STAGE AND SCREEN

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 27 March 1926, Page 7

STAGE AND SCREEN

* PEOPLE. PLAYS. AND PICTURES. “Primrose” will be staged in New Zealand shortly with -Margory Hicklin in the principal role. Anna Pavlova opened her Melbourne season on March 13, with a gala night that was reminiscent of Grand Opera premieres. She threatens to repeat in A astral in. • her successes in the other three-quarters of the globe. Sydney is to expect her on April 24, and then after a short Brisbane season, New Zealand may hope to see her. “Lilac Time” in Melbourne has proved sucli a money maker that the New Zealand tour is likely to be postponed until Sydney has had another glimpse of this Schubert love story, in which so much of Schubert’s own music is interwoven. “Give and Take” will reach New Zealand early in May, but it has not vet. been decided which town will sec its opening performance. Motion picture photography of players minus make-up has been proven an unqualified success with the completion at the Paramount studio in Hollywood of “Sea Horses,” Francis Brett Young’s story which Allan Dwan directed. None of the male members of the cast, Jack Holt, George Bancroft, William Powell, Mack Swain and others, used auy make-up whatever. Florence Vidor used only a little powder. nothing else. Superior lighting facilities and improved camera devices make the feat of photography without make-up possible. An elaborately built bungalow oil wheels, and an entire caravan of motor tourists was part of the extensive cast of “California' Straight Ahead,” the next Reginald Dennv attraction to be released by Universal. Harry Pollard, who has been responsible for previous Dennv successes, such as “Sporting Youth. “I’ll Show You The Town,” and “Where Was I?” directed this latest attraction.

Mr Dion Boiieieault is on the way to Australia, taking with him a number of Sir James Barrie’s plays. He will open in Melbourne on 2fith March with “Quality Street,” and among the plays to be produced later are “The Admirable Crichton.” “Mary Rose,” and “What Every Woman Knows.”’ New Zealand is to be visited also.

“Phe Splendid Road.' a First National picture, adapted from Vingie E. Roe's new novel, has now been completed. and will arrive in New Zealand shortly. The picturesqueness of character and setting of this Californian novel is of the period of the gold rush. The cast is one of the best of any picture of the season. It includes Anna Q. Nilsson, Robert Frazer, Lionel Barrymore, Pauline Garon and Gladys Brockwell.

Cabled negotiations have brought to Paramount, for'release in Australia and New Zealand this year, two series of Iwo-reel special productions, produced in England during the first six months i.f i>)2<>. One of this series, comprising six subjects, stars Steve Donoghue, tie' most famous jockey in the world, and June, a musical comedy star who is :n piesent the rage of London. Each subject —a whips-and-spurs drama of concentrated excitement —is complete in itself, the series being thus the very reverse to a serial. “Haunted Houses if England” comprises the other series. This subject, one of the most unusual ever filmed, is treated in a thoroughly entertaining fashion and must prove to be of absorbing interest to all classes of picture-goers.

The New Zealand Mctro-Goldwyn Exchange has received a cable from its New York office, the contents of which will no doubt be of interest to those people who follow the movement of the picture industry, and look forward with anticipation for lliose pictures which have made history for themselves in other parts of the world. The undermentioned pictures have taken New York by storm, and have created a great record. Never before in Broadway have such unprecedented crowds clamoured for admittance to the four theatres which were screening at one and the same time, the product of one producing company. Those four productions. which, will be released in Austr; list and New Zealand by MetroGeldwyn are: “La Boheme,” with Lillian Gish and John Gilbert; “The Big Parade”; “Mare Nostrum” (Our Sea); “Ben Hur” (mightiest of all motimi pictures).

It is practically certain now that the great Russian baritone-basso, Feodor Chaliapin, is to visit New Zealand during tlie present year. It was announced some time ago that he would pay a short visit to Australia during the off season in America, but it was not known whether or not New Zealand would be included in his itinerary. Mr Claude Kingston, representing ,J. and N. Tail, says that it is certain that Chaliapin will come to New Zealand, and already a proposed tour has been mapped, which will bring the famous singer to Now Zealand some time in September.

r l ho association of Muriel Starr with Fr.ink Harvey has been dissolved, and ■it Easter Wellington will see Mr Har- ' oy in association with a new loading ladv Miss Renee Garten is an English actress new to these parts. The p ecu to be staged is "Seventh Heaven,” and this will probably be followed by ‘‘Secrets.’’ which has had a most .successful run in Australia.

’Pile Repertory. Plays Club which was formed in Wellington in January last is now actively engaged in rehearsing Bernard Shaw’s fine play. "The Devil’s Disciple. ” The productions will be under Messrs A. Stanley Warwick and Gulferd • Bell, who will produce alternately. regular performances of plays by modern masters being given. The first one will be under the direction of Air Warwick.

"The Johnstown Flood ” is a drama of a great disaster which befell the residents of a State of America, early in the present century. The terrible flood which caused such distressing scenes, lu-s been transposed to the screen with all realism, and is said to give as many thrills as arc possible in a motion picture of this type.

Frank Lackteen, whose portrayal of 1 In. half-breed in "The Bony Express” won him a place in the cinema sun, has been rewarded with a character role in "Desert Gold,” adapted front Znne Grey's story. Featured in this story ate Neil Hamilton. Shirley Mason, Robert Frazer, William Powell, and George IP gas.