THEATRE ROYAL.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19812, 27 December 1929, Page 7

THEATRE ROYAL.

» i HOLIDAY PROGRAMME

' DANGEROUS CURVES."* A holiday audience was given a. holiday programme at the Theatr© Royal last ni § b t>, when the management of Williamson Films (X.Z.), Ltd., presented a bill of great variety. A vivid tale of circus life was bound up Jn "Dangerous Curves," in which the beauteous Clara Bow was the star. . Amid the taut canvas and giddy heights of the "big top." trapeze artists swung to and fro m amazing fashion, and the champion wire-walker of the circus world performed remaikable feats. The picture represented the higntest art of the sawdust ring, and contained the story wf the world-famed artist who, through a mistaken ideal of a particular woman's place in his life, decided to forget the finer points of.his art. and to throw his act to the four wintre. One of the "supers, however, gave hiin courage to carry on and to crown his turn with glory. The story proper tells of a troupe of tnree wire-walkers who £aia tbe admiration of gap" ing thousands by their daredevil performances. There are two men and a woman, ana, naturally, the spirit of jealousy enters, and produces a marked effect upon the success of the turn. One of the male members —in love with the woman —becomes bitter through continued rebuffs, and finds a sympathetic appreciation of his art on the part of one of the very ordinary troupers —a fascinating young thing. The haughty lady decamps with the other male partner in the act, and thus provides a wonderful opportunity for the wronged man to rehabilitate himself in the eyes of the Tragedy enters during a big perfortnance. The star of the troupe falls from a wire 50ft from the ground, owing to a sudden lack of nerve. The pretty young "supei," realising that he is wasting his life in caring for tha other woman, decides to perform the act herself. During a rehearsal her antics, produced by fright, delude the house into regarding it as the turn of the year. Larry Lee, the star of the act, recognises that the turn may bs made more effective by clowning, and, at the next performance, makes a great hit. Upon the following night, despairing'of his l«t.t love, he takes to the bottle, and is incapable of making au appearance. The little super ions • make-up, as near as possible to that of the star, and goes through the big act with great gusto. She falls, slips, and slides, but always manages to remain on the wire. The huge crowd below, thinking that Leo is "fooling," and excelling himself, applaud mightily, but it is only by a superhuman effort that the girl reaches safe-ty. Lee, on being told of her pluck, realises that his love is for her only, and there the story ends.

This brief account of the tale gives only a hint of the many extra thrills contained in the picture. The audience hears the peremptory call of the ring-master, the roar of the crowd, and sees the greatest acts of celebrated Continental artists. The theme ia faithful to the genera] run of circus lifeill exceptional circumstances—and the picture is really an excellent show within a show. Clara Bow gives a remarkably fine representation ef Pat Delaney. the yonthful super, Richard Arlen playe Larry Lee, and Kay Francis Zara Flynn—the thorn in the side of true love. Other players are David Newell, Anders Randolph. May Boley, T. R. Barnes, Joyce Compion, C. D. Brown, Stuart Erwin, and Jack Luden. The "shorts" include a fine Audio Review, an excellent negro comedy, "What Do I Care?" and a. feature comedv, "Adam's Eve."