ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 136, 5 March 1929, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. , Tie joined the army o£ Greece to aid in > stamping out banditry in that country, only to become a bandit himself and to experience more thrills than he bad bargained for. Such is the predicament of Rod la Rocque in “Stand and Deliver,” his newest starring picture for De Mille, ) which is now screening at the Regent Theatre. Lupe Velez and Warner Olaud arc featured. La Rocque has the role of Roger Norman, an adventuresome young Englishman, who, after the war, missing I the excitement of the battlefront, enlists in the Greek cavalry in search of new adventures. In a chivalrous moment, while t attempting to save a little Greek peasant I girl from the evil advances of his commanding officer, he apparently kills his superior. This necessitates his flight with ; the girl to the mountains, where the two • are captured bj- a baudlt gang. “Stand and Deliver” was prepared for the screen 1 by Sada Cowan. Conspicuous in the well- ’ balanced cast supporting La Rocque are [ Louis Natlieaux, Clarence Burton and Ber- , nard Siegel. Another big attraction is the ’ appearance of Gautier’s “Bricklayers,” twelve dogs who go through their parts with amazing ability. A gazette, scenic and comedy are also screened and excellent music is supplied by the orchestra. “EXCESS BAGGAGE.” . “ ‘Excess Baggage,’ ” said William Haines, “is a lot of extra luggage that you carry with you and pay for but ' never get a chance to use.” Thus the star i defined his idea of the meaning of his new . starring picture of that name which comes on Friday to the Regent Theatre. Accord1 ing to John McGowan, the author of the ; stage play front which Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer adapted the movie production, the term was originally derived from the bag. ■ gage offices of the railway companies who were accustomed to charge an extra fee for transporting all luggage weighing over 75 pounds per ticket. So Haines, in the beginning of the picture, is thought by his wife, Josephine Dunn, to believe her to be "Excess Baggage.” Later on, after she has won success on the screen, he has the same idea when he believes that he is so much “Excess Baggage” as far as her career is concerned. James Cruze dir- , ccted the screen production, while tbe cast includes Ricardo Cortez, Kathleen Clifford. Greta Granstedt, Neely Edwards and 1 others. Making an audience "hear” by seeing is the strange feat accomplished by Tim McCoy, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s famous Western star, in his newest picture, “The Bushranger,” which also comes on Friday to the Regent Theatre. The new picture, the first all-Austraiian romance filmed in America, shows McCoy as an Australian bushranger, a sort of latterday Robin Hood, iu an amazing adventure in tbe Antipodes. Witii Australian boomerang and big stockwhip he makes sensational escapes and stages a thrilling adventure, with a pretty love story included among the thrills. Chester Witbey, wellknown director of Western features, directed the production. The heroine, Marian Douglas, is a native Australian, having been born in Sydney. She came to America as a small girl, and has appeared in many notable pictures. Dale Austen, who plays her companion, hails from New Zealand, and was brought to the Metro-Goldwyn-Ma.ver studios after having Avon the title “Miss New Zealand” in a contest staged here. DE LUXE THEATRE. “Remember Canton, Ohio,” has become as much a clarion call of tbe American newspaper as "Remember the Maine” was the battle-cry of America in 181)8. In “Freedom of tbe Press," the' Universal photoplay now screening at the De Luxe Theatre, the exciting days of Canton, Ohio, are presented in a fictitious parallel to the battle to the death between Editor Don Mellett and the underworld, Mellett being slain by orders of gangdom, but his newspaper going on and carrying out his successful battle to break up the local vice ring. Lewis Stone is the star of the picture and plays tbe role of the underworld leader, while Henry B. Walthall enacts the tragic role of the newspaper editor. Every newspaper drive is fraught with danger for the editor and the newspaper. Bombings of newspapers and slaying of editors are not so uncommon, when the underworld is aroused to battle for its existence. Others in the cast are Marcelino Day and Malcolm MacGregor. Good supports arc also screened, and the usual excellent: musical programme is supplied. PARAMOUNT THEATRE. Flippant Alice White and smiling Jack Mulhall are the stars of "Naughty Baby,” First- National’s entertaining- cotnedyromance, which, is now screening at the Paramount Theatre.. Miss White is a check girl at the Ritzy Hotel, hence the name.. She is one. of tbe-girls of flapper face and figure who have champagne ideas on a home-brew income. Mulhall, as might be imagined, is the youthful heir to a fortune, and he provides the chain* pagne possibilities. She has three other boys on the string, an Irishman, a’ Jew, and an Italian, very amusingly played by Andy Devine, Benny Rubin, and George Stone. What she- doesn’t promote from them for her conquest of Mulhall is nobody’s business, for Andy works in a garage, and can get swell.cars; Benny works iu his uncle’s pawn shop and can borrow jewels, aqd Stone is assistant to a modiste, and gets her to “loan" him her most gorgeous gowns. Thelma Todd, Doris Dawson, Fred Kelsey, James Ford are also lit the cast. "Dear Old Calford,” the latest of the “Collegians” series, two gazettes, and a comedy arc also screened, while appropriate music is supplied by the orchestra. STRAND THEATRE. “The Wise Wife,” starring popular Phyllis Haver, supported by Tom Moore and Jacqueline Logan, is tbe current feature at the Strand Theatre. The story tells of the husband of a quiet-loving wife and of the flapper friend of tbe wife, who is a flirt of the first water. The husband and flapper soon discover that they love each other, but the wife also knows what is going on, and sets a trap to bring her husband back to the straight and narrow way, and the story ends with tbe couple happily- reunited. The supporting programme includes a gazette and two hilarious comedies, while-appropriate and tuneful music is supplied by -the orchestra. “BELINDA." Miss Irene Vanbrugh was as delightful as over in the part of the somewhat flirtatious grass widow, Belinda Tremayne, at the Opera House last night. The audience followed her every whim and laughed with her. rather- than at her,, at all her pretty ways and little pouts when things did not go quite as sha planned. Miss Vanbrugh was. Belinda and Belinda seemed just Miss Vanbrugh. The- part of Harold Baxter, the statistician lover, was played last night by Mr. Leslie Victor, owing to the indisposition of Mr. Dion Bouclcault. Mr. Victor made a sufficiently stilted lover, and gave quite the right touch when at the end he transfers his love from the pseudo widow, back to bls old love, the Encyclopedia Britannica. Miss Rowena Ronald is a charming daughter or niece,' as the case may be. and Mr. Ward was delightful as the long-haired poet; in fact, one liked him as a poet rather more than ns an ordinary young man. Mr. J. B. Rowe was tile missing busbapd. and Miss Annie Saker a very charming-looking maid. “Belinda” will be repeated this evening. “THE VAGABOND KING.” On Tuesday night, at the Grand Opera House, for a brief season, , the J. C. Williamson, Ltd., management will present for the first time in Wellington the stupendous and gorgeously mounted musical play, “The Vagabond King," which is generally regarded as the finest play of its kind the stage has produced during recent years. It ran for over three years in New York and London, and numerous companies are at present touring in it throughout the States of America and in the provinces of England. Its opening performance in Sydney : was a notable occasion, the enthusiasm of , the audience knowing no bounds. The sue- ' cess “The Vagabond King” enjoyed in Sydliey was remarkable, the huge auditorium < of His Majesty's Theatre being taxed to its ' utmost capacity during its long long run, I and to procure seals patrons had to make ‘ reservations weeks ahead. Eventually, in the very zenith of its success It had to lie withdrawn to make room for another at- < traction, but it is to be revived in Sydney later on in the year. The costuming of “The Vagabond King” has been described as really amazing. Whether the grimy 1 rags of the Parisian rabble or the elaborate I robes of die courtesans, everything is ef- 1 fective. “Never before." wrote a Sydney critic, “have larger ensembles been presented In a Williamson production. Those of ‘Tlie Vagabond King' are marked by prodigality of personnel, beautiful and stirring choruses, and the galaxy of colour presented by the period costumes.” James Lidd.v is said to be at his best in the role of Francois Villon, and Miss Strclla Wil- , son's beautiful soprano voice is heard at its best in die music allotted to the char- ' acter of Katherine. Arthur Sdgaiit, Cecil Kellaway, Arthur Greenaway, and Arthur i Mayes are others who have assisted to make die production of “The Vagabond King” the best yet staged by the J. C. Williamson. Ltd., management.! A full operatic chorus and orchestra arc other i features of the production, which was , produced by George A. Highland. The box plans open on Friday at the Bristol. 1 “MR. I’IM PASSES BY.” <

It is Impossible to do even bare Justice to the manner in which Mr. Boucieault captured the hearts of all theatre-goers, when, on a previous tour of the Dominion he plaved A. A. Milne’s original and most eccentric character. Mr. Pirn, iu one of the gems of English comedy. "Mr. Pirn Passes By.” Voice, manner, make-up. his extreme desire to be of service, Ills garrulous wanderings, the victim of a most unreliable memory, the» suspicions and fear no causes by bls leaving things incomplete, all go to make Mr. Bim one “0 oa **

standing characters of the age. And Mr. Bouclcault lives every minute of his part. In this he is helped considerably by the sympathy and charm of Irene Vanbrugh iu her part. There can be no more pleasing performance to carry away a last recollection of a wonderful English actor and actress than “Mr. Pim Passes By,’ the last piece to be played by the Irene Vanbrugh-Dion Boucicault Company now near die end of their really farewell tour of New Zealand. It will be staged for the first time to-morrow night. J. C. Williamson, Limited, were fortunate in securing such a company to stage such plays as have been presented, but it is well for theatre-goers to remember that the chance will not recur again. No one should miss seeing Dion Boucicault as “the erect, snowy-headed little bld man, with umbrella ill one hand, and crumpled panama In the other,, eccentric, shortsighted, and absent-minded, who unconsciously causes consternation in die family he. in passing by. hopes to befriend. His perfect gentlemanliness, his queer mannerisms, his quaint behaviour, rambling communicativeness causes, everyone to love him. His Is a great part greatly acted. Besides the important part played by Irene Vanbrugh, the cast includes Mr. J. B. Rowe, Rowena Ronald, Ronald M ard, Eileen Morris and Miss Annie Saker. Box plans at the Bristol. KING’S THEATRE. When Horace Annesley Vachell wrote “Quinneys’,” that delightful romance written around the professional and domestic career of a successful dealer in antiques, he managed to infuse into the story the mellow atmosphere we usually associate with old and beautiful things. The plot covers twenty years—from Joe Quinney’s marriage to Susan Biddlecombe to the denouement arising from their daughter’s love affair. Pathos and whimsical humour are also infused into the story, and the characterisations are particularly faithful in their conception. A film based partly on the book and partly on the play has been made so skilfully that a triumph has clearly bec.n achieved by its producers. In some subtly clever manner the film which is now screening at the King’s Theatre has the quality of Mr. Vachell’s romance, a tribute to which everyone will subscribe on seeing tbe picture. The keen character studies in the novel naturally demand interpretation by artists whose skill in this direction is unquestioned. "Dear Old Calford,” the latest of the “Collegians” series, a gazette, and comedy arc also screened, and appropriate music is supplied by the orchestra. HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. As bright and entertaining as ever is the programme now being presented at His Majesty’s Theatre by Mike Connors and Queenie Paul's “League of Notions” revue company, who are now in the sixteenth week of their Wellington season Among the duets presented by that popular pair, Queenie Paul and Mike Connors, are “Forty-seven Ginger-Headed Sailors,” ’’Old Man Sunshine." and “Lily of Laguna.” Syd. Beck is as usual a mine jf mirth, and is seen to advantage in the clever sketches, which! include “Small Gifts," “After Hours.” ! “Twentieth Century Child,” “Keep to the Right.” and "The Innocent Wife.” Bright music is supplied by tbe jazz band, and the remainder of the company give good support to their principals. QUEEN’S THEATRE. “The Ring,” a British production, starring Carl Bresson and Lillian Hall-Davis, is the current feature at the Queen’s Theatre. It shows how a young boxer fighting for the girl he loves, and the fame for which all fighters are inspired, whether they be of the ring or otherwise, wins (lie waj- from the paltry tent of the travelling show to the glaring lights of the Royal Albert Hall, famous from lhe Walker-Milligan fight. The wife, he loves, fascinated by the novelty and charm of society, falls under the influence of tlie champion, who takes her to theatres, night clubs, and motor rides, until finally, when her husband was to fight for the championship, she hoped tn her own heart, that he would be defeated. A gazette and comedy are also sereend, and appropriate music is supplied by the orchestra. KILBIRNIE KINE.MA. Wallace Beery and Raymond Hatton are seen at their best in “We’re in the Navy Now,” the comedy which heads the doublefeatlire programme now screening at the Kilbirnie Kinema. “The Last Edition,” a thrilling melodrama, packed with incident, is the second feature. Appropriate music is also supplied by the orchestra. LECTURE RECITAL. “The True Appreciation of Great Music” is the subject of Mr. Arthur Hirst’s lecturerecital in the Concert Chamber on Wednesday, Marell G. This lecture is illustrated with pianoforte selections, and the lecturer explains how music can and does provide a door Into the inner life, which, however described, still .remains. the great significant factor in human destiny. The box plan Is open at' the Bristol Piano Company. lIAWERA CHILDREN’S ORCHESTRA. Readers arc reminded of the concert to be given in the Town Hall “on Thursday night by the orchestra from Hawera primary and technical high schools, under Mr. H. C. A. Fox. conductor of the Hawera Borough Band. The orchestra consists of over 50 string and wind players, and a programme will be presented containing also songs, instrumental solos, and recitations by the children. As booking is likely to be very heavy for the attractive concert, and the prices of admission are low, patrons are advised to secure seas at the Bristol without delay.