OPERA HOUSE

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10736, 6 November 1928, Page 6

OPERA HOUSE

“CIIANG.” “Chang, u the wonderful picture now; screening'at the Opera House is the greatest production ever screened. “Chang” was made in Nan.; Die trip is made by a single track railroad running north, and from the end of the line Mr. ■ Sehoedsack travelled !>/ ponies, foot, and carriers, and by Jog canoe during the dry season to the province of Nan. This area is separated, from the rest of Siam by mountains and jungles. Sixty-seven river crossings are necessary. Merian Coop’er remained iii .Bankok, the capital, for some time ,to make the necessary . arrangements with the king. Nan lias been conquered by tho Siamese, but is ruled nominally' by a local Chow or hereditary ruler, with a Siamese governor sent by the King as the power behind the throne. The King of Siam is.-a graduate of Oxford and Cambridge,, and dresses in the mast modern fashion except on ceremonial occasions'. In the jungle ‘area the wet season fasts for about six months, and during that time the only com A muni cation with the outside world is made by canoe. Taking weeks this way, it is a contrast to the travel, in the dry season 1 when it .is only nine, days’ travel from Bankok. Mr. Cooper proceeded to the village-of-Nan.' headquarters of the government' and missionaries, and with about 3,0C0 .inhabitants. Sehoedsack'became 'subject to malaria; arid often 'worked- a* a temperature of 'lO4. The expeojtjon averaged between 20 and 3(fpeo-; pie; hut often 'swelled' to tho i time' of the elephant drive there were, 377 people in the party. Thus theiso ' intrepid men'spent nearly two years in' the Nan country, making “Chang” which iS/nerewpng again to-night.