AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 172, 21 July 1921, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS.

*• THE MERCHANT OP VENICE.'' There was a full house at His Majesty's Theatre last evening, when " The Merchant of Venice " was staged by the Allan Wilkie Shakespearean Company. Full justice was done to the production, and the audience witnessed some very fine acting throughout. While the te_t of the play was followed closely, there were many opportunities for the actors to show individuality in interpreting their parts, and they were not slow to take advantage. The success achieved was, of course, due in large measure to the line characterisation ot i Shylock by Mr. Allan Wilkie. who, in the Court of Justice scene, held, the audience as if under a spell. Miss Lornn 'Forbes proved not only a charming but a capable 'Portia. ! handling the various situations well, her | attention to minutiae being particularly ' marked during the scenes when her suitors ; iearned their fate. Mr. Fred Macdonald, 1 as Gratiano. was Bpeeially Sue in the last scene, ln the role of Bassanio, Mr. Robert Pnrdie had a difficult part, to which he did i full justice, and Mr. Jack I.ennon, as Antonio, was another marked success. The lighter vein was provided by Mr. J. 'Plumpton "Wilson, as Lancelot Goblio, the servant of Shylock. Mention must also be made of Miss Jessica Dale, wjio acquitted herself well as Nerissa, waiting-laid to Portia. The other characters were also in capable hands. To-night, " Macbeth " {only performance). THE HIPPODROME THEATKE. Two new films, both from -he Fox studios, are coming to jihe Hippodrome 1 •pic-tore house to-morrow, and tbo-h represent a speed of action that will keep any audience on the gui vive. Eileen .Percy is ihe heroine orf -The Ton-boy,"- a picture story that has a timely appeal just -now. when girls are eager to play .football and snd_ things. "The Tomboy has many a run of humour, and although its entcrtaln- ! ing incidents do not happen on th- foo_ball I field, that is merely .because .football in I America, where this picture was made, is ia trifle too sr.renuon- for the ladies. In the film Miss Percy has the part of a regular tomboy, who shocks the neighbourhood with frequent outbin-rts. The humour of tiie play comes in with the clever schemes, she has for doing necessary work while she can also get away to play (ball, tint other items otf more weight are worked into this lii_ht moti-f. -for quite a good proportion of . the film deals with illicit liquor runners, and the means by whloh the Tomboy and a "beloved stranger, who turn- out to be a I revenue officer, catch them redbanded. I "The Tomboy" is a bright picture,,.with many a flash otf humour and not a i . little sensation. Miss Percy's co-ordinate srtnr Is IBuek Jones, who is here represented ac a hard-bitten preacher in a masterly film called "The Big Punch." Buck begins by setting into trouble, merely, so the story goes, because be tried to help hi- wayward : brother. He .gets imprisoned, and when he comes out -many circumstances combine to make liim take the place of an old circuit rider—a sort of itinerant preacher. ; From a rough and ready rider to the delicate and tender role of circuit preacher i_ a big jump, ibn-t Jones evidently knows full well bow to ca-rry plenty of se_—tion with his changes, for "The IBig Punch," ibeing really a few virid chapters in a preacher's life, has not a dull moment. i THE iNATIONAI. THEATRE. "Wrhatever may be your name, it is good enough for mc." _tr_S the pretty girl who is heroine in -Hearts Vp," one of the two features com mendng to-morrow at the National, when at tbe last scene of Oil that ends the strange, eventful hi_t_ry of t_>ree men's love for tbe one little lady, she bails her impostor-father up and forbids him to leave. "Hearts Up" Is really a story of a man who has gone to live with -tiie natives, and bis daughter writes a letter to liim saying that since her mummy is dead she is coming out to Jive .with him. Ji_st after receiving I his letter Uhis man is injured, and a friend arrives to pay a long-teanding debt just in rime for the old man to die in his arms. Finding Che letter, this other man decides it would be a pity 'to disappoint the girl, so he undertakes , to irtrt as her father. All goes well, Uielgirl Ijorelie treats him as a father, even to getting money from him for r-lotTien, but another young man ha? a heart interest in her, and finds out from a malicious neighbour 't_at he is not the girl's daddy. Thus a few embarrassing, situations come about, but the conclusion is very pretty. The other National .feature is a liim called "Girl of the Sea." and it tells with ■"Teat attention to sensational details about a villain who win* wealth by er\x>l_?d work: but everything comes right in the end. for the son of one of his victim-, and the daughter ot the other, discover the full eSLent of his misdeeds. Ttiis daughter has Jived to maturity on a sea-girr isle, and 'her manner of living, as well as the means that are taken to find out <he truth of the villain's wickednesrses. mako a morst entertaining and .beautiful picture. THE STRAND THEATR.E. Illnminated by the charming manner and vigorous personality of Miss Kutherine MarNlonjild. tiie picture wh.'cli i-ominer.ees its run at the Strand to-morrow. "The Thunderbolt," should provide an hour or so of really lightsome entertainment. As nn actress .Miss .Macdonald has only rc-i-eutly come into prominence, ami she has still the bloom of youthful beauty <>n her face, that adds a peculiarly innocent touch to her impersonation. Of course the dark and light, colours on the screen cannot do justice to her pearly blue eyes and her crimson cheeks; but it would give an entirely wrong impression to say that s/fae must be seen in real life to be appreciated. Ou -the contrary her acting stamps her as a real ladiy of the cinema, and the amount of expression with which she imbues her role justi-ies her in being placed among the most popular screen actrosses. Sle-r present appearance in tbe picture named should meet with the approval of Strand patiTons: for it gives scope to her special

talent, showing her in a favourite part of her native country. She passes throncb the remarse of misplaced love, anil as the result of the many reverses that she encounters she as purified in heart. "When the hero, no less a personality than Thomas _eighan of "The .Miracle -Man." is finally reconciled to her. the picture concludes in a happy manner. EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. "The Misleading Lady." to-morrow's picture at Everybody's. gets away from the old conventional love themes, which have been done to death in American studies. and shows the audience a new revelation that is not exactly like anything seen hc-e before. Yet it is not something impossible land grand. It is a natural love affair 1 developed in :m unnatural manner, first iii the society quarter of America's great metropolis and afterwards in the beautiful I country of the prairies. Bert Lytell has the roll of an engineer, and poses as .i wonian-biiter. subjected to the wiles of a stage-zirl. The idea of this belle is at first to prove her talent to a prospective patron, and she seeks to succeed by playing upon the affections of this num. But this is where the trouble arises, for the hero will not be trampled upon, and promptly abducts her to his hunting lodge, there to calm her flighty spirit. He is eminently successful, as is shown in the picture- and the ultimate result is that she learns to love him in real earnest. "The Misleading Lady"' will be well supported by topical themes and comedies, while at the evening sessions musical items will be played. "WELCOME STRANGER." The .T. C. Williamson-Tait organisation Will present at His Majesty's Theatre, commencing on August -, a series of comedies with John D. O'Hara and Jules Jordan and a strong supporting cast. The first comedy will be a play entitled, "Welcome Stranger." which was responsible for a j successful run throu-hout Australia.. Mr. . O'Hara will be remembered here in connec- . tion with the production of "Liehtnin'." and he is now associated with Mr. .Jules Jordan, an actor who has received the highest praise from the Australian press. Writing in reference to "Welcome Stranger." a critic said that "Mr. Jordan, in the role of Isadore Solomon, brong-ht s. new and striking personality to tbe Sydney stage. Playing up to him with all the skill and finesse of the finished actor was Mr. J. D. O'Hara. who hud a part in Clem Benns—the man with brains and no money —that might well have been written to his own dictation so well did he deliver his lines." The second production will be "Three "Wise Fools." a comedy-drama, which is said to have in addition to a. -ir-Ti™ vein of sentiment, infectious -amour, clever characterisation, nnd many dramatic moments rising to a compelling climax. The [third production will be "I-iebtnin'." The box plans will open at Lewis Eady's (opp. j His Majesty'si on Friday, July 29, at 0

A_-L_TS-_M_NTS GUIDE, HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE—AIIan Wilkie Company in "Macbeth." OPERA HOUSE —Fuller's Vaudeville. KINO'S- THEATRE — Fuller's Dramatic Players in "A Flapper's Married Lire." TOWN HALL CONCERT CHAMBER — Auckland University students In "Bill Stony." PICTURE THEATRE-. THE NATIONAL —HeIen Holmes in "Whispering Smith" anil Gladys Walton in "Rich Girl. Poor Girl." THE HIPPODROME —PearI White in "Tiger's Cub." THE PRlNCESS —Francesca Bertini in "La Tosca." THE STRAND —Maurice Tourneur's "The Last of the Mohicans." THE TlVOLl —Roscoe Arbuckle in "Brewster's Millions." THE LYRlC —Spectacular film, "Madonnas and Men." THE GRAND —"Robbery Under Arms," and "Lost City" serial. EVERYBODY-— Viola Dana in "Cinderella's Twin," and "King or the Circus." THE QUEEN'S —Longrellow's "Evangeline" WEST END—"Tiger True."