ENTERTAINMENTS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 15 January 1927, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS.

OPERA HOUSE TO-NIGHT. 1 FINAL SCREENING. J "OLD LOVES AND NEW.” It would be a difficult task indeed to single out the most dramatic incident in "Old Loves and New,” First National’s latest release. Among, the many tense scenes, however, one of the rnosi compelling is the one wherein a drunken, jealous husband actually horsewhips his beautiful young wife for an imaginary trivial offence. "Old Loves and New” was adapted from the novel — "The Desert Heater” —from the-pen of E. M. Hull, whose previous effort, ‘ ‘ The Sheik,” created such a sensation .when screened some few years ago. This latest desert romance tells a vivid tale of love on the desert, with Lewis Stone and Barbara Bedford in the leading roles. McDonald, Walter Pidgeon, Tully Marshall and Ann Rork have important roles in the picture. Katherine McDonald, as the faithless wife, making a most welcome reappearance. "Oid Loves and New” will be finally screened at the Opera House tonight. GRAND THEATRE TO-NIGHT. "MISS BREWSTER’S MILLIONS” One of the most famous stories ever written, especially modernised to meet the exceptionally entertaining qualities of the screen’s greatest comedy star — Bebe Daniels —is "Miss Brewster’s Millions,” which is to be screened at the Grand Theatre to-night. . She has to spend, in one year, the million left her by one relative in order to inherit the many millions left her by another. But every time she spends a pound, it came back with five or ten more. The featured players in support of Miss Daniels in the picture are Warner Baxter and Ford Sterling. "Miss Brewster’s Millions” is being made under the personal supervision of Hector Turnbull. MARIE BURKE IN "KATJA ” Great interest is being taken by playgoers over the first production here of the very successful London comic opera triumph “Katja,” which is to-be staged by the JVC. Williamson Ltd. management at the Opera House on Thursday night next. The production of "Katja” will signalise the reappearance here of the brilliant actress Miss Marie Burke, who toured New Zealand very successfully in "Wildflower” about two years ago. The music of "Katja,” by Jean Gilbert. best known for the "Girl in the Taxi” and "The Cinema Star,” represents an advance noon either of those nieces. " T ndeed. the composer,” said a Svdney critic, "scores with a great deal *of' feeling and a suggestion of the tragic in the principal act for ‘Katja.’ and elevates his style in her beautiful duets with Carl. That dancer and her companion are, in fact-, essentially dramatic figures, but the book by foreign authors has been •idanted by F. Lonsdale and H. Graham, wti hinsistence upon the demands of English comedy audiences, an dthe latest .T. C. Williamson Ltd. -omedian. Mr R. Barrett-Lennard, together with Mr Cecil Kellwny, create uproarious laughter. Marie Burke not only invests ‘Katia’s’ music with dramatic significance and charm, hut she meets the other demands of a many-sided part and, without a doubt, in this-opera she has scored the best success of her career. ‘Katja’ is a romance of a prince and a pretty dancer, who is almost a party, to handing him over to his hereditary enemies. ‘Katja’ has quality not usually associated with the type of musical comedy produced in Australasia, atfd is suggestive of the best Gilbert and Sullivan operas. This is particularly true in the first act, when the ,whole atmosphere of the nroduction ,'is dramatic. Miss Babette Odeal created a furore of enthusiasm during the initial representation of ‘Katja’ in Sydney, and four encores were demanded' by the. audience of her sensational and original dance number.” The box'. j>lans will be onened at Miss Blake's confectionery shop on Tuesday morn mg next at 9 o’clock.