ENTERTAINMENTS.

Mataura Ensign, 17 January 1914, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS.

PRINCESS THEATRE. The Stevenson management is to be commended' for the most excellent series of films which it is at present screening and which have been shown so far to excellent houses. The star subject, "Spanisn Blood," in which Miss Asta, Neilson is featured, has been the subject of much favorable comment, and the clear views of the fatal accident to Miss Davidson at the last English Derby, which have aroused much interest, should result in another good house at the final screening of the present programme to-night. THEATRE ROYAL. A gocd audience witnessed the second screening of the current programme at the Theatre Royal last evening. The series comprises a very attractive list of subjects, of which the principal feature is a great Urban star drama, "A Plunge for Fortune," dealing with a sensational will case in America. The programme will be shown for the last time to-night. THE MYSTERIOUS SILBINIS. The Mysterious Silbinis, hypnotists and society entertainers will appear in the Gore Town Hall next Wednesday and Thursday (race nights) when a pro- ' gramme brimful of sensational novel-! ties will be submitted. Professor Sil- j •bini, the hypnotist, will give an exhibi- j tion of this mysterions power, and promises something entirely new. During the entertainments at Gore several very severe tests will be given with local subjects in addition to amusing ones. Miss | fthoda Silbini will make her first ap-1 pearanco to a Goro audience. This clever artist will introduce her mysterious second-sight seance, telling the contents of pockets, giving details regarding lost articles and missing friends whilo blindfolded on the stage. This part of the performance ha 6 caused a great deal of comment throughout the Dominion. Will Marmon (the musical wizard) who appeared here so successfully some time ago, will give another exhibition of playjng popular airs on various instruments; including the Parsifal bells and his original glassophone. The comic side is in the capable hands i of Bert Dobson. During their visit to Mataura on Monday night the Mysterious ftiibinis will give an hypnotic test when a local person will be hypnotised at dinner time and placed in the window of Messrs Stewart Bros. He will be taken to the Horticultural Hall at 7.30 p.m. and awakened at 8 p.m.

" WITHIN THE LAW."

J. C. Williamson, Limited, will prei sent at the Theatre Royal, Gore, on 1 Friday, January - 30, the impressive American, play, "Within the Law," which has met with remarkable success in Australia, After a three months' run, in Melbourne it was transferred 1 to Adelaide, where it drew crowded' houses for three weeks. Then came the very successful season at the Criterion Theatre, Sydney, where packed! houses were the rule for over 1$ weeks, and were it not for the fact that New Zealand dates had' to be it is stated that the drama could have been runr ning there until well into the New Year. The Australian success of '"Within the Law" was in: keeping with that in New York and London, In the former city it ran for 12 month® in the Eltinge Theatre, right through the hot season, when all the other theatres were closed 1 ; while in,' London under the direction, of Sir Herbert Tree, it drew capacity houses for seven months and it was necessary to book seats weeks m advance. "Within the Law" is now drawing crowded houses at Christchurch. Special interest attaches to the production from! the fact that it will serve to introduce to Gore audiences a brilliant young actress in, the person of Miss Muriel Starr, whom one enthusiastic! Melbourne critic described as "a blend of those gifted artists— Ethel Irving, Margaret Anglin and Katherine Grey." Other newcomers are Miss Mary Worth and Messrs Lincoln Plunier and E, W. Morrison, all of whom aire well-known figures on the New York stage. The box plans will be opened! at Boyne Bros.' on Tuesday, January 27.

AUCKLAND EXHIBITION. Those in search of entirely new things at the Auckland Exhibition can have their search rewarded by seeing quite a number such as have never been seen in public in New Zealand before. The Hall of Industries, where is located most of the general trade exhibits, contains in the gross a large number of novelties of more or less importance, and some of quite outstanding interest There are now perhaps several thousand people who have a much better understanding of the extent, general "lie," and construction of the great Panama Canal, through having seen the excellent relief model of that great engineering work, shown in one of the shipping company's stalls. Comparatively few people had ever before had the opportunity to see a wireless plant in operation. The automatic telephone, which is now making its way in New Zealand, having been partly introduced into Auckland and Wellington, is exhibited very fully, and demonstrated in operation in both the Strowger and central electric systems, along with a host of other telegraphic and telephonic apparatus. In the engineering section, which i 6 very large and unusually interesting, not only are the latest developments of the motor cars demonstrated, but there is a particularly attractive exhibit in the shape of several 12 and 13.5-inch armor-piercing shells. These have, with one exception, been fired through a 12-inch plate of Krupp armor ,and emerged from the ordeal with an astonishingly', small amount of damage; some of them, in fact, are hardly scored at all. There is a particularly handsome model of H.M.S. Hercules, lent by the Admiralty, which is an object of considerable interest and admiration. Among the side-shows there is a great variety of entertainment, some of the shows being quite new to this young and in this respect hitherto somewhat sedate land, judging by present prospects there is nothing to suggest that the Exhibition will not be able to run a brilliant course till after Easter.