AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 306, 26 December 1924, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS.

. I I NATIONAL THEATRE. ; "Passions of the North" starring Olivo I Terry. Frank MansOeld and Walter Grit- ; nth, and "The Speed Demon." with Patsy ; Ruth Miller and Alec B. Francis In the principal roles, are the two main altractfons on the new programme at the National Tbeatre. "Passions of the North" : Is a drama dealing with the lives or men and women who arc thrown together In Tibet snow-swept plateaux, and mystcrl- ! ous countries form a background to what Is described as a sensational story. The. second story, "The Sneed Demon,'' can be best judged from Its title. It is trio story ' or the adventures or a speed-mad son, his indignant rather, and a beautiful girl. The ! picture marks the return to the screen or i i Wally Van. who started his career some i years ago with the old Yitagraph company,; and who has been absent for about live; years. "The Speed Demon" is said to be \ a picture especially suited to the talents ■ of this old favourite. In addition, an Eng- , lish topical budget will be shown, and ■ Miss Verna Haln, the premier danseuse, , win appear in an original dance scena. j The National orchestra will give as it? ; overture, "Poet and Peasant." HIPPODROME THEATRE. Thomas Melghan is the featured player In " The Conlldence Man." a Paramount i attraction now being shown at the Hippo- ! drome Theatre. The story concerns a ! voting man who Is employed by a master thief as a conlldence man. He is sent to . a small country town with instructions to ] sell tile leading citizen a quantity of fake: oil shares. The man arrives at the place, \ and immediately sets to work to gain the ; confidence of his intended victim. He becomes most popular with the inhabitants. and Is looked upon as a line, honest young rellow. When he considers that the time I Is ripe, he asks the old man to buy the shares, which the latter agrees to do. Just ( when everything is almost completed, the confidence man meets the beautiful ward of his victim, and rrom that point he sets out to reform. How he succeeds and wins the girl is told in the picture. Other attractions are also featured. EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. "The Ten Commandments," Par-amount's screen masterpiece. Is still being screened at Everybody's Theatre, and is having a most successrul run. The elaborate settings, the magnificent photography, and the conflicting truthfulness or the theme, make the attraction one or the most outstanding ever produced. It Is In fourteen parts the nrst seven being in the form or a Biblical prologue. The children or Israel are shown, first In bondage, and then neelng rrom the Egyptians after their release. The most wonderrul scene in this picture, which Is packed with wonders, Is that depicting the Red Sea dividing in order that the Israelites might pass sarely through, in the cast Theodore Roberts Roche is the Pharaoh. In the modern story the principal players are Leatrice Joy, Kite Kaldl, Edythe Chapman, and nod La Rocque. STRAND THEATRE. "Occasionally Yours" Is the picture, heading the programme at the strand this week. Tne principals in an important cast are Beity Blythe, Elinor Falre, Lew Cody and J. Barney Sherry. The story tells of Bruce Sands, an artist by profession, but who does not allow his avocation to Interfere in the slightest with hie many affairs or the heart. Just about the time that the story begins Bruce gets into an awful mess—with a vamplsh widow, as gay and as amorous as nfmseir. Bruce Is at a loss what to do when the widow insists on considering a harmless nirtation cause for marching up the centre aisle of a church to the tune of Mendelssohn's Wedding March. Bruce ignominiously flees to the kind sanctuary of a friend who has a nice, restful sort of a place In the country. But Bruce was mistaken, the place wasn't very quiet for him—not arter his host's coy and youthful daugtUer took one good long look at him. Bruce realises he has Jumped from the frying pan into the nre. From that point he provides one long laugh for the audience. The supports include gazettes, scenic and comedy, and Miss Maggie Foster, the popular girl with the violin, provides the interlude item. TIVOLI THEATRE. Buster Keaton, one of the screen's best comedians, Is featured In "Three Ages," , the first of two star attractions now being screened at the Tlvoll Theatre. In this big reature comedy, Buster Keaton gives a short resume of the dramatic development of duelling In the three prominent ages of the world's history. They fought ' with clubs in the cave age, competed in chariot races in the Roman era. But In i our own age most of the rivalry is fought , out by court writs. "Three Ages" Is 1 said to be Buster's greatest effort In ! comedy. With htm in the cast is Mari garet Leahy, who was chosen for a screen , career by Norma Talmadge. The second attraction is "Her Five Foot Highness," ' starring dainty Edith Roberts In a highly . entertaining comedy-drama. Other attractions are also featured. : PRINCESS THEATRE. ' Tom Mix's latest attraction for William ! Fox, "The Last or the Duanes" and "Honi our Among Men," also a Fox feature with Edmund Lowe as the principal player. 1 arc the premier attractions which came, • to the Princess with the change of pro- . gramme. "The Last of the. Duanes" is an adaptation of Zane Grey's story of the same name. It tells now Buck Duane, last ■of a long line or men who had been i renowned for their eun-play, follows in ! his rather's footsteps, and becomes equally pronclent with bis revolver. One day he • meets Jenny, a beautiful girl, and falls iln love with her. In an argument with a . drunken Mexican, guns are drawn, and Duane kills the Mexican. He is forced to ' nee, -with the sheriff on his track. The [ latter Is secretly the head of a band of I outlaws. In his night. Buck becomes entangled with them, and discovers their ■ leader. Arter a series or exciting adven- ! tures, the hero rescues the girl, who has ; been captured by the, bandits. "Honour Among Men " tells the story of an exiled 1 King who, in his attempt to restore his ■ kingdom, or rather to collect a large L amount of money, tries to enlist the sympathy or a wealthy American girl. The - usual supports are shown. I LYRIO THEATRE. • Pola Negri's latest and, according to " reports, most sensational reature Tor ' Paramount, forms the principal attraction sat the Lyric theatre. It tells the story of [ Cleo, a waitress In a squalid waterfront cafe in Marseilles, who attracts the attention of a stranger, who enlists the aid or her I Tather's old Trlend, and together they lure. 1 her to Paris. The stranger takes her to I a baron. The next day she gets away and j goes to a care, where a young chap. I Georges, accosts her, but she turns on htm » fiercely. Years later, Cleo has become a success and the reigning stage favourite. Men seek her, but she hates them. 3 Georges reappears and rails in love with - her, but she spurns his love and demands , that he give her money. He robs His employer's bank and she gives the pro--5 ceeds away. Learning that the man is to j be gaoled, she accepts the oifer of Georges' employer in order to fne him. . and seeks to disgust Georges. r>ut his 1 employer, Duval, relents and leaver them - happily Gazette, scenic and -, comedy are also shown. t ST. LIiUN'S CIRCUS. In the big tent at the root or Anzac 3 Avenue, St. Leon's Circus opened this , afternoon with" a matinee performance. This marks the eighty-third tour of the - popular combination, and several new acts f have lately been added. Perrormers from England, Australia, and America are. included, and a first class show Is promised. Amongst the acts are those or Deloralnc and' Le Roy, horizontal bar perrormers; Wyndham and Breeze. "Roman ring" experts; and Miss Madeline i'array, lady rider. A troupe of acrobats are feat Hired, while Mr. Jack Williams' rodeo outnt should interest all rough-riding enthusiasts. It serves to Introduce two i>l Australia's champion horsemen, Yic cowan ' and W. Dodd. Any local riders who rare i, will be given an opportunity to try their , skill with the same horse with which tiles, ' Australians won recent competitions in tin t Commonwealth. \ DIXIE JUBILEE SINGERS. The famous " Dixie '■ Jubilee linger- . win open their Auckland season at ttif ■ Town Hall to-night. The " Dixies •• givr ; i splendid and varied programme, consist- . ing of selections from opera down to thf boisterous darkey humour. The artistthemselves are all stars, possessing voice- • or singular sweetness, rare flexibility, anc t with a natural instinct ror harmony per . fectly trained. Three members of ttv _ company are entitled to special mention They are Mr. W. c. Buckner, who has ; magnificent bass voice of fmmen-f ranr ,, Madame Rnckner. a soprano cleiißtits all while Miss Helpn Smallwobd contralto r whose voice Is most pleasing, sings wit! deughtrul abandon the old favourites V ifcs_Suniiy r Soutli,

" SYBIL." " Sybil," the new J. C. Williamson Comic Opera production, win be staged at His I Majesty's Theatre to-night at 8 o'clock, by the redoubtable J. C. Williamson Royal Comic Opera Company, with Miss Gladys I Moncrierr in the ieatU who will be seen in : the. namo part, originally created in ■ London by Josh: Collins. There will be ■ a strong company in support of .Miss Moneriell', Including- Claude Fleming in his Dig- stnglllg role, Hie Grand Duke Constantino; Julin Halolon. also in a, fine stuffing: role; Arthur Stigant, Leslie Holland. Tom Moore, .Nellie Payne, Beryl Walkeley, , and many others. ■■ Sybil " is a musical play in three arts, by Max Brody , and Franz Marton. the English version and lyrics being by Harry Graham (additional lyrics by Harry i>. Smith), and the music by Vlrnir Jacobl. The locale of the play .Is in Russia bo lore the revolution, and it has a most dramatic anrl romantic ibemo. ,As Sybil, Miss .Moiicneii, it is said, has great opportunities, both for ber magnl- ! Herat voice and undoubted dramatic i powers. The costuming- throughout the ! three acts is said lo be exceptionally ! lavish. One dress worn by Miss Mon- : cried' is reputed to have cost no less than i £s(jO. " Sybil " will be played for the ; llrst five nights, ami will be followpd on i Thursday next by "A Southern Maid." The ! box plans Tor to-night are at Stmons , j Confectionery Store, lI.M. Theatre Arcade. CHRISTMAS CONCERT. I The usual Christmas concert was given in the Town Hall last night before a good attendance. The city organist, Mr. Mauglian Barnett, contributed organ solos I and transcriptions from well known comI posers, all of which were highly appre--1 dated. Miss Mina Caldow gave a tender I and expressive delivery of Handel's "Hβ ■ Shall Feed His Flock." and a pleasing ren- ! diTlng of Somervell's " Cradle Song.' , ; The Lyric Quartet were heard in " Good ! King Wenceslns " and "All Through the ; Night." receiving hearty recalls at their conclusion.