AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 215, 9 September 1921, Page 6

AMUSEMENTS.

THE TIVOL/I THEATBE. The sueeese of "The Gilded iLily," th«t remarkable picture which has been screen, ing lor a week past at the Tivoli, has beeß such that this Paramount picture will jj. continued as a headliner for a week more. And it is deservedly so. For lavishness of settings, no less than for the great human interest of its plot and action: for variety of emotions and contrast of types, rt ranks high amongst the best of the films that have been presented in Anckland for a considerable time. Someone said once " The Story's the thing," -and years later another man who made a fortune from the picture business is quoted as having twisted this a litrle to " the star's the thine;.'' In " The Gilded Lily " Mi.-:s Mac ilurray is the star and none who have actually seen the picture will care to deny that botib the story and the star make a very powerful impression. Not only are the scenes natural, but the motives of the characters and the characters themselves are risht in accordance with real life. There Ss, for instance, the Gilded ■Lily herself, a girl of pure mind and heart, who is providing pleasure for dozens of exxra vacant livers. There are the fast livers themselves, and there is tl)e young man fresh from the country who ig fascinated by her outward appearance, and is not nearly (at first) so much impressed with her honesty of purpose. The tale is a good one, and it is splendidly produced, beautifully presented, and has never a dull moment. The supports complete a flue entertainment. THE LYRIC THEATRE. Xat Gould'c racing, drama, " A Dead Cer. tainty " is tbe first film at the Lyric to-day. It is a picture of English love and British sporwrnauship. although one or two of its incidents stion- anything but a fair sample of true British fair play. The story deals with Arthur Dunbar, a young English sqnire who owns a racing stable and is in love with 'Patricia .Stone, an Australian beauty whose unole is her guardian. If the girl should wed without her uncle's consent he jets her fortune. In a race Stone's horse The Rafce •beats "Whirlwind, tbe best of Artbnr'n stable, and after .plenty of unpleasantness The Rake against Whirlwind. The yonng squire takes him up, and the result is the defeat of The Bake by "Whirlwind. Then it in discovered that Stone has staked his niece's fortune on his horse, as he had no ready cash himself, and so the wicked uncle is ruined and discredited, while the yonnj squire wins the girl and her fortune as well. This, in brief, is Nat Oould's story, and the picture shows it with much spirit and action. It is announced that the Lyrle has reduced front stall prices (front stall oniy) to sixpence. THE PRINCESS THEATRE. The Princess Picture House is presenting to-day a modern mystery drama, and in conjunction with this, lest it may not provide a sufficiently diverse interest, there is a -Paramonnt romance called " The Call of Youth." So far as can be judged before these two films are actually screened, each of them is of somewhat the same length, but the two are of totally different types. The mystery tale is run through under title '• The Mystery or the Yellow Room." and it is said to provide a sufficiency of thrilling evente to satisfy most people. For instance, there is one occasion in which a young J woman is attacked, and sTiirts her assailant in a room. When the door —the one exitis opened there is nobody to be seen. That is only one of the surprises said to abound in this nlay, where the heroine and the hero are obstructed in their mutual love br a mysterious force that brines moTe than one ! innocent person into trouble. - As a contrast jto this is " The Call of Youth." a peculiar story in which a young man and a girl are parted by the machinations of a forty-year-old man, a wealthy, calculating sort of penson. In his hour of triumph he makes a gigantic mistake, and in some mysterious way realises that youth will not be denied. It will not, as the sequel will show. THE CRAXD THEATRE. June Caprice has not been seen here a* the heroine of a picture for quite a long time, but she appears to-day, in company wirh Creighton Hale, ai? the worried VttjtP iirl in "A Damsel in Distress," the Patfie production wiich is the first feature on to-day's new bill at the Grand Theatre. •' A Damsel in Distress " has many interesting events in its plot, and besides all these the aeknowledced merit of Miss Caprice adds not a little interest to the film. Thin programme is also notable for the double-barrelled fact that one serial ends here and a new one is beginning. "The I/»t City now in its fifteenth and final chapter. ad the first instalment of another. " The Silent Avenger " win also be screened. THE QUEEN'S THEATRE. The Queen's to-day has William Farmim as its greatest character, he being the hero of a mining drama bearing the title "The Joyous Troublemakers.' The film is from the Fox studios, and as its heading implies the story has much to do with the rollicking, big-hearted boy-men who work with thPir hands in the great open places and combine simplicity with honesty and hish courage. This is the type of man that Farnum is called upon to represent in "The Joyous Troublemakers." a man who Sghts for the fun of the thins and enjoys life only while battling. There is cold "in this picture, gold that men <lig from the earth and thieves conspire to steal, and there is a bright romance included. THE OPERA HOUSE. Fuller's vaudeville has ten distinct and varied numbers at the Opera Honse this week, and at tbe usual matinee performance to-morrow afternoon all of thpm will be presented. Miss Bessie Slaughter is a songster with a fine contralto voice. Ceslria is a comedian, Sorbin a trapeze acrobat, and Donald Stuart a comedy magician. Richardson Brothers and Cherie, Beatrice MacKenzie and Company. Marshall the contortionist, Edgar Beynon with his "vaudeville review." Randolph King, and Mi ls Lola Stantonne the violiniste. all contribute pleasing turns. The hill continues all the week. ROYAL AUCKLAND CHOIU. In the Town Hall last evening the Koyal Auckland Choir gave the third concert of the thirtieth season, and its one hundred and thirty-eighth performance since its inception. There was a large attendance, and the items were so much enjoyed that the audience insisted upon estra "numbers after most of the contributions Owing to the prevalence of colds the attendance in th < " h^n Wa - S ' nflt Up to its USII! ?' strea S th ' Meyerbeer's Battle Song opened the concert, and a spirited and resolute rendering was obtained of this inspiring •■uoral number. Decision and a large rone marked the readina of the first section The staccatos and pianissimo* were carefully noted in the second verse, the F major and tonic minor phrases with their disturbed rhythms were given with due resard to the 'music and intonation, and the Presco was rendered with tine declamatory power and movement. Baptime Calkins -Night Winds' was delicately delivered, of special ruerrt being tire sustained singing, regard for dynamics, and tiie gradations of tone, rour national songs. harmonized and arranged by the conductor, were followed with interest. A dignified and telling performance wus given of tbe Welsh "War Song." the Jacobite "Skye lioat Sons" was creditably sung, a spirited delivery waa secured of "The Cruiskeeu Lawn." and a humorous and effective rendering was obtained of" the Somersetshire traditional duty. "The Cheerful Arm." The solos in the two latter choruses were sung by Mr. *• 'i en Oft. Xα ore were vi the singing of Storck's "Dearest. Awake." n-nicn were mostly in intonation and irresolute leads. Bridge's "Two Snails" greatly pleased, and a creditable reading was secured of Cooke's "Freely Blow. The solos ami niiartet were executed by Messrs. A. <;. Fogarry. v. Ausw. W. Coltraan and •i. Littler, llarnby's "Swe<-; -md low" was tenderly rendered, ami Kucken's "The Northman's Song" received a vigorous and vivaeions delivery. Madame Florry lioseoe was heard in an effective delivery of (nmnod's "Far tireater in this LoneiT State." gave tastefully as an encore "Annie Laurie." sang with nice vocal quality and power AUitsen's "A Song of Thanksgiving." and was liked in her reading of •'■('ornin' Thro' the Uye," which she gave in reply to a recall. Mr. A. B. Thompson's treatment of Kosslnis "Largo al Factotnm"' showed he had carefully studied the scene. aud he sang successfully in P.vidge's "O. Imit It Were Sn," an.i "Love Went AII id ing.' securing warm recalls at their' conclusion. linssini's airs from "I Puritani. ' and Pineutt's --in the Hour" were pleasingly rendered by the brass quartet, Xjessrs. V. Hogg. V. Wiisoii, Crosby and U after which they were deservedly recalled. Dr. W. E Thomas ably conducted, and Mr. Cyril Towsey made a sympathetic accompanist.