ENTERTAINMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 147, 19 December 1933, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS

STATE THEATRE. Few novels of recent years have attained anything like the popularity accorded J. B. I'riealloy's "Tho Good Companions,". Which :ims sold already to its 80th, edition, and is well up into its three hundredth thousand copy sales. Tho Gauraont-Brltlsh aim version of. the story will bo the opening attraction at the now State Theatre. It deals with ten chief characters, six of them a' concert party of the type moro or lesa unknown in New Zealand, who tour thasmall towns of England entertaining the multitude and considering a summer engagement at a seaside resort pier the height of fame. Of the remaining four, ono Is an' American banjolat on his fourth trip round the world, i Tha other three aro a strange .assortment of rebels—a Yorkshire carpoutcr, a'Cambridge graduate, and a doctor's spinster daughter —all cf whom had rebelled against prosaic and conventtona lite" and gone "out Into the blue" in starch of adventure without caring where or how they .were to go. Fata, brings those ten people together/and they join into "The Good Companion!, concert party, sharing one, another's joys, sorrows, . successes, and failures; There (lashes on the screen tho glorious English countryside: tho dismal railway •stations; the numerous concert party platforms with their somewhat pathetic tinny pianos; the over-jostling pageantry of Insignificant faces. There is a big thrill which combines with a heart-throb on the night when "The Good Cumpanlons" have their hopes of success, an<l the theatre la which they are playing is smashed l\v a itang employed by a rival theatre owner. Just as everything seems set for tho Disgust night of thefr career, and when a bis London producer la "out front" waiting to see their performance, this gang wrecks the theatre and spoils the show. The elim'ax of this scone js when the theatre is set on flic, a r.anlc-st?irk#r. audience (lees Vor safety, and the Bremen.turn their powerful hoses on the gang to force them from the theatre. -, GRAND OPERA HOUSE. 'An ' excltingt picture that is different! from tho usual Is "The Girl in 419," at the Grand Opera House. James Dunn, Gloria Stuart, and William Harrlgan ar«. starred. To a police hospital In a big American city come all the odd cases of the metropolißf':from habitual drunkards to strango and mysterious cases. The train of events begins when a beautiful and very badlybeaten woman is brought to Room 419. Her life Is In the balance, and there 13 a long flghtto save her. When/she Is saved the< mystery ■ surrounding, her grows greater. Who Is the glcl iuKßoom 4197, What 13 her connection with Peter Lawtbti, the big racketeer who 'hires gunmen as <a medieval baron hired assassins? These are the questions which Dr. Daniel' French, head of the hospital, asks himself. The tangle of events through which tho truth emerges at last Is well transferred to the screen. There Is never a moment in which something grave or gay Is not happening. ~,...,,,, DE LUXE THEATRE. One of-the most popular musical comedies of recent'years is* "The Desert Song," the Hammersteln-Romberg production which enjoyed long "runs all over tho world, and the transference of • this in colour: to the screen -is' full of good things. John Boles, Carlptta King, Louise Fazenda, and Myrna Loy head tho cast of the ' Warner Bros.-First National production of "The Desert Song," which was filmed by this company several years ago, and now has been remade with additional music. The resujt Is a' good'• picturisatlon of the famous musical show, with the singing of .John Boles outstanding and a. wealth of colour and charm in the settings. " ' '■■:'. Screen followers of Herbert Marshall may have their greatest treat when they witness his performance in "The Solitaire Man," a sensational' drama of life among Continental crooks written by Bella and Samuel Spewaek, which opens on Friday next at tho.Do Luxe Theatre.' Marshall plays a war veteran driven to thievery by financial reverses. The restraint and suave charm that have established him as one of the screen's most popular leading men are distinguishing qualities of his new role. In addition to Marshall's performance, a, notable supporting, cast contributes much.to the picture. Elizabeth Allan, in the feminine' lead, Is given tho greatest 1 dramatic role of her screen career... In addition, there are specially selected featurettes.; ;:. ■-_■■, . .'•/ PARAMOUNT THEATRE. George Gee, the famous facial comedian, with his clever confreres, Davy .Burnapy and Betty Astell, continue to win favour in the-intensely funny music and novelty comedy, "Cleaning Up," the 3mart and clever yarn of the ,son of a lord who rather-than marry for money elects to earn his livelihood by selling vacuum cleaners. The situations that ariso are not only. funny, but-are also 'fresh*arid unhackneyed.' Another capital film on this programme is "Daughters )of. Today.?' ~.i • ■Jack Buchanan, -England s greatest musical comedy comedian,' who hits'more London successes, to Ills, cccdit than any living star, is due to appear at the Paramount. Theatre next Friday in 'his most • pronounced success,': "Yes, Mr. Brown," which,has-been.'specially' selected as a Christmas holidays attraction.: "Yes, Mr.1 Brown"" h,a3 bedtf passed by the City Council f.or presentation on Christmas afternoon; and evening. - ; '. .' ; , .I.;'; .:• ■'■ , , ,'■■■ ... KING'S THEATRE. .As ,a.playi'"Peg?,Af My," Heart," now at the. King's Theatre,, is some-twenty years old, and yet on the talking screen it. is brand-new. Tho reason • for• this -is Iff'the1 apparent agelessness of tho: charming story: Marlon Davles breathes new life into the 'captivating:little .Irish character'"Peg."' In her1 tidft hands, :pcg seems to hava a, new. personality', <a'nu yet ;wlth it loses none of ■ the 'crystal 'romance of tho Irish 'gamin." Miss DavieS'has-endowed her Peg witli •a. fine Undetstandlng'an^'.sympatliy that might Jbp to her own; tylsb ancestry. y- . ' i; A J Western' %*ntiif With' • only sdhe .cowboy .briefly 4escrlb.es Zan«; Grpyfs "The List Trail," with, George O'BrJen jlayjng ,the < leading role, now"Btidwing at 'the Queen's Theatre. rThe ■story deal* with" a'bantl'.otcrpoks and racketeers who attempt to pteal'a ranch. Most oftha action 'takes' fcla"ce 'aboard 'a luxurious passenger :train<i In sal courtroom, and in a pretentious ranch bouse .and its environs. Claire Trevor 'appears in thd leading, femtnihe role. El Brendel enacts-a featured part.' The second attraction is the big mystery thriller, "Chandu tho Magician," starring iSdmund Lowe, with a big supporting feast: "' ~. ■ • •',' ■ ; ARTCRAFT- THEATRE. -Evalyn. Knapp, the former. Broadway stage actress; who in the last two years has: played featured roles in fourteen^ ► juotloii. pictures, enacts one of the. leading parts in -Paramount's 'human interest' comedy-drama, "The Snorting Widow," which Is; coming 'to the Artcraft Theatre this evening. "The Sporting Widow" features Allss' Sklpworth As'the most soughtafter woman ■ra the.v police department of a dozen cities, a'character combining, with qualities of a daring confidence worker "with those of a female Robin. Hood. '.iKicharu Bennett is. also, featured in the cast. ' PRINCESS THEATRE, ; •■ ' ''A Faroweil to Arms," with • Helen Hayes, Gary Cooperi ■ and Adolphe M«njou in the loading roles, Is now,-current at tho Princcas Theatre. It tells the 'story ■ 'of-a man. and a woman who'lorcd greatly against! a background of. war, Gary Cooper has tho role of an American lieutenant in the Italian ambulance corps, 'who had' been a typical soldier, rough and devoted to hard'llquor/ until the day Jie.met a.brays and beautiful nur,se, whose role. Is played by Helen Hayes. The two moot, fall in love, and 'play oiit their stolon moments of loving with death ever, waiting, to catch up .with .tlicoi, .... •■ ~. ;. ' -'• "-'... ' KILBIRME KINEMA. v "One Preciouß Year,"' the scr'eon version of Hie' famous- play entitled' "Driven," .by Temple Thurston, will. 6p,en at. tho 'Kilbirnle Kinema tojiight. Owen Nares playß the role of Stephen Carton,' a Foreign Office official. Anne Grey is- in -the-irole of Diedre, -his v/ltei Tho story concerns the life of Stephen Carton and his w(fe, who is Informed by her medical .advisers that* she 'has"only one year to live.' ' SEASIDE .PICTURES. ■< ... At the Seaside ■ Pictures, iyail Bay, toniglit .Ann.Harding and Leslie. Howard will ,be seen in 'TliecM'oman in, his nouse," a sophisticated modern'dfama deriving'Us'title from the point of:view of the central feminlnd character, wliose gpniqn ,Is.that.most men and women, despite their lofty ,pret"enslons,' in. affairs of'tha'heart 'otten nro animalistic- Tathef thai wise, tender, or.human. ■;Also selected short subjects will be-, shoiyn.. .. . . ..■■■"; ~"." ;,•;'.-'amfANNii»':i;HEATRE,\.'. "Best of Enemies," a' now roma'utlc 'com edy- is featured- 'at tho ,> Britannia Buddy Rogers:' and' Marian " Nixon have the , featured rolos. In' themo and treatment, it is a film that has as timely a significance, as any recently seen, Against a background that depicts- the changes of tlmo, tho story details a romance .between two . youngsters whoso personal lives ate inextricably bound up with passing events. Their bringing up,' their dally lives, belonging, as they do, to a familiar class of Americans, gives rise to a number of barriers that must ba overcome. BHOWtT'B THEATRE. "Forbidden," starring Barbara Stanwyck, with Adolpho Menjou and Ralph Bellamy playing leading roles. Is now being presented at Shortt'a Theatre. ' A drab ' little librarian one bright spring morning decides to invest her savings In a grand' adventure. On the boat for Havana she and Bob Grbver fall madly In. love, but know each other only by the numbers of their staterooms. Back .in.New .York she'finds ho is married, and a divorce would.be «■ caddish thing to do, for his wife. Is .crippled and loves him devotedly. The girl then becomes a woman, planning her life, and that, of: her lover and reaching' the goal she has set for 1 him. - CARTER THE GREAT. ■To be -educated' for the career of a barrister, ,tb practice law for a number of years and subsequently, to become a famous conjurer, are part of the experiences of Carter tho Great,' who will appear for a short season at the1 Grand. Opera House, commencing on Saturday, December 23 at 2.30, with his company of assistants and 50 tons of magical accoutrement. When Carter was a student of law and had passed all his examinations, it became necessary for him to come up before the law examiners for admittance to tho-bar. He was asked, among other questions,:to;define the^duttcs of a common carrier. • Carter, suspected that It. might bo a catch- question, and thought it best to plead ignorance. The rejoinder was: "Gentlemen, do you hear what-Mr.- Carter has to say? He urbanely declares that lie has forgotten In a few minutes what the Supreme Court of the land |ha^ried4Q-£ndr wt&i;.;the 'last-kundred- Sears."

MAJESTIC THEATRE.' Urania, comedy, mid action, arc tuppllcil la largo nicusuro In this programme at tho .Majestic Tlieutro. Heading tho bill is "Shanghai Mildness," wlilcli tells an exciting story of sailors and Clilnoso Communists. Pat Jackson, an officer in the American Nary, loses his post as the result of Insubordination, and finds the securing of a civilian Job so difficult that tho best'ho can do is to secure a position as gunucr on a river steamer. The first love Interest of his lifo cornea when he rescues the beautiful daughter of an* American resident. from a Chinese, rabble, and from then on he Das Ills hands full In attending to bis duly. ' ; There* Is a ciiiirm about Ireland, the quick humours of her people, and their lisbtheartedness that makes:any story with a traditional Irish setting attractive. "Paddy tlia Next Host Thing," tho Christmas release for the Majestic Theatre, is said to capture1 the Irish atmosphere convincingly. Janet Gaynor plays the part of I'addy Adair, an unruly, lovable little Irish girl, with a spontaneous simplicity which is very appealing. The Adalr family ails hopelessly In debt, an hereditary state, which'the major (Walter Connolly) disregards magnificently In Ills frequent passages at arms with his creditors.' He is a Witty,-truo-to-type old rogue. At last, however, the only thing left to do Is to marry his eldest daughter to a wealthy neighbour. Paddy's determined and utterly ' unscrupulous efforts to prevent this are vastly entertaining,- and show tho headstrong tomboy in a new. light as |a fascinating and distractingly pretty minx. ST. JAMES THEATRE. A comedy of crooks is "The Blind Adventure" .at tho St.- James Theatre. Koland Young, is a Cockney thief who gets Into real burglar company only by accident, and he turns out to be a blessing In disguise to the, heroine (Helen Mack) and to the hero (Robert Armstrong). The latter Is an American who Snds London a slow place in a tog—until, the, crooks get going. The powerful villains are Ralph Bellamy and John Miljan, who put up some amazing stunts and keep the audience In expectation of a tragedy that never quite happens. Finally,l hero and heroine pair off, and Roland Young Is left sighing fora loverVictor Herbert's most popular operetta, "Kiss Me Again" ."' ("Mile.. Modiste"), will come" to tho St. James Theatre next Friday ns an alltechnicolour production. • It, Is particularly appropriate that this bright- romance 6hould be chosen for the. Christmas season. It has a splendid cast, headed by that delightful singer Bernlce Claire, of "No, No •Nanette" fame. With her aro Walter Pldgeon, a fine actor with a great singing voice, Edward 'Everett Horton, who has a rollicking comedy role, June Collyor, and' many other 'favourites. The music Is dalightful throughout, and there are a, numberof entrancing ballet items. The mysterious "Sisters G" appear.': In; one Of' the, famous dapce sequences. They are sensational dancers fr.6m Continental Europe. Sophisticated but not blase, they took the capitals of Europe by storm. They are twins, aged 18, and .are famous for their straight black bobs. EMPIRE THEATRe;1 ISLAND BAY, \ A "Fox Film special, attraction Will be screened at the Empire Theatre this evening. Tho title is "The Devils in';Xove," and an allstar, cast is headed by Victor Jory,: Herbert Muiidlri, and Lofetfa Young.'* The locale of the story is set in jth,G tropics, <> and thrills and adventure form the background of the 'story. The supporting programme includes a Magic Carpet, a sound cartoon, and two excellent newsreels. On Wednesday and Thursday Slim Summervllle will be seen in "Her First Mate." , STUDENTS' RECITAL. An enjoyable evening was spent by parents and interested 'friends at the Lyceum Club on Saturday night, when the pupils ,of Miss Mavis Crawford, A.T.0.1i., L.T.C.L., I/.A.8., gave their annual pianoforte: recital.' ■■• The rooms were decorated with flowers and foliage, and an attractive programme was presented; Miss Crawford Was assisted by Miss Veronica Bell, of Nelson, and Mr. L.' G. P. Whyte, of Island Bay, who sang a number of songs delightfully, and the following students played pianoforte solos and duets:—Misses Valeric Ashenden, Irene Wilson, laibel Grilitm, -L. Baum, J. Clark,-Di.and^J. CoUlnson, C. Collier, 3, Denham, A. Dentice, ,1. Hackworth, M. Hall, R. Hillston. E. Johnston, M. Mazengarb, M. McNaughton, B. Morgan, E. Pearson, P. Scolleyl'M. Smith. I. Staples,!!. Swede, M, Venn, A. Whytc,.and L. and M.'> Wilson, and Masters G. Derthara, P. Haekworth, H. Morgan, and J. Morrison. .All the pupils showed evidence of careful training, and special mention phould bo made' of Miss Irene Wilson's artistic interpretation. -Supper was served at the close of the recital., k ... ' yARIETy ENTERTAINMENT. • Thouvarietyj entertainment presented by the Hutt Bowling" and Tennis Club,was a great' success; so much sfo, that many requests have been made for a repetition of' the performance, but owing to the holidays this cannot bo arranged. ,' Mr.': Hartley's orchestra provided, the music, arid .the" soloists .were Mrs. Wilfred Andrews', Miss Marjdrie Lee, Miss Mariorle Fletcher, Mr. ■ Craig McKcnzlc, and Mr. E. 3. Hill. Each- singer had-to respond with encore nuiu'bors. ..An, original sketch, entitled "Hiking" was played ,by Jady members, of. the club,, and the malo.'.meinners. suitably attired, showed that the art of' ballet dancing Is not confined to., the fair sex:- '- After tho entertainment supper.was served,and dancing -was. indulged in^ ':-. : .■■■.■ .>• /■■.v---->-v-''''~'-"-';----'.'-;;- ..:s: ::■., :.■.--: • : ''•-■ CHRISTMAS CAROL SING. ' To assist the Red Cross Society and'the Free, Ambulance a "Christmas Carol Sing" was held In-the Town Hall last night, and as one speaker remarked, "What the audience lacked in numbers it made up in vocal strength." Mr. E. Palllser, was in charge ot the proceedings. The community singing of all the popular Christvmas carols wiis led by Mr. Owen Pritchard and Mr. Will' Mason. In their own inimitable style, and they we're ably assisted by Mr. Frank Crowther. at the piano and' Mr. Lawrence Haggitt" at' the organ. The most enjoyable* parts of the programme were those rendered by the Wellington Harmonic Society under the conductorship of Mr. H. Temple White. A veryeffective^ number was "Nightfall in Skyo" (Hugh S. Koberton), a song without words, rendered in a' darkened hall and suggesting by cadences alone tho scene described in its title. Other items given by the choir were "Ring Out, Wild Bells" (Percy E. Fletcher), "Sleep, Holy Babo'.' (Rev.'J. B. Dykes), "Tho Bells of St. Michael's Tower" (arr. Stewart) and "See Amid Hie Winter Snow." In the last-named piece Jho soloists were masters lan and Jim Galloway, who also appeared effectively with the.Red Cross choir in a song entitled "The Junior Red Cross." A pleasing item was Clouuod's "Aye Maria" artistically sung by Miss Teresa McEnroe, with violin obbiigato by Miss ./Eunice Bcrnasconi..- Miss- McEnroe's encore1 number was-"Believe Mo If all those Endearing Young Charms." Mr. Owen Pritchard sang Gounod's "Nazareth," and Mr. Frank Crowther Jiad to give two encores after his ■piano solo ."Favourite Classical •■ Melodies.". -Thanks'to the,performers; to the audience; and to all who had helped to make the concert a success, wero expressed during tho evening by ;Mr; Palliscr, and by Colonel Mitchell on behalf of the,.Jr.ee Ambulance and Captain Galloway on behalf,of tho Red Cross. '