ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 316, 4 July 1912, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENTS

A GIRL'S TEMPTATION. To run through the gamut of public and press criticism in England and throughout Australia, survive the ordeal with flying colors and receive substantial support all the time, shows that a drama performing this feat must possess some prominent merits. "A Girl's Temptation," which is to be staged at the Theatre Royal to-night, is the title of the great drama, and it thrills with human interest. Judging by the calibre of the companv chosen, and the English and Australian pre=s criticisms, Mr. Marlow is sending to this town an organisation and drama that will win approval on all sides. The quality of the story, combined with the astonishing incidents it unfolds, and its prevailing humanity, helps to explain the extraordinary .interest taken in the play. Tn the production of "A Girl's Temptation" every care has been taken in the casting of the piece so that every character will be a portrait, and with this end in view the management has chosen a company of several of tiie best known and most skilled artists of note direct from London.

EMPIRE PICTURES. "All the world love's n lover,'' runs an old saying with which, iudginjr bv their applause of "The Blacksmith." last night's audience at the Empire Theatre were in complete accord. The film, which affords a deep insight into the varying passions of human nature, points to the moral that old lovers, like o'ld friends, are the best in the long run. An exceedingly pathetic note is struck, but it is rendered in. such a manner as to loose all suggestion of the maudlin. Tannlmuser dramas *ire always looked forward to. and in "As it was in the beginning" the company has undoubtedly eclipsed all previous efforts. It is a many-sided picture, one which should stimulate the interest of all classes and of both sexes. The law is always interesting, and many are its interesting side-lights depicted in "A Just Verdict." an unusuallv powerful dramatic subject. The "Out West" element in the change of programme was well represented by "A Romance of the Rio Grande." a thrilling story of smugglers. Versatility is the keynote of the Empire Theatre's sustained popularity, and to this end the current series of films includes three splendid scenic productions, in the shape of "Ocean! Thou Mighty Monster!" "Berne" (Switzerland), and "Present Dav Morocco." Berne, the Mecca of all widely-travelled tourists, won many converts last night to its entrancing loveliness, while the. scenes in Morocco, a State which is 'always more or less in a state of rebellion, convey to the audience a very comprehensive idea of its unlovable people and their peculiar ideas of things ,in general. Students of. natural history will find much of interest in "Butterflies." The usual leaven of comedy is well supplied in "A Bear Hunt" (in which the usual order of thjag* is reversed, the "bear" chasing th> man). "The Baby Bride," and "The lady smokes in secret."