AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 170, 20 July 1928, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

ST. CUTHBERT'S HALL

EMBASSY THEATRE

The programme commencing at the Embassy Theatre to-day covers a wide variety of entertainment. It is the second week of the present company of vaudeville artists, and they will be _ seen in entirely new acts. At the head of the list is the troupe of Eleven Rascals. The remarkable contortions of the acrobatic members of the troupe are little short of marvellous. The company, which gained instant popularity last week, goes on a country tour after this week, so this appearance is definitely the last in Auckland. Manelli, the juggler, will be seen in feats of balancing. He is admittedly one of the finest jugglers to come to Auckland. Acrobatic dancing at its best is done by Leighton and Woods. The team work of these performers is such that their act is one of grace and polish. Reg. Thornton and Doris will be seen in further comedy numbers. The excellent tenor voice 6f Signor Enrico Palmetto will again be heard in a selection or songs that varies from light ballads to operatic numbers- Novelty musical items will be provided by the Martins. Their act has been a popular one, and the manner in which they extract widely diverse types of music from bells and bottles is very fascinating. Bert Harrow, the English comedian, will appear with a new fund of humour. New steps and "junniosities" by the Buchanans, and new numbers by Efiie Fellows, "The Perfect Fellows," will complete the programme.

LYRIC THEATRE,

The unintentional havoc wrought by a beautiful woman among the soldiers of a desert outpost in India is the theme of "The Desert Woman," which commenced a season at the Lyric Theatre last evening. This picture shows Irene Rich, the talented star, at her best. She is cast as Lady Diana Maxwell, a woman torn between love for a youth, who comes to the desolate camp where she is the wife and slave of the commanding officer. Her maternal instinct urges her to renounce rather than claim the lad. A desertcrazed lover of the lady attacks the youth, who in self-defence is compelled to shoot him. For this he is sentenced to ten years' imprisonment. To the accompaniment of the primitive elements of the desert Irene Rich depicts the terrific battle of the two most powerful kinds of love which may possess a woman's being. These are mate love and mother love. Lady Maxwell is a cultured woman who has left the luxurious sheltered life of London society to become the wife of the commandant of an isolated outpost in British India. The jealousy of her brutal husband and the intrusion on the scene of a young soldier bring complication and tragedy. Another attraction is "Redkless Speed," which gives a thrill a minute and keeps the audience keyed up with excitement. Frank Merrill is the star. He is a great athlete, and his picture is as exciting as it is possible to imagine. Merrill is the holder of over forty athletic records, and his dynamic capers for the screen are a film revelation.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. "Bringing T"p Father." which will be screened at the Majestic Theatre to-day for the first time, deals with the social ambitions of Mrs. Jiggs and her daughter, Ellen. The famous cartoons of McManus, which form the basis of this story are well known to Aucklanders, and should give the picture added interest. It is a story oi a matrimonial mix-up, flavoured with family jealousy, and rounded off with a glamorous romance. The featured players are Marie Dressier, Polly Moran and •!. Farrell McDonald, the latter playing the part of Jigtrs. Marie Dressier is a famous stage comedienne, while Polly Moran was a popular vaudeville star until she agreed to appear with the former, and make up the now famous feminine team. This is a picture specially recommended to families. It is made for laughing purposes only. In it an inter-family scrap is developed. Polly Moran being the wife of a successful but. plebeian business man, while Marie Dressier, as his sister, is married to a sundae shopkeeper and does not possess any social aspirations. It is said that these two stars create more gales of laughter than any other comedy team. The second feature will be Delores Costello in '"The College Widow." An item of special interest will be the appearance of "Jerry,'' the fighting kangaroo, who combines boxing, wrestling and jiu-jitsu in a very workmanlike style. This young gentleman from Australia is in the animal world what Heeney is to New Zealand. Wherever he has appeared he has created great interest. A special programme of music will be rendered by the Majestic Orchestra, under the baton of Mr. J. Whiteford-Waugh.

NEW REGENT THEATRE. With the complete change of programme announced for the Regent Theatre to-day is a vaudeville item of exceptional merit. Miss Florrie Le Vere is appearing in a special novelty act. She has a dynamic personality, and with rich draperies, soitlyshaded lamps, and an electrically-worked index denotes the turn from the heights of a simulated New York. Her nimble dancing, catchy songs, and clever impersonations should captivate the audience. Mr. Lou Handman, who is as facile a pianist as he is a composer, will create a homelike touch with his little monologue on "Nothin'," "My Sweetie," and "Charleston. ' He sets the pace for quick stepping by Miss Lc Vere. A daring innovation is her original '■sugarfoot strut," in which she starts off dressed in the height of Parisian fashion. In the finale of a whirlwind dance her skirt of ostrich plumes is discarded, revealing a sparkling toilet of glittering tights. .there is an unconventional preliminary to the act when the artists appear in an imitative stage box, passing the moments in cross file chatter, and evoking hearty laughter when Miss Le \ere powders her face in view of the public, and her partner, not to be outdone in beautitication, produces a towel and razor, and commences shaving operations. Hie screen feature to be presented 's "The Secret Hour," featuring Pola Negri. The story is a romance of the orange groves. It is a picture of intriguing love and suspense on a calibre with this artist s big successes- A special programme of music has been arranged bv Mr. Maurice Guttridge's orchestra.

FAREWELL CONCERT

A programme of vocal and instrumental j pieces was presented at. the eompliinen- : tar.v concert given to Miss Margaret i Aitken in the Concert Chamber of the' Town Hall last evening. The contralto: was in good voice and was heard in a • number of songs, all or' wlik-li were pleas- I ingly tiling. Mis.- Aitken opened with a series or Jacobite songs, and jrrc.it!v : charmed her audience with her impressive I rendering of them. Specially pleasing and | expressive were hei deliveries of "Cam' Ye i By Athol." "Wac's Me For Prince ! Charlie." "Flora Mai Donald's Lament," j and "Loch Lomond." Much taste was 1 infused into the reading of "The Flowers | of the Forest," and the Hebridean airs. : '"Loch Leven," "Island Herd Maiden." ! "Turn Ye To Me," "Kishmui's Gallery,'" ! and "Lrv.d of Heart s Desire ' were admir- | ib!y treated. and won for tiie contralto I h warm encore at their termination. Mr. j -John Tait's Madrigal Choir of 20 vocalists j distinguished itseit in ensemble work, paving notable attention to detail, chording. enunciation, intonation, phrasing and vocal colouring, these features being present in the admirable way Schubert's 'Thou Art Sweet Peace," "Who is Sylvia?" FredericiV "As Cupid Once Enjoyed."' Byrd's "Flow. Oh Mv Tears" Stanford's "Hetaclitus" and "When Marv Thro" the Garden Went." Gardiner's*"Sir Eglarnore, Fannin's "Daybreak," Bair- ! i°" Song '" and Nicholson's ' ■ , ' 8 . were presented. The i mitral section oi Mendelssohn's violin concerto and Siadmg s "Romance" were ekil- - handled by Mr. R. H. Bretnall. Mr ! Owen Jensen made an efficient choir ..c-vo.npan.st and played Lisa's "Waldersrauschen and Mr. Leo Whittakeracted as pianist to the contralto and violinist.

STRAND THEATRE. "Anna Karenina" will enter upon its second week at the Strand Theatre to-day. This sumptuous production, with John Gilbert and Greta Garbo in the main roles will live for ever in the minds of all who see it. It is an epic of love in the highest phases. This screen version of Count Tolstoi's immortal classic tells the story of three great loves. First, it tells of the great love of Count Vronsky for Anna Karenina —a love that defied the world. It telle of the divine love of Anna for her child —mother love; and lastly, it tells of sacrificial love—a love that sacrificed life itself for another's happiness. John Gilbert and Greta Garbo contribute performances that in every way are worthy of their previous successes together. Gilbert makes Count Vronsky a dashing and brilliant personality, while Greta Garbo wrings the heart of the tragic Anna. A spectacular Easter service in a Russian Cathedral, as conducted by the Czar and the aristocracy in pre-revolution days, is one of the most impressive scenes of this sumptuous picture play. There are reproductions of Great Russian castles and the Guards' barracks at St. Petersburg. All the glories of the former Russian Court have been lavishly reproduced. The Russian dance prologue, "The Coppelia Ballet," with Mile. Valeska, is splendidly done. The supports are up to the Strand standard. The symphony orchestra, under the leadership of Miss Eve Bentley, is a feature.

A concert was held last evening in St. 'Cuth'bert's Hall, West End. Songs were given by Miss Dorothy Youd, Miss Martha Williamson, Miss Dobbs, Mrs. Mr. Moffit, Mr. Tremain and Mr. Jones, a 'cello solo by Mr. Williams, humorous items by Miss Ruth Gourdie. Mrs. Yaughan, Mr. Hardley and Mr. Stewart. and ? a sketch, entitled "Two Rooms To Let," by Misses Joyce and Thelma Clough, Marie Faulder and Isabel Gavan. The accompaniments were played by Miss Langley. who also giive a pianoforte solo. After the concert the remainder of the evening was spent in dancing.