ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 62, 7 December 1926, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. . Tho box piau lor tho grand gala night at mo hegvHi ’incatre and tue “uvau UUble '* bcdbuii is nuiv open at the theali o itseli and at The liristol. J no management regrets that, owing to tuo excesoiie advance booking anticipated, tuey will not be able to accept any telephone booking lor cither Friday or featuruay niguts. The Regent Theatre is said to oe equal to any theatre in New Zealand or Australia, ill luxury, comfort, and service. The first picture selected is I’. C. IVrens story, "Beau Geste,” featuring Ronald Colman, Alice Joyce, Noah Beery, and "Tue Peter Ran Girl,” Mary Brian. Iu addition to tne motion picture programme, two of the greatest oi J. C. I) ilUamsoti s vaudeville acts that have just finished a phenomenal season at the Tivoli Theatres at Melbourne and Sydney will be presented. Miss Hilda Nelson, the well-known English grand opera and musical comedy star, will be heard tn selections from her repertoire, and Zoe Delphjne, with her partner, will be seen tor the first time in New Zealand in their famous wire and novelty act. Patrons are advised to avail themselves of the booking arrangements, so as to avoid any disappointment that may arise in not securing scats lor the gala opening. KING’S THEATRE. Clean comedy and exciting adventures on sea and laud provide excellent entertainment as features of ‘'Money Tulles,” the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picturisation of one of Rupert Hughes's stories, which is now showing at the King's Theatre.. Claire Windsor and Owen M.oore are, in the leading roles in this picture, which depicts the laughable experiences of a likeable spendthrift who is faced with a wifeless home until he has retrieved the family fortunes. A really unusual picture comes to a hysterical climax. A gazette, screen esnapshots, comedy, and New Zealand scenic are in support, with a delightful programme of music by the orchestra. Commencing next Friday is the only authentic and official film in five reels, of the great Dempsey-Tuuney fight. Trevor C. Wign::ll, the boxing critic of the London ‘Daily Mail.” who journeyed to Philadelphia specially to report The Dempsey-Tuuney fight for that newspaper, gives some interesting impressions regarding the champion’s defeat at the hands of the young Irishman. “From the moment I met Dempsey at Atlantic City.” be says, “I thought he would win, and in thinking so I shared the belief of nine out of ten people in America, but in all my cablegrams from the training quarters. 1 stressed the point that liis mental condition was not that which a fighter should possess for the most importaut contest of his career. Dempsey was beacon, and badly beaten, uot because he bad rested too long, but. chiefly because he had been harried by writs iu a way tnat no other fighter had ever experienced. . . . Just below him sat Mr. Kearns, his ex-manager, the man? whose lawsuits had given him the greatest trouble." HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. Both in quantity and quality the fare offered at His Majesty’s Theatre this week is especially good-better than it has been lor some weeks past. Among the fresh reinforcements for the vaudeville section is Miss Amy Rochelle, one of the most remarkable singers in vaudeville. and whose versatilii.v is lomothing to wonder at. One minute the audience is hearing her clarion soprano in the ‘‘One Fine Day” aria from ‘‘Madam Butterfly,” and the next she is beard in delicious imitations of children singing and reciting. Miss Rochelle scored a well-merited success last night. Another act that was an immediate success was that of tho irresponsible Scots, MacDonald and Payne, the former a shortlegged, rod-nosed comedian, with a pleasant tenor voice, and an abounding sense of fun, whilst bis partner is an exuberant singer and dai’cer, who bubbles over with action. MacDonald, who lingers at the ivory keyboard, does a very clever thing when he whistles 'Annie Laurie” ns he plays ‘‘Yankee Doodle” in the bass, and the sailor's hornpipe in the treble. Grant and Bates arc a lively coloured pair of comedians and dancers. The male performer is a real old-time "nigger” farce a.nd end-man. with a plenitude of expression and attitude, and much natural humour. The lady sings with fair success. A.nother negro performer is Frank Rogers, who puts up a rather weak ‘‘dummy” ventriloquist act, but makes good when he imitates a dog barking as ho drives a herd of cows in from the nteadowe. Clyde and Yvette give a very attractive dancing turn, the daintiness of the little lady being quite appealing, but the two should uot gag without acquiring some new jokes. Hector St. Clair goes on improving, every week, and .so does his revue show. "The Mustard Pot" is packed with laughter aisd bright numbers, and the comedian if :<• his best, in half-a-dozen sketches whicti display liis particular sort of humour to perfection. ‘‘.Servants New and Old” was a skit on the change in the relationship between master and servant between 1526 and '926. the characters being admirably done by Maylin MagttiU, Lillian Grey. Leslie Pearce, Victor Roberts, and Hector St. Clair. But it was as “P.C.43" that Mr. fit. Clair was most laughable, whilst as a violinist he scored heavily. He played “Annie Laurie" in varying tempos, and chatted pleasantly with himself between the concertos. Other amusing eccentricities were “The £5OOO Kiss,” "Incredible Happenings.” “The Peacemaker.’" and ‘ The Big Rpnr." Mr. Leslie Pearce’s songs, so robustly delivered, were an immense success. and it is only a matter of a few days when ail Wellington will want to hear this pleasing baritone. Mr. Hilton Osborne and Mies Magill are useful people, and Mr. McLean continues to whirl round wonderfully in his eccentric dances. DE LUXE THEATRE. Fox Films’ version of "A Trip to Chinatown,” adapted from Charles A. Hoyt’s comedy of the legitimate stage, affords beautiful Marget Livingston the finest opportunity she has yet had to display her remarkable talents upon the silversheet. This hilarious farce, directed by Robert H. Kerr and featuring such versatile screen artists as Earle Foxe and J. Farrell MacDonald, supported by Anne May Wong, Gladys McConnell, Charles Farrell, and George x-uwa, is the attraction now offering at the De Luxe Theatre. Much of the action is laid in San Francisco's romantic Chinatown. There is an excellent supporting programme. "The laugh hit of the season" is how Laura La Plante, in her latest, is described. This comedy will commence screening at the De Luxe Theatre on Friday night next, with a matinee on Saturday at 2.30. The cast that surrounds Laura La Plante includes Natt Carr, Tully Marshall, Zasu Pitts, Mack Swain, and John Roche. “Her Big Night" is truly a sparkling comedy, full of most huniourol ' situations. It moves without one dull moment to a climax which approaches bedlam in its high comedy, it is stated. The trials and tribulations of a picture producer and his Press agent are humourously depicted in this picture. The story tells of how a shop girl tried to impersonate a movie star, which brings about complications. Wild wives and jealous busbands, irrate sweethearts, that tumble over each other to rescue the innocent sinner who did not need resetting are some of the figures on the screen. A good supporting programme lias also boon arranged. The box plans are now open at the Bristol. Aitken's Book Arcade, or ring theatre 'phone 23 —080. JOY NIGHT REPEATED. The commercial travellers are repeating their great plain and fancy dress ball on Thursday evening The attraction of the evening will be the competition for "Mr. New Zealand." They are giving generous prizes, and a cosiderable number of competitors are expected. The advertisement which appears in another column gives full details, and a great nighet like the 1 previous one is being looked forward to. The public will wish them every success, as this fund is for Christmas cheer for the orphans, and sick children, and blind soldiers and sailors. PARAMOUNT THEATRE. "The Keeper of the Bees," from the last story of Gene Stratton Porter, is the feature now starring at the Paramount Thcartc In addition to other points of Interest it contains in the cast. Mrs. Porter's grand-daughter. Gene Stratton Monroe, who was the original of the “Little Scout" character. Colourful with the backgrounds of the wide Pacific, warm witli a human sentiment that only a Mrs. Porter could portray, and tiling a Jug Story of a war hero’s fight against sickness* and disease tho lates F. B. I), production of Mrs. Porter’s works leaves a lasting impresion. Robert Frazer, Clara Bow. and Alyce Mills are the stars. A gazette, scenic. Pathe review, and comedy htr the supports', while music is pJayecJ by the orchestra. QUEEN'S THEATRE. "The Man in the Saddle.' a U, l! v 2'' s !'! picturisation of one of Mfiliani McLeod Heine's mo-t popular stories, tsthe attraction now offering at the Queens riienlrc. Hoot Gibson is starred, supported by l ay Wrnv, Molly Lang and Clark Comstock. The story is almost entirely comedy of the ti-hfest and most whimsical nature, with Gil.son moving from adventure to ndvontun* with a breezy and mnnn»‘r productive of the highest type of enter-t-HninoDt. The story is most unusual, and shows Gibson in the role of a romantic but misguided young man of the West. A

gazette, scenic and comedy are in support, wit li capital incidental music by tho orchestra. AKTCRAIT THEATRE. Peter the Great, a new canine star, will appear in “The Silent Accuser,’ wiiiew cotunieuces a three nights' season at the Artcraft Theatre this evening. This picture has a strong east, headed by Eleanor Boardman and Raymond McKee. in addition to the dog. It is tho storv of how Peter saves liis master from an unjust prison sentence for murder, and convicts the real killer. Playing entirely on the dog's instincts, tho director has made him tell an exciting story in a straightforward and plausible manner. Four other varied pictures will be shown, all to appropriate music by James Haydock. ORPHEUS MUSICAL SOCIETY. The last concert of the Orpheus Musical Society will be held on Tuesday next, December 14, in the Concert Chamber. They will present “Psyche" Eadet, with Miss Helen Gard’ner as Psyche, and Mr. E. W. Robbins as Eres. the other two soloists being Miss Lily Mackie and Miss Grctta Stark, "Flora's Holiday,” for quartet and solos, will be sung by Mrs. Alice Harris, Miss Lily Mackie, and Messrs. Arthur Coe and Len Barnes. A strong choir, under Mr. Len Baines, will render the various beautiful horal numbers and iMss Ewen Wing is the pianiste. The plan is at the Bristol.