ENTERTAINMENTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 February 1937, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

OPERA HOUSE. One of the most colourful dramas of the year, “Frisco Kid,” with Janies Cagney heading an all-star cast, is showing to-night at the Opera House. Set on the Barbary Coast of old ban Francisco in the early fifties, it is a story of the tumultuous gold rush days when adventurers from the world over congregated on Frisco’s waterfron , including - criminals, cut-throats, mur-derer-gamblers, women of the demimonde, and every type of human shark. “Crimps” would knock cold an innocent sailor, rob him of his “stake” saved to prospect for gold, and even try to “shanghai” him. James Cagney, has the most powerful role as a sailor—a crude, ignorant, but dominating character with a drivingforce and a magnetism that not only wins battles with the underworld, lint eventually the love of a beautiful and-talented. woman of the upperworld. Margaret Lindsay, its the girl, gives a fine portrayal in this picture. Others in the cast include Ricardo Cortez, Donald Woods,. Barton McLane, and Robert McWade.

“SHOW BOAT.” There’s a rousing urge in the call, “Here comes the ‘Show Boat.’ ” For several years, “Show Boat has .been the basis for a series of national broadcasts. Now the 1936 scieen version is coming to the Opera House on. Monday. You will hear the marvellous songs created by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammer,stein 11. But there is a great deal more than music to hold‘you spellbound in “Show Boat.” There is th© romance and quickening throb that Edna Ferber created in her novel. There is the huiman drama that Oscar Kammerstein wove, into the play. There is the magic of the actors who portrayed the characters on the stage, and who now make them live in the film. Irene Dunne is glorious in the romantic singing role. of Magnolia. Allan Jones is the dashing Revenal who wins her heart with his' handsome appearance and his appealing voice. Charles Winninger, who was Captain Andy in the stage play, and the Show Boat captain on the radio for more than three years, is the genial skipper in the motion picture. Helen Westley gives the hardbitten Parthy stern reality as the captain’s wife. Then there is Paul Robesbn, the magnificent baritone who looks like a bronze statue and sings like “all- God’s .c.hillun ’. in Heaven. Wait until you hear him do “Old Man River” and “Ah Still Suits Me,” with a chorus of 200 .voices chanting in waves of beating sound that sweep and flow on a river of rhythm. A cast of 3500 people gives the picture stirring vitality. You will ba ‘captivated by Helen Morgan’s memorable songs; pleased by the clever dancing of Queenie Smith and Sammy White. You will see 48 beauties in a dozen different sparkling numbers that show the development of American dances, from their early beginning to. the modern steps of today. You’ll find music and singing and lauighter; romance and thrills and. drama in this screen hit. Ladies and* gentlemen: Here comes: the “Show Boat,” and it’s headed straight for the Opera House on Monday. All aboard!

REGENT THEATRE Jane Withers returns to the lovable harum-scarum type of role in “Little Miss Nobody,” to be shown at the Regent Theatre to-night. “Little Miss Nobody,” who turns out to be quite a somebody, is a mischievous orphan whose pranks are the bane and. the joy of the orphan asylum’s heads'. Jane is continually in hot water. She beguiles the grocer’s son into thinking he has found a valuable pocketbook, and it turns out to be a ruse that douses him with a bucket of water. She steals a chicken dinner so that the children in the orphanage will not go hungry on Thanksgiving Day. When she tries to do her bosom pal a very good turn, slane is committed to the reformatory. However, she goes with a joyous heart, for her trick succeeded and Betty Jean, her pal, has been saved from being adopted by an arrogant, newlyrich woman and instead taken by Jane’s own father! En route to the reformatory, Jane finds refuge in the pet shop of an escaped convict. Jane manages to get everybody into trouble before the climax, but she extricates them from their difficulties. The Withers miss adds to the general hilarity by singing a brand new song, “Then Came the Indians.”

POPEYE PARTY TUESDAY At a special meeting at 2.15 p.m. on Tuesday, Popeye gives to all the members of his club presenting their membership cards a free matinee, when the picture to be screened wjll be “Too Many Parents,” and a good time is assured for one and all. BLAKETOWN HALL DANCE. Another grand night’s entertainment is assured dancers attending this popular weekly function on Tuesday night. Charles McGlashan’s Royal Star Orchestra will present the latest dance numbers, and the short-night programme of well-selected dances will commence at 8.30 sharp. SCHAEF’S DANCE. The opening of the air-port in Greymouth to-day will be attended by a large and enthusiastic crowd, and tonight at Schaef’s Hall there will also be a large and' enthusiastic crowd of dancers having the time of their lives. The Melody Boys’ music is great. Come and join the fun.

ST. PATRICK’S DAY. The St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations Committee has for some weeks had in hand preparations for the annual festivities which will follow along the lines of previous successful gatherings. The celebrations open on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, with the Hibernian ball at Schaef’s Hall. The ball, which marks the opening of the West Coast dancing season, promises to be even more successful than previous gatherings. On Thursday, March IS, the Irish national concert will be staged at the Town Hall. The “Larry O’Morc” Company of artists will present one-half of the programme, whilst the remainder will be given over to a varied programme of highclass items. The celebrations conclude with the monster sports meeting at Victoria Park on Saturday,! March 20. The programme is nearly! finalised, and will be much on the lines of previous meetings, and will!

include whippet racing, cycling, national dancing, baby show, schools| events, in addition to a tine array of side-shows.