AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 34, 10 February 1930, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS.

CIVIC THEATRE. A clever blending of music, dancing, and picture fare forms the Civic Theatre's seventh programme—an entertainment whose numbers, collectively, should please thee most dour audience, and, individually, should excite appreciation from all tastes, however varied. "Charming Sinners," a picture from one of W. Somerset Maugham's plays, heads the bill. It is a cleverly conceived comedy, in which a philandering husband is taught a lesson, and the best qualities in a devoted wiie are brought to the surface. Katlierine Mills discovers that her husband Robert (a successfu London medico) prefers the affections of a light-licaded friend, Anne Marie, who contracts trivial ailments with unnecessary frequency. With the lielp of an old suitor, Carl, of whom Bobert once been foolishly jealous, she administers a sufficiently large dose of _ his own (Robert's) medicine to bring liim to his senses. The quality of the play lies less in its story than in the brilliantly witty dialogue which Maugham has put into the mouths of his character s. Robert finds the cure which his wife prescribes unusually irritating, and the willingness with which Carl assists her aggravating. Ann Marie is only too eager to accept the charitable attitude of Katlierine, while Anne's husband is made to realise that an attractive wife must receive the undivided attention of her partner, and is filled with repent enee for liis past neglect and determination for future amendment of his ways. "William Powell, as. Carl, .does his best to steal the honours for acting from Clive Brook and Montague Love (the two husbands). Mary Nolan, with several players who have smaller parts, also makes a bid. And while all are giving of their best, Buth Chatterton, as Katlierine, almost shadows the rest of tlie cast and dominates the performance. The result is a first-class interpretation of an unusually attractive piece. An interesting number of "Civic News and Views," an educative Ufa "Gem," which illustrates- the destructive powers of the mosquito and shows the methods of combating the menace, and a clever and amusing song cartoon entitled "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree." are the other picture numberfe. Ted Henkel's orchestra plays "Pique Dame" as an overture, and his stage band appears in a presentation entitled "Circus Days." In this there is plenty of amusing burlesque, together with good acrobatic and trapeze work. Numbers by Fred Scholl at the grand organ are "Glow-worm Idyll" and a novel medley which introduces several old favourites. ROXY THEATRE. The Boxy Theatre, Queen Street, has the distinction of screening for its second run the outstanding talking film, "The Trespasser," in which Gloria Swanson appears for the first time in dialogue. The story was specially written for the talented star, who has added to her popularity in this picture. The story is interesting and concerns the elopement of a typist (Miss Swanson) with the son of a millionaire. The match does not suit the young man's father, whose idea is that no person who works for a living is a suitable partnes for his boy, and lie will not give his consent to the union. The girl is thrown back on her own resources. She is befriended by a rich lawyer for whom she works, and 011 his death finds herself in luxury with her son. There is much pathos when the girls seeks the protection for her son of the name he is entitled to, but the unrelenting millionaire threatens to have the son taken away from Gloria by law. She finally surrenders the child, thinking it will bring happiness to her lover. By an unexpected turn happiness comes and the story has a pleasant ending. There is an excellent programme of supporting featurettes. PLAZA THEATRE. A talking picture with the frozen north as a setting is something out of the ordinary and "Frozen Justice," which opened a season at the Plaza Theatre 011 Saturday met with instant success. The story concerns an Alaskan girl, the part being taken by Lenore Ulric, who, in the character of Talu, gives an outstanding performance. She represents the half-caste wife of an Eskimo chief, who, discontented with her lot, elopes with the captain of a trading vessel, and is taken to Nome, in the Yukon. With Haupt, the captain, and Wolheim, the mate, she sets out to enjoy life in the primitive fashion of the far north. Long weaned of civilisation, her return to the haunts of white men does not bring the joy she anticipated, and she longs to return to the frozen wilderness. With Wolheim, who has fallen violently in love with, her, a journey across the snow is made to Tain's people. Haupt is jealous and tracks the couple, tragedy coming when the captain catches up to the fugitives and shoots the mate. He steals Talu but his victory is of short duration, as Lanak, Talu's husband, comes on the scene, and the story has a liappv ending. Interesting talking featurettes are also included in the programme, which will be screened until further notice.