Plays – Players – Pictures

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 123, 26 May 1928, Page 25

Plays - Players - Pictures

IHE SBO^S Town Hall— Molseiwltach Hcelt-U to night and Tuesday night Organ Heeital, every Sunday, S 30 p m. Opera House— Moscoritcli icaion, to night His Majesty's— Revue Resent—\nudcwlle and Pictures 110 Luxe Theatre—Pictures. I'sriraount Theatre—Pictures lvJns's Theatro—Pictures. -\rtcraft—Pictures. Our Theatra—Pictures Niortt's Theajro—Pictures, ■strand Theatre—Picturi.l! Britannia Theatre—Pictures Queen's Theatre—Pictures. Princess Theatre —Pictures. An'extract"from a'Sydney ■letter roi ceived in Wellington the other day roads:—."Bio Kita," which, opened here on Saturday (28th April), was an enormous success. It is the greatest • show that this country has struck for years. Miss Moncrieff is wonderful— better than ever. It must be a frightfully expensive show, for they are putting it on the same in every detail as in New York, and I think the production is even better than .when I saw it there.' I believe the St. James Theatre is booked up for some, weeks, and there's no doubt the season can run for six or seven months. Miss Moncrieff got $ te.rrififs Reception, on. the opening Bightj and proved that 'she thoroughly deserved it;- "She is a great actress and her vokd islwonderfnl." ; ■ . Another, ..New Zqaland actress is winning fame in England. This- is- Miss Helen Cane, of Christeliurcli, wlio : has been touring the English provinces with the sensational play, "Tho Fanatics." Critics' kiy she has done uiiconimonly well for one so young, having a most pleasing, presence, calm dignity, and a beautiful sp'eaTcirig: voice. Miss Cane has studied "dramatic art under the famed Kat'o Eorke. Cass Downing, tho popular musical director,, who was . seriously injured in the Aberdeen. (N.S.W.) railway disaster, has'been removed to Sydney Hos; pital, where'his ease is considered al-most-hopeless. He is suffering from paralysis. Charles Walenn, the diminutive comedian Of the Gilbert and Sullivan Comic Opera Company, is returning to Ehg- ■ land, but tho company is to be reorganised -for. further tours of Now Zealand and.-, Australia. Many of tho principajg./w^lf be retained, and the: compatiyj "though' a strong one, will be a little smaller, than at.present. . The Fuller-Goiisalez Italian' Grand Opera New Zealand season commences at Invercargill-on'lSth June. Tho Manuka leaves Melbourne /on 14th June direct for the Bluff,, and this enables the company'to finish their season at -Melbourne on 13th Juno and open at InyeroartgilL'.on.the 18th, It will thug , bet,Beeft thatf.the' co^rripany wilt lose;- ' the'; minimum amount of time in travel, and litvercargill will have the honour of the premier performance in New Zealand. TlVe^following dates have now been definitely arranged by Mr. William Bur.----toh^.Ne-w Zealand general manager for Fullers' Theatres, Ltd.: —lnvercargill, 18tfiS June; Dunedin, 23rd; Oamaru, 9th July: Timaru, 12th; Christchureh.,-14th; ! Wellington, 31st; Palmerston .North, SOtlfe August; Napier, 23rd; ..Hastings, '27th<j Wanganui,' 29th; New-Plymouth, is.t-'September; Hamilton, 6th. Following^Hamilton, Auckland will probably I be^the next town visited, but -the open- J ing date is yet to be settled upon;* -.-■'j T^vo -very- old friends appeared in the/musical comedy, "The Girl. Friend," writes "Puck" of the Sydney "Sun." MajC'Beatty and May Beat.ty's.feather, The.~ono is the satellite of the other. Sh'B^wore it in "Tho O'Brien Girl," and ■%?'' ■■:;i '. ■ •■. ■ '■■ '; .- -. ;■

she is wearing it again, for luck. A few weeks; ago: she landed in New Zealand after a tour ,of the world, and passing through Auckland o.u her way to visit hsr. sister at Hamilton, ahe happened to see a poster of an amateur poiiormance." of -"The Belle of New York." Ilev daughter Bunny, whom presently theatregoers will meet on the stage as Beatty Lauri (she is taking lien mother and father's combined namel?, though sho was christened Iliucmoa), said: "The girl on the poster looks just like you, Mum." On closer inspection it was discovered that the girl on the poster was Mum. When ahe was a small child playing the "Belle" with tho Pollard Liliput'ians these posters had been printed, and they are being used to-day. Mi-. John Fuller, who lias recently returned to Australia after nearly two years' world tour, has intimated his intention of visiting New Zealand about the middle .of June. During his • visit abroad Mr. Fuller has gone vory thoroughly into- theatre construction as planned in the great cities, and considers : himself something of an expert in the matter. While in New Zealand the demolition of the Princess Theatre, Dunedin, will be gone into and an im-' posing and up-to-date building erected in its place. This will not necessarily mean a complete disorganisation of tho Fuller New Zealand.circuit, as productions can be placed at Hi£ Majesty's Theatre, which Dunedin house also beIpngs to the firm. ■'..■':..■ 'jEdgar Wallace has suddenly turned from 'thrillers' and written an astonishing musical comedy (states an English writer). "The Yellow Mask," at the Carlton Theatre, London, has every mark of success stamped plainly upon it. We have the handsomest production iii London, a perfectly drilled chorus, and "*Edgar Wallace's melodramatic thriller about tho robbery of ope of tho .Crown jewels from, tho Tower, and its recovery in China. Then there is Phyllis Dare as a lady : who has to undergo a "Mr. Wu" kind of ordeal; and there is her tendervoiced lover, Wilfred Temple. And, last but not .least, there is Bobby Howes, who, aided and abetted by Winnie Collins (who was appearing in Williamson's musical comedies in Australia two years ago),' is responsible for a good deal of humour. Well, what more do you want? It is true personally I should have preferred a little, more wit In the book, a little more tuneful distinction in the music, and fewer lines, marked more by their side-step-ping of good taste than their essential j ! humour. But one can't get. everything lin thjs world. Imagine one of tho very finest of the old spectacular Drury Lane melodramas with music and wonderful chorus work, and you will have an idea : of ,'fThe Yellow Mask." : „ „ .. , ; " ;;Sir- Benjamin and John Fullers',' London Musical Comedy Company, headed iby Elsie Prince and Jimmy Godden, is at present at His •■ Majesty's Theatre, Dunedin. Capacityl business has almost' continuously followed the company so far, and there is every reason to expect the same results will obtain throughout the whole period of the New Zealand tour. The production of "The • Student P.rince" in New Zealand is arousing interest, but; special interest lies in the fact > that Beppie de Vrics will appear at^ Kathie)' the. role she' created in Ililrope iii "O\i Heidelberg," the romantic play upon which the comic opera is.based. James Liddy has his original role as Prince Karl, and Frederick Blackman, who originally staged tho play' in. London,N will be in charge of tho production. Others in the cast include Arthur Stigant, Frank Webster,

Noel Dainton, Hedley Hall (who will make is first appearance in New Zea-land),-Conrad Charlton, Vera Spaull, Bussell Scott (his first appearance in' Now t Zealand). „ George Conyngham, Masera. Wood, Millie iEngler, Adele Crane, Peg Desmond, and others. Some •ycry fine choruses are sung by the Forty Singing Students, Miss' Minnio Hooper has invented- and arranged the dances, ,otc.'..;'.-;".. ' i Vr "■ -; :'■■ The Len Jackson Bevuo Company (a combination »£w to thiß country) opens at Fullejjs;' : Pi;iiicess Theatre, Dunedin, to-night.' V -„ > ■■.. . - Miss Judith Anderson's season in Australia last year, when she presented -''Cobral ? and "Tea for Three)' > was iiot1 a success. Australians did not roepgflise: one of themselves who had siiccee'dcd in :" ■'However, on j hersi'oJU'rn to.; Now York,. Miss Anderson).* leading player before her tour, was;acclaimed as a Broadway star. She lias.; reached the heights through her performance' in ''Behold, the Bridgegroom^'' although one leading critic is inclined to, the bpinion that she erred a little in making her rele so theatrical. Tha-somewhat doubtful reception Miss Ard'crscr. received in Australia last year prevented a tour of New Zealand. George Siegman does what is considered, his deepest "villainy" to date in the Universal-Jewel production, "A Man's: Past." Conrad "Veidt, the noted German star, enacts the leading role in the picture. Joseph J. Franz, one-time director, and Christian J. Frank, will play detective roles in "Easy Come, Easy Go," Eichard Dixs next picture, which is now' being filmed. Nancy Carroll plays the feminine lead. "Grease Paint," which Universal recently purchased from Svend Gade, will lie' put in'tti proper form for a starring picture for.■ Conrad Veidt. ■It took considerable . persuasion to get Conrdd; Veidtj'star of "A Man's Past," to desert his native Germany aiid go to Hollywood to make pictures. Once- he arrived, however, he immediately sent for his family, and has just completed one of the most pretentious homes in Hollywood. Jean Horsholt portrays a suave mild mannered, oil-painting thief in "13, Washington .Square," the mystery-com-edy. vAlicei Joyce" co-stars, while the supporting cast includes George Lewis, Helen Foster, Zasu Pitts, Helen Jerome Eddy, Jack M'Donald, and Jerry Gamble. ■■,'■'•■■■ ,' All of the extra men who took the roles of soldiers in "Finders Keepers," are world war veterans. Laura La Plante takes the starring role. She is supported by John Harron, Edmund Breese, Arthur Bankin, William Gorman, Eddie Phillips, and Joe Mack, "Twelve Miles Out," which is screening at. the King's Theatre this week, is a vivid story of modern piracy oil' the high seas, with John Gilbert, Joan Crawford, and Ernest Torrenco heading a big cast. The comedy feature is "Fighting Fathers," with Max Davidson, the famous Jewish actor, in the leading role. The picture is a hilarious story of a feud between two fatliers/ivhichjthe ■children complicate by falling' in love. , "Baby Mine," the comedy successor to "Kobkies," will be released at the | De Luxe Theatre on Ist June. This picture is the second co-starring production of Karl Dane and George K. Arthur. • . ■ ; Greta Garbo and Lars Hanson, who were, recently seen in "Flesh and the Devil," appear together again in "The Divine Woman," a romance, which Cis to be screened at the De Luxe Theatre. Norma .Shearer, 'the Canadian star, will shortly bo seen in "The Latest from Paris," a comedy romance in which: : she:.plays the role' of a capable saleswoman. Ralph Forbes, star of "Beau Geste" and "Mr. Wu," appears in this film,.which will be screened at the King's "Theatre. Harry Pollard,- director of "Uncle Tom's Cabin," is at work with Charles '

Kenyon on the- adaptation /E Edna Forber's "Show Boat." "Body and Soul," based on Katharine Newlin Burt's "The Branding Iron," has been filmed with an all-star cast of well-known players, including Aileen Pringle, Norman Kerry, Lionel Barxymore, and T. Boy Barnes. _ The picture, which was directed by Beginald Barker, will be shown soon at the Do Luxe Theatre. Jack Holt has signed a new contract to be featured in a aeries of Zane Grey Western pictures for Paramount. The first of these will be "The Vanishing Pioneer." Owing to tremendous business at the Regent Theatre last week, and also owing to the fact that throughout the season hundreds wore turned away, "Tho Merry Widow"' has been transferred to the King's Theatre, where it will run. for an additional week. Several hundred pounds of confetti and streamers were used during tlio filming of a New Year's party at the] Gold Coast Cabaret for a sequence in "Midnight Hose," co-starring Lya do Putti and- Kenneth Harlan. Karl Dane and George K. Arthur will ' begin work on "Brothorly Love" im-: mediately "Detectives" is completed. The new picture will be directed by Frank Capra, who directed "Long Pants" and many other comedy successes. Nancy Carroll and Jack Luden, young motion picture players, have just signed new long-term contracts with Paramount. Miss Carroll, called "the most Irish girl in Hollywood," has the desirable part of Eosemary Murphy in Anne Nichols's "Abie's Irish Eose," now being filmed by Paramount. The introduction of incandescent lighting for motion picture work has eliminated "Kleig eyes" and production delays occasioned by the replacing of carbons in the are lamps. This now lighting system was first used by Universal on "13 Washington Square.'"' It co-stars Jean Hersholt and Alice Joyce. ' , ; "Burning Daylight" gives Milton Sills an even moro congenial role than in his former successes. He is again supported in the Jack London, romance by Doris Kenyon and Arthur Stone. "Burning Daylight" moves through a swift succession of interesting dramatic incidents, while the climax affords Sills an opportunity to rise to great dramatic heights. Twins, triplets, and a lanky and enthusiastic "Cave-Woman"—a midget masquerading as a baby, ano two college boys doubling for Cupid, with sundry other trimmings, these are someof .the ingredients that blend into "Baby Mine,' the latest Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer co-starring comedy for Karl Dane and George K. Arthur, the heroes of "Eookies." This picture will be shown at tho De Luxe Theatre shortly. John Gilbert again proves his ability as a, star in "Twelve Miles Out," the new Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture, which is coming to tho King's Theatre shortly. The picj turo opens with thrills which continue, through the film, and an unusual story is depicted. The splendid cast of supporting players, includes Joan Crawford, Ernest Torrence, Dorothy Sebastian, and Tom O'Brien. A great, success has been scored by "The Scarlet Letter," in Melbourne. For the premiere performance the dress circle was sold out in advance. ."Fallen Angels," Edward Laemmle's production of the Arthur Somers Eocho Red Book ; Magazine "story, has . tho most pretentious cast of any Edward Laemmlo picture, including . Norman Kerry, Paulino Stark, Crauford Kent, Marian Nixon, Kenneth Harlen, and Jack Baymond. The Paramount picture "Beau Sabreur" has already been released in Sydney, Melbourne, and Auckland. This picture will soon bo seen in all the principal cities of Australia and Now Zealand. "Beau Sabreur" is from tho story by P. C. Wren, who was also the author of "Beau Geste."