AMUSEMENTS

Grey River Argus, 15 February 1946, Page 8

AMUSEMENTS

Opera House Now Showing: “Champagne Charlie’’ starring Tommy Trinder and Betty Warren. “CHAMPAGNE CHARLIE” The sparkling musical comedy of the great days of music hall life in the gay 60,s “Champagne Charlie” with Tommy Trinder in the leading role and ably supported by' Betty Warren, Jean Kent and Stanley Holloway now showing at the Opera House. The story centres round the reallife fued which existed in the 60’s between George Leybourne (Champagne Charlie), played by Tommy Trinder, and the Great Vance, played by Stanley Holloway. The atmosphere of the 60’s is faithfully reproduced—flaring footlights, the chairman with his invitations to keep order and drink up, the stewed eel and steak pie suppers, the pros engaged in after’ the show was over—in short, the great days of Gatti’s in the Road, the Old Mo” and Oxford, the days of drunken swells and chuckers —out, and they have all been skillfully and most entrancingly woven into a story which tells how a pit lad (Tommy Trinder) tramps to London, becomes first a singer at the Elephant and Castle pub, and’ then star of the Mo’, and how he engages in a duel of songs—all about drink with his rival lion comique (Stanley Holloway) at Gatti’s and how the two trv to fight a duel, with ludicrous consequences, to settle their differences, and how they finally become comrades in arms when the theatre interests try to get officialdom to close the music halls. Hand-in-hand is a light love story.

Regent Theatre Now showing: “Thank Ycur Lucky Stars.” Warner Bros’ “Thank Your Lucky Star,” now showing at the Regent Theatre is a muscial show that sparklies with names and talent. The story concerns a pair of producers who propose to put on a monster “Cavalcade of Stars” benefit show without the presence of Eddie Cantor, who seems to get in everyody’s hair. Apparently they want everyone but Cantor, and there is a conspiracy afoot to keep him out. of the show, and out of the way. But Eddie has other ideas which cause the producers a few headaches, and the audience many laughs before the picture ends. Variety and noveltystars doing the unexpected—characterise the majority of the sequences. Humphrey Bogart’s clowning, Bette Davis singing, then contorting with jitterbug gymnastics, Errol Flynn as a Cockney comedian, John Garfield, Ann Sheridan, Alexis Smith, Ida Lupino, Clivih de Havilland, Dinah Shore, Joan Leslie.' Dennis Morgan and Eddie. Cantoria.l.l popping up. with novel and unexpected turns are just some of the picture’s many high- . lights.