ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 156, 8 December 1914, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS.

.«. "SAN TOY." To-night, at 8 o'clock, the New Plymouth Operatic Society will commence their fifth season with Sydney Jones' popular comedy-opera, "San Toy." The members held their final dress rehearsal last evening in the Theatre Royal, and those privileged to see it were convinced that the presentation to-night will be, both musically and artistically, a huge success. The selection of the principals has been most happy, and in the cast are those who demonstrated last night the possession of rare ability. A rehearsal by an operatic Company, either amateur or professional, is no real criterion of its work before an audience, for it is to the public that a player looks for his or her inspiration. Last night the noticeable features were that the principals had adequate and excellent conceptions of their respective parts, throwing great vim into their work; that there are many fine vocalists in the society, that the choruses were attacked with the necessary vigor, and were musically strong, successful, and artistic- In short, there i 3 no doubt but that "San Toy" will wholly charm the public. The scenery, which has been specially painted by Mr. Mel. Bradbury, is on a gorgeous scale, and makes a fitting background to a specially well-staged opera. The box plan and early door day sales for stalls are at Collier's Music Warehouse. EMPIRE PICTURES. "Goodness Gracious"—that's the. name of the feature on 'to-night's new programme at the Empire; Picture Palace. Its name gives it away; it's a star comedy by Vitagraph, and when they start to lie funny they succeed. "Goodness Gracious" is one of the funniest concoctions Vitagraph ever ' attempted. This film was exhibited in the Vitagraph Theatre, New York-, for a long period, and drew tremendous audiences. The heroine, who is given to devouring with avidity the .most romantic novels, is a beautiful, hut poor, girl, with very large; eyes and a sentimental nature. She has a father and a mother—of course —but father's business is ruined by a villain, and father consequently drowns his cares and himself together at every opportunity, thus killing two birds with one stone, and himself, too, eventually. So poor father never "acted peculiar again." Then the villain enters, and the fun begins. There is a fine supporting "programme.