ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 152, 24 March 1925, Page 10

ENTERTAINMENTS

WILLIAMSON VAUDEVILLE. There is no question as to the superiority of tho vaudeville company now appearing at the Grand Opera House. Half a dozen of the acts submitted, are of sufficient class to top any bill in a metropolis, and New Zealand is fortunate to see such a constellation of stars in the one programme. Felovis is probably among the best ten jugglers and balancers known to the vaudeville world. His skill is such that it leaves the audience dazed with the wonder of it. The Ortons dash over the tight wire with the speed of sprint runners, and make nothing of jumping hurdles and turning somersaults on this airy support., The act has its comic relief in the antics of a trained goose, which paces the stage with grave dignity in top boots, a scarlet tunic, and ah electric tail light. It also assists a burlesque trolly car across the stage, and even accompanies its trainer when he becomes a wire-walker in a double sense of the term, for he is suspended by a wire in his angelic flights. The Versatile Trio is the best aggregation of coloured musicians and singers ever heard in Wellington, and Hayden and Nevard’s charming vocal act is one of the gems of the programme. Jack Hooker aud Dorothy Seaward provide new steps and attitudes in the dance grotesque; Miss Violet Lester sings as a black and white, and Ethel Newman is excellent in a comedy sketch of sartorial interest.

DE LUXE THEATRE. A delightful story of English life, “The Gaiety Girl," is uow being screened at the Da nuxe Theatre with nary Philbin in the star role. The picture is based on “The Inheritors," the novel by 1. A. R. Wylie. The story tells of, an old man of ancient lineagn who is evicted from his castle by a millionaire who has foreclosed, on a mortgage. The old man goes to London, ami his granddaughter, Irene, obtains a position in tho Gaiety Theatre through the assistance of another girl. She attracts the attention of the millionaire’s son, but is already engaged to another man who is in South Africa. Not having heard from her lover for some time, Irene believes turn dead, and marries the millionaire's son in order to regain possession of the old estates for her grandfather. Timo proves that Irene’s fiance is alive and prosperous, and the tangled web of fate is cleared by an accident which results in tho death of Irene’s husband, thus leaving her free to marry the man of her heart. J. J. Dowling, William Haines, and Freeman Wood are included in the cast. A Gazette and comedy are also included in the programme, and. the orchestra adds to the interest. Commencing on Friday next, Norma Talmadge will appear in her latest photoplay, "Tho Only Woman," which is said to be the most'distinctive production in nhidi Miss Talmadge has been starred. Tho story tells of a girl who married a man to save her father from disgrace. She hated the man she married, but a shipwreck changed her feelings towards him. Eugene O’Brien plays the male -ead.

QUEEN'S THEATRE. “Born Rich,” an exciting picture with an unusual plot, is now showing at the Queen's Theatre. The story tells of two young people who are happily married and. live the fast life of their set. Then the inevitable happens, and their former friends laugh because they have lost the millions they hail inherited. But despite their losses, the young couple continue to live happily ever afterwards. It is quite a mystery to their friends that the couple should continue to be sweethearts after the first year of married life, and here lies much of tho charm of the picture. The husband and wife are played by Claire Windsor and Bert Lytell, and the other stars in the cast, include Cullen Landis, Frank Morgan, and J. Barney Sherry. Bright music is rendered by the Queen's select orchestra, under Mrs. A. Wright. Richard Dix and Jacqueline Logan will appear in tho special Paramount production, “Manhattan," on Friday next. This picture was adapted from the famous novel by Jeffrey Farnol, "The Definite Object.” The story deals with New York’s gang life, by an author who gained his information at first hand. Farnol ate and slept in tho surroundings of which he writes, and tho screen version of his story is said to be more gripping than the book itself.

HIS MAJESTY’S. It would have been a sad world for the novelists and the musical comedy writers without the South Sea Islands. Nothing more effectively provides an alluring magazine cover than a tale about palms and lagoons; nothing more effectively provides a musical comedy or revue with its main essentials of romance and humour than some sort of flimsy sketch about a dashing hero, and his very funny companion, being dropped on a South Sea Island, to the soft, crooning chorus of a boyy of Island T? as_ dens. People may write rude, disillusioning chapters on "The truth about the South Sea Islands”—but no matter. The South Sea Island of the stage remains: popular and appealing as ever. One had only to see Mr. George Storey’s production of “The Blue Lagoon" at Um Majesty’s last night for corroboration. Mr. Storey’s revue borrows nothing from Mr. Stacpool; it is a mere pictorial linking together of songs and scenes such as "A Day in June,” "Isle D’Amour, "Southern Moon," and that kind of thing, sung by men in nice white uniforms and girls answering to such unmistakably South Sea Islandish names as Unita. But that is enough; the audience asks no more, particularly when a man like Mr. Storey is there to take such a part as that of Bill O Sale. Not does the advantage entirely cease there. Revues about South Sea Islands are such conveniently catholic sort of pieces that it is a very queer, song that cannot b<» worked in somehow; and so skilfully woven into “The Blue Lagoon we hare such popular favourites as Chih-Bom-Bom” and “Sands of the Desert. Ihe first half of the programme is devoted to vaudeville. Foy Bros, do som s.very clever work as acrobats; Maxwell Caiew sings an "old dame” song about Granny, What Big Eyes You ve Got 4 Anita Shawe sings the tpyical songs of the soubrette; Frank Perryn has eome clever and breezy patter based on the alphabet; while Mullaney Bros gire quite an ingeniously arranged and well, executed sketch entitled On and Off.

EMPRESS THEATRE. Beaumont Smith’s Australian production, “Joe,” based on Henry Lawsons book “Joe "Wilson and his Mates, is drawing big attendances at the Empress Theatre. Although the atmosphere of the Australian bush is a striking feature of this picture, it is really a story of vivid contrasts—the (husband feasting nnV iazzinc in “The Ambassador, Australia’s gayest cabaret, while the wife works and cries in the lonely bush. “Joe” is a clean comedy-drama of a typo that proves a welcome change trom the American productions, and marks a great advance in the film industry of Australia. The photography .is excellent and many of the most picturesque gems of Australian scenery make ideal settings for this very colonial picture. The results of the recent screen tests carried out by Mr. Beaumont Smith in Auckland and Wellington, prove highly diverting, and of exceptional interest. Many of the local “shots” were taken at Kelburn and Island Bay, and the efforts of a number of local aspirants to the screen are amusing to a degree. Ihe Empress symphony orchestra renders a specially-seleoted musical programme. PRINCESS THEATRE. An added attraction to this week's programme at the Princess theatre is the screening to-day of The Dangerous Age,” featuring Lewis btone and Cleo Madison. The settings acting and general presentation are all on the de luxe scale, and the theme is original and set in an engrossing story. 1110 second feature on the programme is H«r Temporary Husband, featuring <yd. Chaplin. Owen Moore, and Sylvia Dreamer. The story revolves round a million dollars tied up to a husband, the cirl wants the money—but a husband, never. She must marry within twentyfour hours, or the fortune goes to the Haven for Homeless and Indigent Cats. Just a smattering of a plot. Her Temporary Husband.” 'is a rollicking comof the highest order. The supporting programme is well selected, and complete an unusually strong Ml.

ARTCRAFT THEATRE. "Hate,” a story of a wonderful wo** man. is the star attraction now showing at the Artcraft Theatre, with Alics Lake in the title role. The story tells of a pretty girl who hated the drudgery of her life, and accepted the attentions of a rich man-about-town whom she thought would take some of the drabness out of her existence, but when he begged her to marry him telling her that the doctors had only given him six weeks to live and that she would thus inherit all his money, she comes face to face with the first great crisis of her life. She becomes involved in a murder mystery, and although she knows that the man who is indicted is inno. cent, her lips are sealed by her promise to the murdered man.> No picture has shown in a more dramatic manner what hate can do to a man’s life, and what love can do to a woman’s. Rafael .Sabatini's great story, "The Tavern Knight,’* Is the other attraction, and those who have seen "Captain Blood," by the same author, will not need to be told that it is a picture of exceptional merit.

KING’S THEATRE. "Monsieur Beaucaire," that thrilling tale of swordsmanship and love, is the big attraction now showing at the King’s Theatre. The picture shows Rudolph Valentino in the role of the picturesque hero, whose adventures take place in the court of Louis XV, where all the intrigue, plotting and wealth of costume are graphically depicted. The grounds and court scenes are magnificently reproduced, but the story quickly changes to England where the swordsmanship of Monsieur Beaucaire is far too subtle for the English gentlemen, six of whom are laid low In a single, combat. But "Mon. sieur Beaucaire" is by no means a swashbuckling study, of courtly ruffianism and court scandal, the sentiment throughout being very delicately interwoven. The supports are excellent. Commenc. nig on Friday "The Ten Command, ments" will be shown. Theodore Rob. erts will appear as Moses and Charles De Roche, Julia Faye, Estelle Taylor, and Janies Neill are others with parta in the historical part of the picture. 'The modern story is acted by Leatrica Joy, Richard Dix, Rod La Roque, Nita Naldi, and Agnes Ayres. PARAMOUNT THEATRE. Shirley Mason in "Curlj-top," a story from “Limehouse Nights," is attracting favourable attention at the Pa remount Theatre. Miss Mason plays the role of a little waif whose magnificent hair attracts the admiration of Bill Brannigan, a sailor with a big heart and a clean mind, who later saves her life. The atmosphere of the slums of London is skilfully presented with all its fogs, rain, and human derelicts. The second attraction is another of the popular "Fight and Win” stories, in which Jack Dempsey plays the leading role. In conjunction with this programme the management is running a "Curlytop” competition, for which cash prizes to the value of £25 are being offered.