THEATRE ROYAL.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19813, 28 December 1929, Page 6

THEATRE ROYAL.

Holiday audiences are given a holiday programme at the Theatre Royal this week, the management of Williamson Films (N.Z.>. Ltd., presenting a bili of great variety. A vivid tale of circus life is bound up in "Dangc-r----ous Carves," in which the beauteous Oara Bow is the star. . , Amid the taut canvas and giddy heights of the "big too." trapeze, artists swing to and 'ro in am.ii'D' fa-hior., and the champion wire-walker of'the circus world performs remarkable, fears. The p:,tare represents t.iei: iciest an of the sswaust ring, and con-•a-ns th<= e'o'v rf the world-famed ar-ist who. thrcucb. a'mistaken ideal of a particular woman'' in hi> life, decides to forget the finer points r.f his a-t, and to throw his net to the four winds. One 01 the "supers, however, gives, h:m courage to carry on and to crown his turn with glory. The story proper tells of a troupe ct t-iee v:ire-wa r kers who gain the admiration of gaping" thousands by their darc-dev.l performances. There are two men and a woman, "and, ni'urallv, the spirit of jealousy enters., and p-oduces 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 p3rt of one of the vrrv ordinary troupers —a fascinating young thing. The hsuzhty l3dy decamps with the o'her male partner in the act, and thus prov.des a wonderful opportunity for the wronged man to rehabilitate himself in the eyes of the circus world. Tragedy enters during a big performance. 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 the other woman, decides to perform the act herself. During a rehearsal her antics, produced fay fright, delude the house into regarding it 33 the turn of the year. Larry Lee, the star of the act, recognises that the turn may be made more effective by clowning, and, at the next performance, makes a great hit. Upon the following night, despairing of his lost love, he takes to the bottle, and is incapable of making an appearance. The little super dons a 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 Lee is "fooiing," and excelling himself, applaud mightily, but it is only by a superhuman effort that the girl reaches gafe'ty. Lee, on being told of her pluck, realises that his love is for her only, and there the story ends.