AMUSEMENTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 December 1925, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS

TOWN HALL.

Love at first sight has been supplanted by marriage at first sight! So says Agnes Ayres) Paramount actress, who is featured with Antonio Moreno in Sam Wood’s “Bluff.” “In the old days,” said Miss Ayres, “couples who confessed falling in love with their mates at first sight, were an inspiration for much gossip.” In “Bluff,” as Betty Hallowell, Miss Ayres enjoys a fast romance herself. New York refuses to recognise her genius in gown designing/ So Betty hits upon the idea of impersonating Nina Loring, a missing English ..beauty, whom she greatly resembles. Continuing her bluff, Betty •moves from her poor home in 'New-York’s “roaring Forties” ana establishes herself in the' Palace Hotel. “Bluff,” one of the finest productions of the current season, will be shown at the Town Hall to-night. A second. ; (stair' feature also ’will be shown a 4 the Town. Hall to-night, entitled “Dollar Devils,” with a splendid cast including. Cullen Landis, Eva Novak and Joseph Dowling? !l - : “GAPPY RICKS” When it is considered that Peter B. Kyne is l one of the" most popular authors read on the West Coast, and that his creation, “Gappy” Ricks, has interested and amused thousands of readers, the drawing power of the stage play is easily understood. When it is, moreover, considered that touring companies on the West Coast are as rare as i* l the off season, the crowded attendance I 'which greeted the J. 0. Williamson ‘ (N.Z.) Ltd. Company at' the'* Opera House last evenirg is explained/Scf anxious were they to see.-'the 1 Company,' that they waited uncomplainiiigly until the curtain rose, fifteen after the 1 scheduled tim'e/ Any'ampatiencC. which, might have I 'been .felt'”was' forgotten quickly as th'e attention was gripped by the fast-niovirig comedy on the stage. The'/battle of wits between Alden'P. Tticks, the shipping magnate, of the Blue Star Company, and Captain Matt Peasley, of the Retriever, who gets in first with his resignation before “Cappy” fires him, provides good comedy. Peasley starts the Red Diamond Company, and proves himself too smart when it comes to big business, putting many deals over his. late employer. Much of the realism described in the .book'is necessarily missing from the -stage play, although it could be reproduced by the film, notably the great fight between Peasley and Captain Petersen;. despatched by “Cappy” to supplant Matt'.as skipper of the Retriever, blit lands in the hospital instead. An important element is that of- mistaken .identity, which causes many misunderstandings, and puts the ship of True Lo,ve ; temporarily off her course. Her ■ 'identity' unknown to Peasley, “Gappy’s” daughter, Florence, enferirinto partnership, with him in tlfe'iig^t';against, her father, posing ap. a chorus girl. .The-real-Goldie "is employed as “Cappy-’s”, secretary, Ellen Murray, who is' in. love.'with, and is loved by, Cecil Pericles Bernhard. Matt Peasley, after beating Cappy for many dollars, also takes away his daughter and a happy ending ensues, the old man confessing his admiration for Peasley, finding out that he himself sailed the seas with Matt’s father. The more dramatic incidents were sandwiched with large slices of sentiment. For an Ai n/, ri<an play. and Ameri-

can characters, there was a surprising absence, of the nasal American accent, Cappy being the only character to introduce it to any extent. Of course, Cappy is nine-tenths of the play, and the keystone of the comedy. Peter B. Kyne’s well-known character was admirably presented by Mr. Ward Lyons, who was the bullying, blustering, swearing, yet lovable old schemer to the life. He was well. supported as Captain Matt Peasley by Mr. Herbert Stallard, the enterprising President of that thorn in Cappy’s side, the Red Diamond concern. John Skinner, “the best manager in the world,” who fot 25 years put up with Cappy’s idiosyncrasies because he-knew “which side his bread was buttered on,” was well acted by Mr.-John Dyer. Perhaps the most difficult part to present convinc-. ingly was that of Cecil Pericles Bernhard (Mr. Donald Nicol), a king of dudes, who sported Oxford “bags” and an accent anything but American, despite the fact that he was supposed •to be an American born and bred, whose home town’Was New York. Cappy, in unmitigated scorn of this “cissy,” consigned him to the fertiliser boat, the “Sweet Clover,” the only thing sweet about her being her name; but even this drastic treatment could not make a man out of Cecil. Minor parts were filled by Messrs Cecil B. Scott (Cappy’s lawyer) and Noel Griffiths (Cappy’s chauffeur). As Cappy’s daughter, Miss Kathryn Marie;,- made a charming fiancee and partner for Matt Peasley, and received sympathetic assistance in her love affairs from Miss Loris Bingham, as Cappy’s sister, while Miss Mary Macrae, for an ex-chorus girl, made a most businesslike secretary. The ladies had not a great deal to do, but managed to do it well, looking attractive meanwhile. The first and third acts were located in Cappy’s office, and the second at his home, “Sea Look,” overlooking the Golden Gate. The entractes were played by the Opera House orchestra under Mr. F, Restieaux.

The comedy will be repeated at Greymoutli this evening, and will be staged at Hokitika to-morrow evening and at Reefton on Friday. Those in search of two and a-half hours’ pleasing entertainment cannot do better than see it.