ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1915, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

ROYAL PICTURES. "The Millionare Brigand," a sensational and exciting drama, is the main attraction to be presented next Tuesdf.y and Wednesday at the Theatre Royal. This is an exceptionally fine story aid is produced among beautiful mountain scenery. Seats may be reservH ht Hoffmann's. EMPIRE PICTURES. Selig's remarkable scerial, "The A.lveuturcs of Katlilyn,' is continued in to-niiht's new programme. The new instalment is entiled "The Forged Pwlmpnl." and will he found to be exceptionallv interesting. Supporting films are: 'The Man at the Key" (Do.nins Mar drama. -2000 ft in length), "Kidliig the Boss" (Vitagrnydi comedy), 'The Croon's Doom" (Lnko comedy) and the latest War Budget.

"THE MAN WHO STAY«D AX HOME." At 8 o'clock to-morrow morning the box plans will be opened at Coiner's for the first and only representation here of "lie Man Who Stayed at Home," tlie thrilling and remarkably successful spy play to be staged by J. C. Williamson's specially organised dramatic company at the Theatre Royal on Monday night next. The production is being looked forward to with great interest, and playgoers will probably appreciate an outline of the story. The action opens in the private sitting-room of a fashionable hotel on the East Coast of England. This is the battleground of the competitive strategy of six spies, four of them Teutonic and two English. It proves to be a strenuous fight, and the man who wins is the apparent "silly ass," Christopher Brent, who effects a toy monocle and inane laugh. The enemy agents take him at his face value, and it is not until it is too late that they become aware of his acumen and resource. An officer of the secret service, he has taken up his abode at a seaside hotel, and has discovered a g.ing of German spies. The proprietress, under cover of an English name (Mrs. Sanderson) is deep in intrigue, and she lias the advantage of a son, Carl, in (lie British Admiralty, a German waiter, who talks Dutch, and a German governess. Brent, early in the piece, discovers a Marconi wireless in the fireplace and removes the deflecter pin to render it useless, lie shoots the carrier pigeon, which was take plans of minefields and forts to IPotsdam, solves the spies' code book, and does other important services for his Empire. That is why he stayed at home, and why, too, he-was unable to to go to the front. Brent accepts the white feather from his fiancee and insults from his friends with a nonchalance that annoys his sincere little lover, and sends his fussy future father-in-law into irascible hysterics. The thread of sentiment is delicately handled in the play, and offers winning contrast to the energetic contest of tlie supreme 'plot. The comedy element is a relief from the intensity of the dramatic situations. This evening "Tlie Man Who Stayed at Home" will be staged at Eltham.'tomorrow night at Hnwera, and on Saturday at Stratford.