ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 210, 1 June 1926, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENTS

“THE ONLY WAY" AND SUNBEAMS AT GRAND OPERA HOUSE. A wireless message received from the Ulimaroa yesterday from Miss Frances Scully to the effect that the Sunbeam Children of Sydney were having an enlovable trip, and looking forward to their arrival to-day. The party, including mothers of the children. totals fortyseven, and it is expected that they will arrive to-day at about mid-day As soon as they have been established in their respective quarters the company will go Into rehearsal for the opening to-morrow afternoon. The Sunbeam Children will be presenting their original juvenile pantomime, “The Wedding of Baby Kerr, for which purpose Miss Frances Scully, the well-known Sydney teacher of stage dancing is personally arriving in Wellington to produce. The cast of the “wedding includes Baby Kerr as the bride, George Foster as the groom. Stella Lamond ns Aunty Stella, and Jackie Clark (the Australian Jackie Coogan) as best man. Specialties include a “beauty’ ballet ot nine, a “baby" ballet of six. and a troupe of “’midget" acrobats, said to be the youngest team of whirlwind acrobats m the world. The pantomime will be the associate stage attraction to the First National, twelve-reel super film masterpiece Sir John Martin Harvey in “The Only’ Way.” the British-produced motion picture that has caused such an impression in England, giving confidence in British production to such an extent that the Press there declare England need not fear American film supremacy if she can produce such features as “The Only Way.” There will be two sessions every day at the Grand Opera House, at 2.30 and 3 at night, with the full operatic orchestra in attendance twice daily. The box nlan is now on view at the Bristol. MANNERS STREET RESERVE.

“NEW ALADDIN’’ NORTH ISLAND TOUR. The country centres in the North Island and Auckland are now to have visits from the J. C. Williamson, 1926, pantomime. “The New Aladdin,” which was received so favourably in Wellington and enjoyed much success in the South Island. Last night the pantomime opened in Napier, and a second performance will be given there to-day. An appearance will be made iu Hastings to-morrow, and the dates for the remainder of the tour will be as follow: —Dannevirke, June 3; Wanganui. Juno 4; New Plymouth, June 5 and 7; Ilawera, June 8; Auckland, June 9 to 17 There are many things in “The New Aladdin” to contribute to its appeal. Important among these is its cast. Bruce Green, Floie Allen, Gns Bluett, and W. A. Hassan are four very prominent members of the company. The performance of the Twelve Webbing Girls is unique and beautiful. Specialties, music, scenery, and lighting are all attended to with a generosity worthy of the biggest productions. Not the least thing to attract attention in “The New Aladdin” is the cat, the intelligence of which is almost human. . HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. Vaudeville resumed its sway at His Majesty's Theatre last night, when a capital variety of turns were submitted for the negro minstrel first part of the last three weeks. Bert Elliott showed that the glossy top-hat is the most amenable of headgear. His performance with one of the species, an umbrella and a tennis ball was extremely clever, but when it came to the manipulation of three tall hats, the performer seemed to endow them with a special intelligence of their own; for they bowed and twisted and twirled on his head iu the most amazing manner. The lift of one hat from the right foot to a rim balance on the bridge of liis nose was one of Elliott’s wonder-raising feats. Another clever performer, now to Wellington audiences, was Biondi Robinson, billed as "just a fool. This particular “fool’' is a performer of varied talent, under a mask of broad humour, that was not always comprw.icnsible owing to a misguided use of phonetics. Mr. Robinson is one of those extraordinary agile dancers, who can clatter rhyuiically, whilst he lends a variant oy semi-contortionistie steps and attitudes of a comic character. His burlesque comedv is aided by an india-rubber face, which‘ho contorts into hideously funny grimaces as he trolls his comic staves. Maggie Foster, a gifted violiniste, made a real hit by the legitimacy of her art. She produces a beautiful round tone, of rare sweetness aud strength, and. in one of her numbers gave a flue display of harmonics .under the surest control □.nd with the muted instrument played “Eileen Alannab,” with good feeling. Yielding to the popular clamour, Miss Foster added a couple of jazz numbers, which were received with general favour. An out-of-the-way acrobatic act was provided by Storey and Brookes in “Safety Last.” in which some fast, clever tumbling of the highest order was made the vehicle of a humorous interlude of unusual merit. The second part was the revue, “The Hotel Guens,” an imaginary hostelry which kept the boardcirs guessing from the time of their arrival until their departure. George Ward, the funny little fat man, with the Teutonic accent., figured as Mr. Herman Schult, a guest, who absolutely dominates the establishment, and the only one who can talk the bellboy (Bert Le Blanc) down. Hermie falls under the spell of Mr. Handsome Daily, the night clerk, who induces him to join the Woman-haters’ Union, but who breaks every rule as soon as he learns that one of the most beautiful lady guests (Miss Daisy Yates) walks in her sleep. It is all absurd foolery, nut it sufficed to keep the audience giggling for over an hour. The musical numbers included “Yes, Yes. in Your Eyes” (Miss Adelaide Taylor). “Sweet and Low” (Snapshot Quartet), "Tell the World (Daisy Yates and the Snapshot Six). When Wclro Together” (Miss Taylor and Miss bila Marion), “How the World Was Made” (Mr. W. Beresford). “Hoot. Mon” (Bert Le Blanc), "Smile” (Carlton Chase), and finally the Ragtime Opera, conducted by Mr. Ward. DE LUXE THEATRE. A picture of merit is "The Eagle,” Rudolph Valentino’s latest picture, which is now showing at the De Luxe Theatre. This Clarence Brown production for United. Artists’ Corporation release, abounds in thrills, comedy and romance. The romantic etar is seen for the first time as a Russian—in garb more picturesque than any he has previously worn. His first appearance is as a Cossack lieutenant, then at the bandit who became known as the Eagle because of his .swift., mysterious movements. The star is supported by a large and distinguished east, including Vilma Hanky, the Hungarian blonde whose beauty atid ability are with every appearance becoming better known-, and Louise Dresser, for many years a star of musical comedy. The action of the story takes place, in Imperial Russia before the revolution. The romance starts in a brilliant royal setting and then goes to the Russian countryside. Hans Kraly wrote the screen play, basing it on “Dubrovsky, a classic of Russian literature by Alexander Pushkin. A brilliant prologue is staged by the pupils of Mr. J. Knowsley and there is the usual excellent incidental music. KING’S THEATRE. “The Best Bad Man,” adapted from Max Brand’s “Scnor Jinglebelle,” and starring Tom Mix. is the entertainment offered this week at the King’s Theatre. Mix appears as a wealthv resident of New Orleans, who. through t.hc rascality of the manager of his ranch in the west, is forced to go out and settle the business and the manager himself. So with Tony, his wonderful horse. Mix performs even more daring stunts than usual, and is also involved in a romance with a very attractive young lady in the oerson of Clara Bow. An ex<client supporting cast includes Judy King, Paul Panzer Cyril Chadwick, Frank Beal and Tom Wilson. A gazette and most amusing comedy are seen in support., while the King's orchestra provides capital incidental music. There is to be a special matinee next Thursday. PARAMOUNT THEATRE. "The Unguarded Hour.” a First National production, starring Milton Sills and Doris Kenyon, is the feature on the current programme at the Paramount Theatre. Tense drama, interspersed with excellent comedy, is the main feature of tins picture, which deals with the siege and capture of a woman-hating Italian duke by the modern and devastating methods' of a rather unconventional American maiden. One situation contains both thrills aud humour, when this most pushing young woman crashes in an acronPino into the backyard of the somewhat Rfirtled duke. Milton Sills is excellent as the duke, while Miss Kenyon infuses a lot of excellent comedy into her cart oi the all-subduing American girl The supports aire a Graphic, a Patlm Review, anc ‘ most, amusing comedy, while a highly entertaining selection of music is giver, by the orchestra. QUEEN’S THEATRE. The results of a woman trying to com bine a earner as a novelist, with hes married life arc vividly portrayed m “Married Flirts.” the Metro-Goldwyn fen lure which heads the nrovrammo now showing nt the Queen’s Theatre. The pic lure is nn ndantation of Loins Joseph Vance's novel. "Mrs Parnmor.” and k nr«'scn»ed bv <■ brilliant cast, which includes V-incv’ names an Ihmnna