LECTURE ON SOUTH AFRICA.

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 36, 11 August 1923, Page 9

LECTURE ON SOUTH AFRICA.

Those interested in South Africa will have a unique opportunity of seeiug.gome of the best, pictures of the scenery of South Africa, next Thursday evening when Mr. T- Lovely, of the Publicity Department of the South African Railways and Harbours, will deliver a lecture and show slides on the subject. The lecture will be held in the V.M.C.A. Assembly Hall, and will be preceded by scenic cinema pictures at.7.30. Mr. 11. W. M'Yilly. General Manager of the Now Zealand Railways,, will occupy the chair.

"CAIRO," A GREAT SPECTACLE. Of the wonderful Oriental conception, "Cairo"—originated and produced bs| Oscar Abclis at His Majesty's Theatre, London—which will be here on Saturday nest, at the Grand Opera House, a distinguished Australian critic writes: —

"Within a limited space it would be impossible to do the barest justice to'the production of 'Cairo,' with so much that is magnificent, bo much that is colourful, so richly dramatic, so massivei and so redolent o£ the East, as we know it from the tales of the Arabian Nights, that the mind almost becomes bewildered when sorting out its impressions and committing them to paper. It is a show of many facets, but standing clear above all the others is the producing genius of Oscar Asche. In the first scene we are shown a. street in Cairo with its motley crowd of beggars, soldiers, and sellers of wares, and the commonest tones of the dingy buildings and poorest raiment blend into an arresting picture. With the beautiful evening colouring in the Palace' Gardens and the reflected lighting in the encampment on the banks of the Nile the conviction comes strongly that 'Cairo' is a masterpiece of Asche, and that his other Eastern plays were only precursors to a grand climax, which he has waited until now to give us. 'Cairo' is magnificent, enthralling, overwhelming, it holds one spellbound by its overpowering greatness. As for Oscar Asche as 'Ah Shar,' the Persian wrestler—he is All Shar,' a splendid personality that easily dominates every scene He appears in." There are over 200 people in the production, 38 musical numbers, 10 ballets and special dances, -three acts and n.4 amazing scenes. The preferential box plans will be opened at the Bristol Piano Co. on Tuesday and Wednesday next only for the first seven nights Ihe ordinary plans will be opened for the same .period on Thutsdav morning next, at 8 o'clock