AMUSEMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 April 1916, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS.

REMARKABLE PROGRAMME AT THEATRE ROYAL TO-NfciHT. Quite an unusually meritorious programme of photo-plays will be presented at tho Theatre Royal to-night. In addition to the intense excitement provided by the final episode of the thrilling Trans-Atlantic serial story, "The Master Key," the bill is headed by the London Film Co.'s three-reel drama, "The King's Outcast," the story of a professional eard-sharper, who played for big stakes and had finally to acknowledge defeat. The play is .set in the period when love and honor were not lightly thrown away; but in those days there were, men who ever thought of ■ evil. . Capt. Haverleigh was such an one. This story of his undoing is alive with , stirring situations and heartthrobs; in fact, it is a rousing melodrama of the better kind, and there is a charming love interest in the plot. The liohter side of the proerammo is Attended to by the Vitagraph Company, whose contribution is a two-reel comedy, "Pat Hogan, Deceased." A further episode of the popular "Hazards, of Helen" series, entitled "A Mile a Minute,'' in which in the intrepid Helen Holmes is seen in further breath-catch-ing events. "An Accident Policy" and "Watch your Watch," two brilliant comedies; are included, ;

EMPIRE PICTURE PALACE. "" A house well filled in all parts wit-! nessed the first screening of the new programme presented at the Empire Picture 'Palace last evening. There are two most attractive two-reel star dramas in the series, both revealing powerful stories in pleasing contrast. "Chinese Vengeance," by the tftfjestle Company, is a very unusual play of the Far East, made most interesting by its sheer'novelty of plot and settings. The acting in this film is also' very fine. Maggie, daughter of Pat Gallagher, fcrutal sa-loon-keeper, to escape being forced into marriage with a "bully and protege of her father's, takes refuge in a snop in Chinatown. The Chinese merchant who his given her shelter at last persuades her to marry him. Thus siio exchanges a miserable existenco for another even more repugnant. Years later Hop Woo, the merchant, tries to sell his daughter by his white wife into slavery, Ah Woo's brother overhears the arrangement, and runs for help to Jack Donovan, an attractive young Irishman, wTio keeps a gambling hall on tho borders of Chinatown. The brother shoots and kills the slave dealer and Ah Woo is carried away a prisoner. The story ends, after numerous adventures, in Donovan marrying the beautiful Chin-ese-American girl and taking her away to a ranch. The popular Kalem artists arc seen to advantage in "Under Oath," I a two-reel society drama of love, romance and intrigue. "Wiffles, Man of the Woods," is a series of laugh-creat-ing incidents in natural colors, whilst many interesting scenes in and around the war zone are included in the "War Budget," a!<so a serieß of Constantinople. The same series will be repeated tonight and to-morrow.

THE "WITHIN THE LAW" COMPANY. Two successful J. C. Williamson dramas will ho staged by the "Within the Law" Company shortly, on their visit to New Plymouth. Tho thrilling spy play, ''The Man Who Stayed at Home,' 1 will be staged on Tuesday, May 2. and the famous comedy, "Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford" on Wednesday, May 3. Miss Hilda Dorrington will be p.pen. in the leading roles of MiriamJ.ee in "Thp, Man .Who Stayed at Home" \nd Fanny in "Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford." Mr. Lionel Walsh will play the parts of Christopher Brent (tho man ivho stayed at home) and J. Rufus Wallingford, Esq.