AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 31, 7 February 1928, Page 9

AMUSEMENTS.

NEW REGENT THEATRE. Iu front of a huge serpen which gloved with dragons and devils and strangeh brilliant birds and fishes, with chair; covered with rare sold tapestries thai would make a collector of .Eastern curio? green with envy, the Kwon? Sing Wal" troupe opened their season at the Xe« Regent Theatre htst night. The whole show must rank as one of the best dressr.) acts of its kind yet seen on the boards n' any Dominion theaxie. Stripped to the waist these acrobats, conjurers, equilibrists, an., magicians are splendid physical specimenof the Northern Chinese Empire. Xo smal wonder that they ate well trained, fci the Kwong family has been for sever generations court entertainers to the Imperial P.-tlace at Peking. Their g<!\ clothes, their guttural cries and interchange of excited niL-nosyllables ai went to make up a remarkable scene or the stage. Their work is neat and performed at lightning speed. The troupe led by Kwong Sing Wall, a tall, powerfully built man. who produces bov of water, rabbits, and other strange things from beneath a gorgeous rug witi; more than usual dexterity. Sun Shun, who is only eight years old, astounded those in front by balancing himself precariousi\ upon a ledge six inches wide, and twisted his body into most amazing shapes. Ah Loong. who is two years younger, is a wonderful little acrobat and a smart juggler. With Sun Shun he assists the other adult members. Before the audience had finished registering applause a tall Chinese careered around the stage in a series of wild flip-flaps and Catherine wheels, without even touching the stage with Iris hands. Another stepped back several paces and then hurled himself through two small frames, from which dangerous-looking and sharp steel knives protruded. Not content with this, there was a frame of flame behind those holding the knives. One of the best items was the trunk disappearance trick, while another wonderful feat is performed, in which one man lies flat upon the floor, with his feet resting on the head of another, the crown of his head hard pressed against that of a third. In a second two of the men are upright, with the third held rigidly between them. Another second, and he is poised on the head of one. Then, all in one moment, the trio sink to earth again. The Kwong Sing Wall troupe alone should keep the mi'-e from nesting in the box oflice of this theatre while they perform upon its stage,

MILFORD SURF CLUB. A very successful picture and jazz entertainment was given last night in the Picturedrome at Milford to aid financially the Milford Surf Club. This club has grown enormously since its inauguration and is becoming recognised as one of the finest clubs of its kind in the Dominion. Mar.\ letters of appreciation of the fine woik the club is doing are being received by the captain, Mr. F. R. Bailey, also unsolicited donations. Mr. A. Coleman, the secretary, thanked the management, who gave the Picturedrome free of charge; t'ue Query Club, who gave up their night oi the ball through a previous booking; also Mr. Tremain, who, with his orchestic, provided the music; the Paramount Pictures, Ltd., for the film ("The Palm Beach Girl" j and the operator for his free sti-vic-es. It is the ambition of the club to eventually purchase a section with a beach frontage, valued at £750, paying a deposit of £1(A) from its accumulated funds. NEW HIPPODROME AND EMPRESS. Another varied programme has been arranged for "presentation to-morrow the management of the New Hippodrou.e and Empress Theatres. Heading tiie double-ieature bill oi fare there will be Paramount's latest vehicle for that talented artist, Pola Negri. "Barbeu Wire'' is the film, which is an adaptation oi Sir Hall Cain's story "The Woman oi Knockaloe." In the role of the Normandy farm girl, Miss Negri gives'the best of her work. When war breaks out, her father j farm, where she lives, is commandeerti as a camp for German prisoners. These men the heroine hates, for her brother who had gone to serve France, had been reported killed. But, hate them as she does, she is forced by the French Government not only to tolerate them, but t.> cook for them. Then there appears oi;*. to whom she is a little more pleasant. B> the end of the story their acquaintance has passed friendship and has become loi e. But the other villagers disapprove oi the match and it is only the unexpected return of the girl's brother, who comes back blind, that saves the two lovers from being sent irora the village. Besides tl:e heavy element in the theme there is also plenty oi good, clean humour. Most o: this is provided by L'ylde Cook, the Australian artist. Ine well-known English actor, Clivc Brook, is cast in the leading male role, while others in the strong cast are Claude Gillingwater and Finar Hanson. •'The Red Eagle,'' Universale most reccut film for Jack Hoxie, will be the second attraction at both houses. This film is an exciting Western drama. Good supports will also be shown with the two big pictures. "TIP TOES' AND "QUEEN HIGH." "Tip Toes'' ran for over 17 weeks in Sydney and for 1G weeks in Melbourne, which indicates the attractiveness oi George Gershwin s latest and best composition, which is to be staged for the first time in New Zealand at His Majesty s Theatre on Wednesday, February 15. The company is at present rehearsing a new play which has to be produced in Sydney 3t an early date, therefore, the coming Auckland season has to be limited to ten nights, but during that period the company will also present, also lor the first time here, "Queen High," which is at present terminating a long run in Melbourne. One of the outstanding features oi "Tip Toes""' is the dancing o: Hugo and Remona, from the Eoiies Bergere, Paris. No less than seven encores were demanded by the audience for their big specialty number on the first night in Sydney. A Sydney critic recently wrote the following about a t-cene ;n "lip Toes";—"ln the first scene the curtain, a lovely one of beaten gold, falling in flutes, over which auroral lights played fascinatingly, was raised a few inches, revealing a row of 4S charming little leet, all on tip-toe. These, it later appeared, belonged to a ballet of 24 girls, who seemed to have been born dancing, and to have no other aim in life. In brief but very artistically coloured frocks, they danee-a, and in one other ballet they carried out, with elegant precision, the echelon movements that are now so popular in ballets." The box plans will be opened on Monday morning next. Ihe cast o: "Tix> Toes includes R. Barrett-Leonard, Thelma Burness and Beryl Walkeley.