ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 122, 8 February 1923, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS

“OH! LADY, LADY.” For a thirJ time last night a large audience thoroughly enjoyed the racy musical comedy “Oh! Lady, Lady, in which Miss Maud Fane has the congenial part of a pickpocket who steals all kinds of carefully secreted articles from people in whose arms she conveniently faints. The dry drolleries of Mr. AX'. S. Percy, in conjunction witn the winsome whimsicalities of this versatile lady, give the racy revue-comecly a delightful crispness. Alins I’loio Allen sings several charming songs, while Aliss Madge Elliott's dancing and ready adaptation to the exigencies or comedy dialogue, and the work ot Air. Cecil Kelleway, Air. Field Fisher, and Mr. Ronald -Hogue combine to make the performance convincingly funny or realistic. “Oh! Lady, Lqay’ will run to-night and to-morrow night. “Al ARY.” The booking for “Majy”.at.tlie Bristol is very heavy, ana it is anticipated that this dainty and delightful comic opera will prove as great an attractioji here as it d:d in Auckland and Melbourne, where it broke ail. records. Its first production in Wellington will happen on Saturday night next, and its run will be continued up to tlie following Saturday. In Alelbournc “Alary” was styled the “dancing opera,” the number and variety of dances introduced. Solo, duet, triplet, sextet, whole ballet — they each tell a silent story, and swing the audience further on into the realms of romance. Everyone dances ; it. appears to be a contagion which even members of the seated audience find it hard to resist. But “Alary” is far mor.e than a dancing piece; it is the modern musical comedy, complete in every As Alary, Miss Maud Fang will receive, still further opportunity to demonstrate her. right to be classed amongst tlie best in her lipe that the Australasian stage has known. Mr. AV. S. Percy, as a dapper Frenchman, will appear in a role which he created in Melbourne recently, and it was his magnificent characterisation which did as much as anything else to make “Alary” tho biggest success in recent years. Cyril Ritchards and Madge Elliott aro in their element in “Alary.” and so are Jack Hooker and Gwen’ Withers. “Alary” comes with a freshness seldom known in. New Zealand, as up to the present it has only been presented in Afelbourne and Auckland, consequently the dresses and scenery are practically new. I EMPRESS THEATRE. The wonderful boy comedian, Jackie Coogan, continues to delight patrons at tue Empress Theatre. He is the life and soul of “Trouble,” the clever comedy now holding pride of place in a tip-top programme. Jackie appears as a forlorn orphan, who is hired out to a truculent plumber. The young imp of mischief upset-3 the whole town by the tricks he plays with taps. It is not until tho entire population have been almost washed off the face of the earth that the orphan /boy finds a haven of peace. It is a clever comedy, and the acting of young Coogan stamps him as a prodigy. The excellent orchestral accompaniment adds greatly to the pleasure of the entertainment. “THE CROSS ROADS OF NEAV f YORK.” Tho public has become so used to seeing the Alack Sennett Company in comedy that their latest production, “The Cross Roads of New, York,” to be shown at the Dinpress Theatre, will be something of a surprise. It is six reels of comcdy-mclodrama. Tlie whole picture abounds in incidents of real humour and delightful romance, interlaced with some most exciting, thrilling, intense, and dramatic hap-. penings. For a close insight into American Stock Exchange methods it has never been equalled,, all the scenes being taken in actual business. The fight which takes place in a narrow balcony, 100 feet above tho road, and the resultant hurtling through space of one of tho men is alone sufficient to cause people to hold their breath. A noveltv is introduced in the shape of a prologue provided by Air. EHyman, the dancing violinist, direct from the Ritz Hotel, London. A special selection of music by the orchestra, under Air. L. D. Austin (late of tho-King’s Theatre), has been arranged for. EA T ERYBODY’S THEATRE. “The Alan from Hell’s River,” a virile story of the rugged AA’est, is enioving a. deservedly populait run at Everybody’s Theatre. The characters are as rude and primitive as tlie wild mountains in which tho scenes «rq staged. The scenery is magnificent, as many ot the acts aro staged amongst the grandeur of the worldfamed Yosemite A 7 alley in winter time. “Tlie Country Flapper,” a piquantcomedy, featuring Dorothy Gish, is another first-class film on the current programme. Everybody's orchestra supply bright incidental music. “THE RULING PASSION.” George Arliss, who made Benjamin Disraeli live again in the twentieth century, is soon to be seen at Everybody’s' Theatre in vet another triumph of art, “The Ruling Passion.” His , t'hemo this time is something different from his impersonation of the cunning Jew. -Then he was satirical, crafty, ovnical, and cruel, but now ho takes the part of a lovable, elderly millionaire and philantlirophist, consumed with tho passion for work, which he must fulfil despite the doctor’s orders to rest- Enforced idleness is to him, as it has proved itself to he to thousands of other people, similarly situated, a cause of misery ai’d unhappiness. His attempts to circumvent the restrictions imposed upon hnn by his doctor lend also to a delightful romance, in which his daughter (Doris Kenyon) has the principal part. “Big Staked” is the story. of a woman’s dangerous game of loving two men at the same time. Tlie scene is laid for the most part gmong cow-punchers, while the picture simply teems with thrilling incidents connected with the: l ' crowded life. The romance running throughout is admirably managed. PARAMOUNT AND ARTCRAFT. The million-dollar masterpiece. “Foolish Wives,” continues to create a- stir r.t the Paramount and Artoraft Theatres. Tlie story deals with high life at Alonto Carlo, and shows how the renegade, Count Sergius, an unscrupulous adventurer, gets a number of tile foolish butterflies of fashion who hover round the gaming tables into his power The mounting, staginp, costumiiio’, and sconory are on a scale of lavish magnificence, and the acting, with Erich von Stroheim as the Count, particularly convincing. A realistic fire scene, a fight through a flood, and a murder arc amongst the exciting scenes in this remarkable picture. The supporting films are all worth seeing. HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. The high quality of tho current vauderillo programme is winning fresh patrons to I Lis Afajesty’s Theatre nightlv. Variety is the keynote oi the entertainment, which provides something tor every conceivable taste. Huth Bucknail, the cultured lyric soprano, has established herself as a firm favourite, white the Hilo 'lri-o, a talented band of Hawaiians, YTift one away to Honolulu with their hulas and quaint melodies. Lola Stantonne is a violiniste above the av-enwb while

Harry Norton draws delightful strains from the English concertina. Vaughan is an acrobat who can tio himself up into knots, and ho continues to amaze everyone with bis remarkable agility. The bright revue, “The Orange Girl,” with George Storey as the principal funmakcr, is alone worth the admission money.