ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 June 1921, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

THE PEOPLE’S. LAST NIGHT OF “THE SKYWAYMAN.” No other aviator has taken such a hold on the popular imagination as hais Lieut. Ormer Locklear. He not only won a great name, but created a visible moving record of all that he did by entering motion pictures. “The Skywayman” is the last and finest picture Locklear made. It sums up his life-work, for into it he put the fruit of all his years of experience as a flier. As a William Fox production “The Skywaynian” was presented at the People’s Theatre last night, opening a two-night season. It is a special production in every sense of the word. It abounds in excitement, and it thrills not only because of its spectacular appeal, but because of the personality of Locklear himself. A large audience greeted the opening performance. The fact that Fox Film Corporation is tievoting ten per cent, of the profits from this production to the families of Lieut. Locklear and his pilot, Lieut. Milton Elliott, gives to the engagement additional interest. z Nothing like "The Skywayman” has before been seen on the screen. It is a marvel of thrilling realism. A big Sunshine comedy and gazettes are also shown. The box plan is at Hoffman’s. THE EMPIRE. TO-MORROW AND FRIDAY. “SILKS AND SADDLES” Standing out supreme in the achievement of Australian superlative picture productions is “Silks and Saddles”, the ■latest E. J. and Dan Carroll attraction made under the direction of Air. John K. Wells. “Silks and Saddles” will be ad-' mired for its technical quality, its really good story- of love, intrigue and romance, and its splendid city and country settings. The. ]>lwt holds the interest in suspense until the closing scene of the picture, which shows Randwiek* racecourse on Sydney Cup Day and Aliss Brownie Vernon astride the equine wonder Kennaquhair as “Alert” in competition with Poitrel, with whom she rides' a dead heat, and a big field of the racing aristocrats of Australia. Some splendid shots of up-country stations, stud farms and busji scenery were secured for the different -backgrounds. Aliss Brownie Vernon is supported by Tai Ordell, who will be remmebered for his

“Dave.” in “On Our Selection”, and a big cast of Australian players. The box plan is at Collier’s. “The Great Air Robbery” commences at the Empire on Saturday, opening at the matinee at 2 p.m, EVERYBODY’S. HARRY MOREY IN “THE GAUNTLET” AND JAMES SCHOITiELD. The distinguished Canadian lyric tenor, James Schofield has delighted his audiences at Everybody’s, where he has been heard in his extensive repertoire of songs, ballads and laughing songs, and his complete change of items to-night and to-morrow night should prove a big attraction. Afrf Schofield will sing tonight: “In the Garden of Aly Heart”, “0 Soli Alio”, “Absent”, “Let dhe Rest of the World Go By”, and a new laughing song, “I Could Not Keep From Laughing”. The new picture bill to-night is a Vitagraph production, “The Gauntlet”, a stirring tale of the moonshiners of the Tennessee mountains, featuring popular Harry Alorey. “Bride 13”, gazettes and and travel are also on the bill. Seats may be reserved at Collier’s. Next Friday and Saturday the big Paramount Arteraft Royalty masterpiece, “Alale and Female” will be screened. THE WONDER BOY. GLASS MANUFACTURER. The most interesting and educational exhibition at the Winter Show this year is the Wonder Boy Glass Alanufacturer, who is giving his demonstration of glass blowing for the last time in New Zealand before his return to America next July, and the people of New Plymouth are urged not to miss seeing him at work. “The Wonder Boy” will spin, weave, blow and manufacture all kinds of glassware from raw glass tubing. The demonstration is quite different from the usual side-show. It is an exhibition that should appeal to school teachers for the education of their pupils from the practical poiift of view. The feature of this exhibition will be spinning glass. This is made on the spinning wheel, which revolves at the rate of a thousand revolutions per minute, This spun glass can -be used for

book-markers, and every lady is to receive a free souvenir of this glass. The boy was educated in the art of glass manufacturing in America, and after nine years’ tuition returned to Auckland, and was specially engaged by Dr. de Clive Lowe in manufacturing glass medical instruments, but owing to severe eyestrain was forced to give the work up, and is now touring the agricultural shows of New Zealand for the last time before his return to America. The boy or girl writing the best essay on “Glass Blowing” will receive £1 Is first prize, second and third prize trophies; essays to be addressed: “Glass Blower, care Secretary, Winter Show.” Location: Sideshow section. NEW ZEALAND" BIGG ERS. TOWN HALL, ELTHAM, SATURDAY, JUNIE 11. The New Zealand Diggers will return l-> Eltham for a brief farewell season on Saturday, June 11. Much has beefi written about this really excellent entertainment provided by the Diggers, but much remains to be written, because there appears to be no limit to the versatility and ingenuity of this ' happy band of entertainers. For their final performance in the Dominion the Diggers have prepared special new programmes for presentation, one of tlie chief numbers being ; “The Maori Scena”, whieh is produced with a wealth of detail, beautiful scenic effects, and quaint Maori dresses. Stan Lawson, as a Maori maid, adds yet another to his long list of “impersonating” triumphs. Reporting on the Diggers’ entertainment in Sydney, the Sun says: “A more lifelike impersonation of the flippant society butterfly, the gay ballet girl, or the desperate lover than that given by Stan Lawson is seldom •seen. The spectators had to be reminded by constant reference to the programme that ‘she’ was a man. The effeminate carriage, the graceful poise, the voice and the sustained naturalness of the part are perfect.” A long list of clever and original items, all entirely new, is provided for Saturday next’. Included in the company are the inimitable Stan Lawson, “misleading” lady; Frank Perkins, baritone; Tano Fama, comedian; Guts Dawson, ragtime exponent and dancer; Donald Stuart, comedian; Colin lyric tenor; and Don Wallace, character singer. The Diggers’ orchestra pf ten performers will be a special feature of ; the entertainment. The box plans for the season are now open.