Plays – Players – Pictures

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 85, 20 October 1928, Page 25

Plays - Players - Pictures

THE SHOWS. !Town Hall— Organ Itecltal, every Sunday, 8.30 p.m. Concert Chamber— Vcru Jlooro, pianist, -'Gth October. Clement May Hecital, 27th Octuucr. Grand Opera HousePercy Hutchinson Company, in season. Margaret liaunerraau Company, "7th October. pis Majesty's— Revue. Grand Opera, November. Begent—Vaudeville and Pictures. ?o Luxe Theatre—Pictures, aramount Theatre—Pictures. King's Theatre—Pictures. Artcraft Theatre—Pictures. Our Theatre—Pictures. Shortt's Theatre—Pictures. Strand Theatre—Pictures. Britannia Theatre—Pictures. Queen's Pictures—Pictures. ' Princess Theatre—Pictures. TJllbirnie Kineraa —Pictures. The soloists at the Timaru Orpheus Society's concert were Madame Winnio Frazer, Miss Molly Andrews, Miss E. Wcstmaeott, and Mr. E. Holdgate. 'Rio Eita" is in its sixth month in Sydney. The last weeks of this re-cord-breaker are announced. "The Patsy," with Ircuo Homer, is repeating its Melbourne success in Sydney. Beppie de Vries is saying good-bye to Australia in a revival of "Madamo Pompadour." Tho Gregan M'Mahon Play Company has produced "Lap of tho Gods" as a successor to John Drinkwater's "Tho Bird in Hand." Mr. James Hay, formerly popular in Gilbert and Sullivan operas, is siuging at one of tho picture theatres in Sydney. , Ivor Novello, star of stage and screen, recently made his first appearance in vaudeville, appearing with Phyllis Monkman at tho Palladium, in tho sketch, 'Tho Gate Crasher." It is said that Paderewski is to make three appearances on the talking film for an enormous amount which is probably grossly exaggerated; while M'Cormack, Kreisler, and Heifetz have also been approached. "The Student Prince," which was revived for a brief Australian season ■with the same cast as in New Zealand, ■was replaced at Sydney last week by "Madame'Pompadour," which was staged for Beppie do Vries's farewell to Australia. After a fortnight in this beautiful musical production the famous Dutch star returns to Europe to create a now role in romantic opera. "Hit tho Deck" (as well as "The Girl Friend"), with Annie Croft in tho lead, is an eagerly awaited J. C. Williamson show. In "Hit the Deck" tho ever-popular May Beatty and the "Hallelujah" chorus make one of the tig hits of the piece. Tho cast for "The Vagabond King," includes Strella AVilson, James Liddy, Adele Crane, Arthur Greenaway, Eardley Turner, Arthur Stigant, Lou Vornon, Eussoll Scott, Cecil Kellaway, Pop. Cory, Mildred Cottell, and Mabel Gibson, with a chorus of ninety. George Gee, John Kirby (a New Zealander), and Isabel, Jeans (a London actress i:who has formerly appeared only in straight parts and has been seen in New Zealand with Ivor Novollo in films) w/11 have tho leads in a new musical comedy to be produced in London shortly by Waller and Clayton. Gee is still one of the hits of "Tho Girl Friend," which has been running for something like a year. Shayle Gardner, tho New Zealand Shakespearian actor, who lias been playing a leading part in the new Hex Ingram film, "The Three Passions," at Nice, is to return to tho stage after three years' absence. Ho is to be the leading man of Milton Rosmer's production to reopen the Everyman Theatre, Hainpstead. This is to be "Gincvra," a 14th contury domestic, comedy translated from the Italian. Mr. Gard-, ncr received two offers for his services on the first day he was back in London. It was in "Our Betters," the famous play by Somerset Maughan in which Margaret Bannernian, the beautiful and accomplished actress now in Now Zealand, scored her greatest success in London, and it is said that her grace and undoubted charm carry tho comody on a buoyant wave from tho first drawing-room scene to the last. The east in New Zealand includes Ellis Irving (who gives one of his best characterisations), Louis Goodrich (from London), G. Kay Souper, Geoffrey Millar, Frederick Hughes, Pirie Bush, Kerry Kelly, Cicely Jonas, Dorothy Dunckley, and Arthur Cornell, a j very strong combination. Mr. Anthony Priusep, the uotcd London entrepreneur, personally supervises all the New Zealand productions. At the Opera House on 27th October, | J. C. Williamson Ltd.; will present the English actress. Miss Margaret Bannerman, and Anthony Prineeps London Company, in the clever comedy-drama, "Other Men's Wives," which was specially written for Miss Banncrman by Walter Hackett, whose "Ambrose Applejohn's Adventure" was successfully played here some years ago. Miss Bannonnau is visiting the Dominion at the very zenith of her dramatic powers. She , is an idol of London p^ay-goers and her triumphs in Australia are, it is said, have few parallels in the theatrical history of the Commonwealth. Gus Bluett, who has scored in the comedy role in many musical comedies, is one of the most popular comedians appearing in "The Gh-r Friend," in which Miss Annie Croft is'the star. Tho production comes to Now Zealand next month. A sou of Fred Bluett, who was also delightfully funny and decidedly original, ho simply "makes" his parts. Fred Kitchen, the man who discovered the famous Charlie Chaplin, wanted to train tho youngster when ho was in England with his father, but tho latter did not like the idea of leaving his son in England, and they returned to Australia together. The London stage lost, and tho Australian and New Zealand stage gained, one of the cleverest comedians appearing to-day. It is hoped to see this popular comedian in "The Girl Friend," and "Hit the Deck," two musical comedy successes which have pi'oved very popular wherever presented. . "The Desert Song," ' which is Drury Lano's successor to "Rose Marie," has been produced with great success in Australia. The cast includes first appearances in the Commonwealth of Herbert Munclin (a new comedian), Virginia Perry, Maud 55""b)a, and Ronald Pomeroy. Others In the cast with which New Zealandera aro more familiar are Lance Fairfax, Reginald Dandy, Stephanie Doste, Lorn a Helms, Herbert Browne, Peter Gawthorne, and Douglas Herald. Miss Valda Johnstone, who has been deputising in Melbourne, broadcasting for Miss May Broderick as a pianist of the Strad Trio, is a very brilliant little pianist who has but'recently celebrated her 14th birthday, and whose musical career will be followed with much interest, states the Australian "Listenorrin." Slio commenced her musical education at the age of throe, and made her first public appearance in "Wellington-, at the age of five and a half, states tho journal, "where tbc critics hailed her as a musical prodigy, and slfff was regarded as the most promising pupil of the late Bennn Scherek. While sho has been deputising for Miss Broderick her programmes have included such difficult works as the Beethoven C Minor Trio, which, even for an experienced musician, presents many pitfalls. She is the daughter of

Mr. Frank Johnstone, tho premier 'cellist of New Zealand, also known to listeners as a prominent member of j tho Strad Trio, and is at present continuing her studies under her mother's direction." In New York the Metropolitan I Opera Company is to produco next season "Tho Egyptian Helen," of Richard Strauss, "The Sunken Bell" of Respighi, the mueh-disevisscd "Jonuy spielt auf" of Krenek, and Pizzctti'sJ "Fra Gherardo." Massenet's "Manon," Weber's "Dor Freisehutz," and Verdi's "Ernani" are among tho revivals promised. . ' , After taking several appliances to the desert to stimulate, if necessary, a sandstorm for the dramatic climax of Robert Hitchen's great story, a natural sandstorm overtook "the Garden of Allah" company during the making of the desert sequences, blinding the players and paralysing all production activities. When the fury of the storm had abated somewhat, remarkable results were achieved. These storm scenes, interwoven with the immense drama of the theme of "The Garden of Allah" constitute one of the rarest and most spectacular of the screen's technical achievements. Reginald Denny's latest picture, "Tho Night Bird," by Frederick and Fanny Hattou, has been completed. Its cast includes Betsy Lee, Sam Hardy, Michael Visaroff, Harvey Clark. Corliss Palmer, Alphonse Martcl, Jocolyn Lee, and George Bookasta. Tho synchronisation of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" has \bcon completed, the full Roxy Orchestra under tho leadership of El-no Rapee and the Dixie Jubilee Singers were used in the making of tho picture. In view of the great amount of interest being shown in .the coming of the talking picture as an entertainment, it is interesting to note that among the British screen actors is a university voice producer. Mr. C. Davis Brooks, M.A., L.R.A.M., A.R.C.M., has between his voico production classes ,t* Cambridge associated himself with British film production in more than one capacity. Under the name of John Cromer, he will be seen in "Shooting Stars" as the American producer. This production will be released shortly, and will feature Annette Benson ; and Brian Ahcrnc. . ... ' "The Mating Call," Thomas Moighan's second'picture this year, ' has been titled and edited. .The story is taken from Rex. Beach's popular novol. Evelyn Brent nad Rence Adorec are featured in the film, which will follow "The Racket," Mcighau's previous' picture. "Into the Dopths," in which Jack Holt has tho fcaturo rolo, is well in hand. A large number of featured players and extras were taken to San Piodro for the sea sequences, which promise to be a most exciting melodrama of tho sea. For tho first time in motion pictures entombed men in a disabled submarine at the bottom of tho sea will bo introduced. Laura La Plante is going to play Magnolia in "Show Boat." Conrad Nagel and Myrna Loy are tho stars in "The Girl From Chicago," the melodrama which is shortly to be released throughout Now Zealand. Tho subject is tho career of a. Southern girl, who comes to the great city to free her brother from the clutch of an underworld gang, who have caused his sentence to death. It is not a picture of evil for evil's sake, but of love' battling against the forces of evil, to win all that makes life worth while. With tho addition of the name of Bert Roach, tho east of "The Last Warning" is complete. Roach makes tho twelfth player. The others are Laura la Plante, John Boies, Hoy D'Arcy, Mack Swain, Burr M'Lntosh Margaret Livingstone, Carrie- Daumery, Slim Suranierville, Montagu Love, D'Arcy Corrigan, and Torb.cn Meyer. "Tho Carnation Kid," starring Douglas Mac Lean, is boing filmed in both silent and sound talk versions. In order to insure the successful working of the silent picture, as well as its proseutation with sound, two eompleto negatives are being filmed. There will bo, therefore, two complete productions by the time "The Carnation Kid" is completed. Karl Dane and George K. Arthur, the heroes of "Rookies," "Baby Mine," and "Circus. Rookies," appear in "Detectives." Thrills and laughs are all mixed up as only two blundering detectives could make thorn. . Advice has been received that six two-reel comedies, based on stories especially written by 11. G. Wells, aro now in the course of production at the Gainsborough Studios. Tho star is Elsa Lanchester, who plays successful character parts in "The Constant Nymph" and "One of the Best," two productions which will bo seen shortly iv New Zeland. The art direction of the comedies is in the hands of Frank Wells, son of the author. "The Roses of Picardy," the British masterpiece known as "England's answer to the 'Big Parade,' " will bo rereleased at an early date. Power and characterisation are said to be the ctistinctive features of this production, adapted from R. H. Mottram's wellknown story, "The Spanish Farm." The leading roles are portrayed by Lillian Hall Davies and John Stuart. Syd. Chaplin's assumption of a new role is an event in the theatrical world. His versatility has been demonstrated in such widely variant pieces as "The Man on the Box," "Oh, What a Nurse," "The Better 'Ole," "The Missing Link," and last and best, "The Fortune Hunter," is to be released in New Zealand shortly. "The Fortune Hunter" is a human happy-go-lucky, exciting drama. It portrays tho unusual doings of a young rake who comes to a country town on a wager to marry the richest girl, and share iiftyiifty with tho pal who staked him. Helcne Costello is the leading lady, playing tho part of the rich girl, while Clara Horton is the poor girl. The latest Ufa production is "Peaks I'of Destiny," or "The Wrath of the Gods." All along the picture seems to break now ground, and.it has been said that it took' exactly two years to produce. Some of the amazing shots of ski races, actually filmed during the international carnival in tho Alpine regions, and some of the remarkable alpine climbing could only have been secured by pain-sticking patience Then | there is the story (a simple eternal triangle affair), but handled as a well boloved cinema film has never been handled before. To the discerning picturegoer "Peaks of Destiny" would bo a thing of beauty, just as much for the artistic handling of the story as for the georgeous photography which pervades the entire film. The complete male cast has now been decided upon for "Widdicombe Fair." In addition to the well-known artist William Standing, George Gee, the fain ous comedian, will play one of the principal parts. It is claimed that "Widrlicombe Fair" will be a reaJ English picture in respect of story, scenery, cast, and every typo of workman employed upon it. Many of the locations arc in Devonshire. The title of the next Harold Lloyd production bus not yet been selected, though preparations for filming arc now almost completed. Lloyd believes in a careful preparation and minute attention to detail. Ho.has been working some months already on the preliminaries of this picture.