-conceived theme, and interpreted by some of the masters of the acting profession. Its vivid pourtrayal was the subject of much favourable comment, as was also its splendid staging.*- In short, it rivalled many of our best-known theatrical pieces. Another beautiful picture k the Selig film story "The Rivals." Two fisher boys, Tom and Bill, are the best of friends, until each discovers that they both love the same. girl. While she prefers Bill, she like* Tom well enough to propose a novel task for her suitors, of climbing the highest peak on the Island home anil securing the head and horns of a famous wild goat—the successful man to be rewarded with her hand. They accept the teat and climb the mountain, and Bill has the good fortune to shoot the goat. He makes hi.s camp for the night, and his rival, who has heard the shot, tries to steal the trophy. Bill awakes, and. in the struggle which ensuefi, is forced over a precipice. Tom starts away with the head and horns, but, overcome by remorse, returns and rescues Bill. He carries his rival to the girl; who learns the whole story, and then manfully departs. "'Shipbuilding in Trieste" is a fine educational nicture,' and there are als-i a number of amusing items. The full programme will lie repeated tonight.

EMPIRIC PICTURE PALACE. There was again a good attendance at tlie Empire Theatre last evening, when Saturday's fine selection of films was screened for the second occasion to a well-pleased audience. This line series will again be on Anew this evening for the last occasion. The new programme to be introduced to-morrow includes a great Gaumont colored star, "A Lion Let Loose." This production is isaid to be tlie. limit in realism as far as cinematography is concerned. J. C. WILLIAMSON COMTC OPERA COMPANY.

Monday next. January 20, will see the return for one night only of the popular J {.'. Williamson's New Comic Opera Company. The musical attraction to be offered is the highly successful comic opera., in two acts, "The Girl in the Train," the music of which is by Leo l''all. Probably at no period of the J. C. Williamson regime has a. musical comedy organisation possessed so fine an array of individual talent as that promised by the ease of "The Girl in the Train." The company of principals is a combination of ''star" artists. We have a s "Honda Van der Loo" (the Girl in the Train) Miss Sybil Arundale. Miss Armidalc is an actress, a dancer and a vocalist of superaltive merit. She is, moreover, the original of many of the musical .pieces produced at the London Gaiety Theatre. A comedienne of rare quality, she is the idol of comic opera lovers, both in England and Australia. Wherever Mr. Talleur Andrews has appeared he has caused an undot^.

(sensation. Mr. Andrews has a tenor | voice whose equal is rarely heard outside 101 grand opera. lie is also said to be a (me natural actor, with a style that quickly ingratiate., him with his audience. Ie wll appear: as Karel Van Buren. J h,rc will aU bi- a new premiere danmise in Madam Vivian Talleur Madame Talleur, who is from the Ballet of the Czar," from the Imperial Opera House,- St. Petersburg, where she recently appeared with tiio great Pavlova, was also wonderfully popular in Australia, where she created a remarkably favorable impression. Coming nearer home, there is Miss Celia Ghiloni, who i 3 a prime favorite with , Dominion patrons.; Miss Dorothy Brunton, and, by no means least, our own prima donna, Miss Amy Murphy <i greater favorite than Mr. W. S. ' Percy probably never appeared in Xew Zealand. Mr. Percy has a rare opportunity as Judge Van Eyck, the fatuous: luminary that tries the famous divorco wise The company is practically n double one, having two tenors,, two baritones, two basses, and two 'prima donnas. Mr. Reginald Roberta has a reputation as an attractive singer and actor that needs no commeivt. Messrs Fred. Winn, Charles Albert and Victor Prince are comedians whose humor is of a healtlry, invigorating type. "The Girl in the Train" is quoted as being a wild Are success in which the music is a potent factor, the strains of the gifted Leo Fall being more than usually alluring. It would appear ihat even were the quality of the entertainment a 'debatable quantity, it would need to be a particularly indifferent play indeed that would fail to be steered to success by the artists thai constitute the personnel of the New Comic Opera Company as jat present organised. The 'box plan' will be opened at Collier's on Thursday* next