A COLOURFUL YEAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 306, 27 December 1928, Page 9

A COLOURFUL YEAR.

1928 IN THE THEATRE.

VARIETY OF ENTERTAINMENT.

ACTIVITY IN BUILDING.

Had tlie "talkies" reached Auckland before the New Year, then 1928 could have been regarded as a period which, so far as entertainment is concerned, contained a degree of advancement that! would stand ,unapproaclied for many! years. Theatre-goers know for themselves that they have been well served, and the activity in theatre construction surely denotes a successful year commercially. The year 1928 would have stood out like a peak which others could but strive to reach. • j

It has seen the opening of a fine new theatre St. James'—and plans have been made for the erection of tfto other Queen Street hpuses (one for the Thomas A. O'Brien Theatres on the Civic Square, the other for Amalgamated Theatres, Ltd., on a site further up Queen Street) which, when completed, will together accommodate SOOO theatre-goers. Several inew suburban theatres have been built and extensive improvements made to at least three city houses.

Splendid Touring Companies. To deal fully with the entertainment itself would require much more space than can be given to this brief review. Quite the most important event of the year was the return of grand opera to New Zealand after an absence of twelve years. Thirteen operas were presented. Good artists were seen and few complaints could be made about the general production. It is indeed to be hoped that Fuller's will carry out their intention to make a visit from grand opera an annual event in New Zealand. Next in order must be placed the J. C. Williamson Comic Opera Companv which brought "The Student Prince" and "Madame Pompadour." These two brilliant plays were presented with the best artists that could be engaged, and such

was their popularity that they almost made theatre-goers forget the gorgeous) "Koso Marie," which was His Majesty's Christmas attraction last year. It is doubtful whether the high tone which tJiey brought will be surpassed even by Hie \ agabond King," which, it is promised, will be brought over from Australia at the end of its season there. Drama has brought Mr. Maurice Moscovitch ill "The Silent House" and the Edgar Wallace thrillers, "The Ringer" and "The Terror," and Mr. Leon Gordon Scandal" and the much-discussed

in '"Hie Trial of Alary Dugan." Nothing better in li£lit entertainment could have been asked for than the three Ben Travers farces, "Rookery Nook," "A Cuckoo in the Nest," and "Thark," while in the musical comedy line there have been such hits as "Kose Marie," "Sunuy," "Archie," "The Girl Friend," "Mercenary Mary," and "Hit the Deck." A number! of vaudeville and revue companies have] visited the city.

On the concert platform there have not been so many "top artists" as some other years have brought. Pianists have included M. Ben no Moiseiwitseh, who delighted music-lovers with the best in pianoforte literature, and Shura Cher-] kassv, the brilliant boy pianist. The popular Cherniavsky Brothers, Leo, Jan and Michel, have also favoured Auckland with a visit, and other artists have been Mr. Alfred O'Sliea and Mr. William Ileuglian.

Local Societies' Work. Local societies have been unusually energetic. The Auckland Amateur Operatic Society were ambitious enough to attempt a revival of "The Belle of New York." and are to be congratulated on the splendid presentation which they gave it, while the Little Theatre Soeietv has produced some of the best drama and comedy. concerts have been given bv the Bohemian Orchestra, the third of which was devoted to David's symphonic ode, "The Desert," and the fourth to an inspiring performance of Franz Schubert's "Tenth Symphony iu C Major." Three concerts and several part-songs have been given by the Royal Auckland Choir, who joined the Bohemian Orchestra in "The Desert." The Choral Society gave fine performances of "Elijah," it ill's dramatic cantata, "Hinemcfa," Mendelssohn's "Hear My Prayer." and Handel's "Messiah." The Aeolian Orchestra gave four concerts, and the Society of Musicians celebrated the Schubert ecn♦enary with an evening devoted to many of his notable works. Unexpected, pro-

ess Las been made by the Municipal Band under Bandmaster Smith. Splenprogrammes have been presented, of which the outstanding have been Beethoven's "sth Symphony in C Minor." overture "Egmont," "Overture op. f>4," Weber's "Jubel Overture," and a Schubert programme. There has been a lot of correspondence in the Press about the cost of city music, but few people seem to realise the enjoyment that organ recitals and entertainments bv the Municipal Band and Municipal Choir provide. Advance of Motion Pictures. Such progress as has been made in the picture industry is not likely to he repeated. Besides the introduction of "talkies" to overseas audiences, there have been surprising strides in methods of production, and the year lias brought such photoplays as "Sunrise" (a picture whose artistry was unfortunately not appreciated by most people), "Ben Hur" (in which there was spectacle beyond the dreams of even the most far-seeiuc film fan), "Wings" and "Chang." Two. P£ tur t?. must I>e given special mention.' • 1 lie King of Kings" was a film which treated a delicate subject with the reverence that it demanded, atid which, at the same time, gave unlimited scope for the artistry of that master-producer, Cecil " de "Seventh Heaven" is the other. This picture was called by many critics "a model for producers." It might be mentioned here that "Seventh Heaven ' won the "Photoplay Magazine's" gold medal for "the best picture produced in 1927," which is the only prize for such a distinction in Filmdom* Jt is not the award of a chosen committee, but are received from readers of the magazine the world over. "Seventh JlciivonV' success was noteworthy not onlv because it brought two new pla \ei s—-T,i net (iavnor and Charles Farrell —'to stardom, but also because its director, Frank Borzage, became ilie tir<t director to have made two pictures that ha\e won the prize, his "IlumoreMjue" bavin" taken it in l!t_'l. °

Feature-comedies, of which there ha\e been too many to mention c\en the best have done the best business, according' to theatre proprietors, while manv of the best pictures of the year have failed to draw audiences. There lm. been a deplorable lack of interest in r-m h instructive films as "Lost in the Arctic, "(irass" and 'Neat h Arctic Skies." splendid pictures which have had to he placed iu tlie class which ihe trade calls "flops/' Indeed IU2S has been an important year. It should remain a landmark hi the history of entertainment, in Auckland.