AMUSEMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 March 1916, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS.

EMPIUE PICTURE PALACE. The final screening of the current programme .at the Empire Picture Palace will take place this evening. The star drama is entitled "The Secret Agent from Russia." This is the thirteenth episode of "The Million Dollar Mystery." A story that has sensational happenings as its leading feature is "The Steeplejack's Revenge." Billy Beeves is seen in a comedy of the sea, entitled "Billy Joins the Navy," and another comedy is "Over and Back." "Gaumont Graphic," "Scarborough, England," and "Labor Day in Wellington" arc also on the'programme. THEATRE ROYAL. Almost ineffably charming and piquant is the acting of Miss Marguerite Clark, who plays the leading role in the undeniably brilliant dramatic "feature" photo-play, "The Crucible," by the Famous Players' Company, which was screescd with the new s'.'ries at the Theatre Royal last evening. Individuality is clearly stamped on Miss Clark's performance, and being favored with a degree of charm in personality it is not difficult to realise why she ranks as one of the world's leading film players. "The Crucible" is a forceful study of human frailty with its redeeming qualities. The enactment is accomplished with most appropriate open-air settings, wherever they are required, and realism has been attained throughout. • The story tells of a wilful young girl who innocently injures her sister and is sent to a reformatory. She escapes from there, but is persuaded by a young artist to return. After being discharged she goes through many vieissitudce and again meets the artist whom she met earlier and though the course of love is not devoid of obstacles, yet the two eventually are thrown together and they agree never to part again. Above ordinary merit are: "Their Night <sut" ,'Vitagrnph comedyV , 'l , at.heGn".ntlo''and "John Bull's Sketch Book" (comedy war cartoon), all of which will be repeated to-night and to-morrow night.