ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1916, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

PROGRAMME ARRANGEMENTS FOR THIS WEEK AT THE EMPIRE. COMPLETE CHANGES TO-NIGHT, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. The usual four changes of programme will be screened at the Empire this week. Commencing to-night the management will sbeen for a two night season the wonderful World Corporation success, "The Labyrinth" or "The Actress and the Minister." On Wednesday night there will be a complete change when the star item will be a vividly entertainnig detective romance —"Monsieu Lecoq." The story was , written by the master novelist, Emilie Gaboriau, and concerns an intensely inteicsting adventure in which the celebrated scientific detective, Monsieur Lecoq, was engaged. He discovers that the Duchess Courtiumio is being blackmailed, and begins to find the reason why. The secret, if discovered, will , 3rag the family'* name in the mire, and disgrace the dutchess. Lecoq gets op to the trail very quickly, but he is baffled at every turn. Jt is a ease of woman's wits versus scientific detective principles. Relentlessly the detective pursues every ;lue, until at last h< is almost driven to despair, while the duchess is triumphant. Suddenly Lecoq hits upon a novel idea. He follows it up, and the secret is his. But instead of the knowledge being used to besmirch the good name, it so works out that it adds lustre to it. Thursday night wll see the screening of the Gtli adventure of "Stingaiee" this time entitled "The Taking of the Stingaree." Like the preceding numbers this adventure is full of interesting events right throughout. On Iriday and Saturday the management, will introduce another superb Lasky feature "The Wild Goose Chase," featuring the beautiful Ina Claire.

EGMONT PICTURES.; "The Man in the Vault" is the star item on the programme to he shown at Opnnake, Rahotu and Okato this week. John Norton, posing as a lucessful business man, is in: reality a master cracksman. The strongest vaults are easily opened by the wonderful electrical tools invented by him. Tom, Norton's son. is )ii.s valuable assistant. The boy Is sent to Mawlalc to obtain information concerning a bank which he and hi? father plan to loot. Just as he is ready to stage the robbery, Tom rescues Evelyn Van Pult, who is being insulted by "ii gang of rowdies. The girl is the daughter of the bank president. Tom falls in love with her and is inspired to lead an honest life. Attracted by the young man, Van Pult makes him hi? secretary. Enraged by what he thinks is a yellow streak in Tom, Norton resolves to burglarise the bank alone. His electrical tools open the vault on the night that Tom and Evelyn make public theii betrothal. Van Pult enters the bank for document* he had forgotten. Discovering the burglar in the vault lie slams the steel door into place, imprisoning Norton in the iron chamber. Tom learns what has occurred. He balUes with the problem of either losing his sweetheart or of seeing his father sent to prison. Tom later fells the officer guarding his father, thus aiding the latter to escape. Later, Norton comes to the realisation of his son's great sacrifice. Not to be undone, the father appears before Van Pult ind Evelyn and confesses all. Norton's vow to turn over a new leaf, and their love for Tom, decide the banker and his daughter. Father aniS son are forgiven. There are other, good items. Consult programme printed on first page. THE NORWOODS. v Prof. Norwood, the American iiypnofist, )pens a short season of laughter at the Good Templar Hall next Wednesday night, September 0. Says the Wanganui Chronicle: "Despite the inclemency of the weather, there was a packed audience at the Opera House last night when Professor Norwood gave one of his entertainments. The professor kept his audience more than amused throughout the whole evening. In fact, he or rather, perhaps, his subjects, had the house in roars of laughter the whole time, and while the doings of the subjects were most comical, the professor, on his. part, certa'inly demonstrated his power of ■ hypnotic control, and showed much skill m effecting a humorous turn to the performance of .he suggestions given by him There was. for instance, the minstrel show turn, in which the subjects, under the belief that they were nigger jMjfcrgla pt >!>« WaUest order, went

through a most amazing performance of a more or less musical nature, the audience being, at the conclusion, almost helpless with laughter Then the professor enjoined them to try their persuasive powers a s salesmen, and it was most diverting to sec them moving round among the audience earnestly pressing the latter to purchase imaginary newspapers These and other entertaining items kept the audience in such a bubble of merriment that they had almost a feeling of regret when the evening came to an end, albeit they left the building fully satisfied with value re-ceivi-d " At 4 o'clock on Wednesday, Professor Norwood will perform his wonderful blindfold drive, starting from the Post Office. i