ENTERTAINMENTS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2129, 2 March 1908, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS.

AIaoAIAHON’S I’ICTURES.

Another important step in tho realms of scientific achievement was illustrated at His Majesty’s Theatre rt’liich was crowded in every part .m Saturday night, when Alessrs Alacmont in the moving picture line that ■t distinctly ahead.of all forerunners a this class oi entertainment AVhen pictures depicting motion were' first reproduced on the stage ,tho public rushed tho new form of entertainment, looking upon it as one of the wonders of the age, as it assuredly is. However, as Thomas Carlyle made 'dear in his philosophical treatises, tho marvellous becomes commonplace once it has been repeated a few times, and thus it lias been with moving pictures. Once tlio novelty began to pall, tlio theatre-going public was more concerned to criticise any points lacking perfection, and in this rc--:pccl the provoking flicker came in for their hearty curses. Managers realised the difficulty', and did their best to remedy it, but the fault always remained to a greater or lesser extent. Advance agents by the score advertised their pictures as being “without flicker,” but inevitably failed to make good their promises. AlacAlahon Bros, have, however, succeeded in showing that it .is not impossible to show moving pictures in which there is an entire absence of tho glare and flicker that have in tho jiast been so trying to the eyes. In the best subjects shown on Saturday night the moving pictures stood out bold and clear like a stationary picture.

Tho opening series was the best of lie entertainment. This rejiresented tlio loss of two children in a snowdorm in Switzerland, and thedr subsequent discovery by a pair of dogs ,from the’ monastery of St. Bernard. ♦ A finer set has not been shown in tho Dominion that this. The mother in tho little Swiss chalet, the peasant father herding a flock of sheep, tho children going out to meet him, their manful but unsuccessful struggle j vitli the storm, tlie frenzy of the parents when tho return of the father shows the children have been lost, the visit to tho monastery where the monks release two of their famous dogs, tho persistent search by tho sagacious animals, whose miraculous j instincts enabled them to locate tho spot under which the children lay covered in snow, tho parents first hugging their children, then rubbing them frantically' to restore consciousness, and their delight on again seeing life in the eyes of their loved i ones, were the striking features of a * series that kept the audience spellbound from the commencement to it 6 '• conclusion. The principal subject dealt with during the evening was tho series representing Rolfe Boldrewood’s well-known story “Robbery . Under Arms.” The pictures were . scarcely so clear as those of foreign ■ origin, although there were exceptions to this. On the other hand the J fact that they were Australian, with iian obviously colonial coloring, was ian advantage, whilst the incidents ’depicted were c.i a kind that appealed very strongly to the audience. The l arrangement of the set was excellent, tand represented in a realistic manner . the chief event. in the career of Starjlight, the fam us highwayman. The ’comic series wr, particularly well selected, and broke fresh ground in |this department, whilst a colored set, '(entitled “An Lister Egg,” contained some very' beau iful effects. At internals, songs of the ballad description ’were excellently' sung by Aliss Tans*ley, who lias a contralto voice of nice .quality. These were to have been ‘illustrated, but. the delay ,in the arrival of the boat from Napier prevented the limelight apparatus from being available. This omission will be remedied t;-night. Despite difficulties in the initial entertainment, consequent on the company’s plant being landed so late, the" “show” went excellent’;.', and tlie audience was eutlmsisasi c in its applause. The programme will be repeated to-uight, when the man igement promise an even better eriertainent than was submitted on Saturday night, as the whole of the machinery will be on hand and in working "order. The season will close to-morrow night