AMUSEMENTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 June 1927, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS

OPERA HOUSE.

When “A Trip to China-town” appears at the Opera House to-night, local theatre-goers will have an opportunity of viewing one of the funniest five-reel farces ever brought to the silver sheet. The list includes beautiful Margaret Livingston, billed as “Alicia Guyer,” the audacious widow, and Earle Foxe. cast as “Welland Strong,” the unhappy young man who is sure he has an explosive lung. The part of the gay old San Francisco uncle was assigned to J. Farrell MacDonald. Much of the action is laid in San Francisco’s romantic Chinatown, and many of the interiors are gorgeous in the extreme. It is said to be the most costly five reel comedy ever produced. Thousands of extras were necessary for the revelry scenes in China-town.

SUNDAY NIGHT. “The Wilderness Woman” is an adaptation of the celebrated “Saturday Evening Post” serial stofy by Arthur Stringer to be screened at the Sunday night Picture Benefit in the Opera House. Aileen Pringle, Lowell Sherman and Chester Conklin have the featured roles. Miss Pringle appears in her first character comedy role, bringing a new and refreshing personality to the screen. Lowell Sherman instead of appearing in his customary role of the heavy, walks off with the laurels of the hero, while Chester Conklin, the walrus-moustached comedian, is afforded plenty of opportunities to get in his laughable work. Not the least important character in the .picture is a y,ear-old bear. Miss Pringle in her role of the Alaskan miner’s daughter, brings the animal with her to New York, and the complications that follow must be seen-to be appreciated.

MONDAY AND TUESDAY. When the screen’s big mystery melo'drapia “The Bat” makes its local bow at the Opera House on Monday next, the problem of its audiences will be to detect the identity of the title character as the film progresses. “The Bat” is a fascinating detective problem, with everything in it calculated to interest the most jaded audiences. “The Bat” is one sensation after another, with no solution bubbling up until the moment the story gives its secret up. There are attempted murders and sudden encounters on every floor of the seemingly haunted mansion, arid its spooky garrets are filled with bales of money. There is a hysterical slavey who jumps at every shadow that crosses the wall, and a comedy detective who butts in to add complications. There is a bank robbery, a financial crash and the demise of the .respected president under peculiar circumstances, and the sudden absconding of the teller who holds the key to the debacle, .or at least to the vault that held the money. Hidden blue prints of a secret room in the house are sought by’ eager volunteers. Romance shines undefeated 'throughout all the troublesome plots and counterplots. EUCHRE TOURNAMENT. The Excelsior euchre tourney in the Druids’ Hall last evening drew a record attendance, 18 tables of four persons each competing. After a number of most interesting games the following were the winners: Ist, Mrs Allen (Cobden); 2nd, Miss Cunliffe; 3rd, Mr Cook.

INGLESIDE. The Grey Caledonian Society held its fourth Ingleside of the season in the Oddfellows’ Hall last night, when there was a very large attendance, and an enjoyable evening was spent. The evening was devoted to a short study of the life -of Robert Burns, a number of his songs being sung. A resume of the chief events in the life of Burns, and reference to his works, was given by Mr David Tennent breaks being made at appropriate points in his address for the interpolation of one of Burns’ songs.

The evening was opened with a pipe march, “The Road to the Isles,” played by Piper Hay, the Society’s official piper. After a Circassian Circle, to warm up those present, the chairman (Mr. Bush) announced that as variety was the spice of life, it had been decided by the programme committee to have a “Burns Nicht,” though it had been found necessary to depart somewhat from the original intention. During the musical portion of the programme, the trios, “There was a lad was born in Kyle,” and “Ye Banks and Braes,” were sung *by Misses C. and N. Tennent and Mr T. Tennent. Mrs. C. McQueen sang “Of a’ the airts that wind can blaw,” and “Ca’ the Yowes to the Knowes”; Miss Bessie Drake sang “Afton Water” and “A man’s a man for a’ that”; Misses Tennent sang the duet, “My luv is like a red red rose,” and Mr. McNaughton sang “Scots wlia hae” and “Loch. Lomond,” all of which were much appreciated and warmly applauded. A humorous essay on Scotland, read by Mr. Forbes, created much amusement, the usual jokes against the Scot being quickly picked up and thoroughly enjoyed.

Interspersed with the programme was the usual dance programme, in which the Scottish dances preponderated. The juveniles also assisted, little Jean McLauchlan and Vera Cooper dancing a Highland Fling, the former later dancing the Sean Truibhas, and the latter an Irish Jig. A dainty supper, provided by the ladies’ committee, and supervised by Mesdames Bush, Stewart and Angel, was handed round during the evening, and done full justice to. The gathering concluded at midnight with the singing of “Auld Lang Syne” and the National Anthem. The Chief (Mr. O. McLean) announced that the next monthly Ingleside would be in charge of the Lassies.