AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 306, 28 December 1931, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS.

"THE MIKADO."

The Gilbert and Sullivan comic operaseason is attracting large attendances at His Majesty's Theatre. To-night "The Gondoliers" will' be presented for the last time. To-morrow evening and three following nights and on Wednesday and Friday afternoons the company will present "The Mikado," which is always popular with playgoers. PLAZA THEATRE. A haunted house will always exercise' a remarkable appeal to all audiences, old and young, and the Plaza Theatre has an excellent example of this type of film to show in "A Dangerous Affair." It is a tale of the boring quietness of life in a small American city, and how that quietness is rudely interrupted by mystery, murder and intrigue. When a visiting girl chides a newspaper crime reporter and the local police lieutenant with leading the dullest,.of. lives, ...they determine to show her that things can happen. The reporter steals her necklace from her room while she is asleep, but when the will of a dead relative of liers is read in a lonely and unoccupied house it is found that the transference of all his' considerable possessions depends entirely on her retention of the necklace. The reporter then discovers that it has been stolen from his drawer, and when he and his police chum, the lieutenant, are investigating certain mysteries in the lone house on the hill •they find the body of a dead man on the floor, his "hand tightly clasping the missing necklace. The members of the familyof the wealthy old man whose will had been read the evening before are suspected of the death of his lawyer, and a trap is laid for them. The next evening the two adventurers, one for the law and the other for the public, hide in the house, but they encounter every one of the family and numerous other persons who were not at all expected. And the old man's money was known to be somewhere in the mansion. The whole plot is well worked out, while the execution and acting are above reproach. PANTOMIME AT CIVIC. A pantomime entitled "Dick Whittington," with a cast of 65 children, was presented on Boxing Day to a large audience at the Civic Theatre. The pantomime is produced by Miss Lillian O'Leary, with Elton Black, who takes the part of Dame Bumble. The principal children are Patricia Boyle and Joan Macalpine. The performance will be given every afternoon for one week.,,.. CHELTENHAM MARDI GRAS. Cheltenham Beach will doubtless prove a popular rendezvous over the New X e ar holidays. The Mardi Gras which is to be held there will consist of many attractive features, with appeal to all ages. An interesting event for mothers will be the baby show. Other events will include canoe races, swimming sports, and life-saving displays., and a fancy dress competition for juveniles is to be held. Several novel side-shows will be in operation. Evening attractions will include bright vaudeville, fireworks displays, and other pleasing attractions. Bands will be in attendance each evening. The Mardi Gras begins on New Year's Day ana ends on Saturday, January 9. THE MUNICIPAL BAND. Two first-class programmes in public parks were given yesterday by the Auckland Municipal Band, under the baton of Mr. George .Buckley. There was a large attendance in the evening at Albert Park, where a varied selection of musical items was presented, inclucl; ing excerpts from "lolantlic" and "Lucia di Lammcrmoor." The afternoon programme was given at the Zoological Park.