ENTERTAINMENTS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 14 August 1929, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS.

OPERA, HOUSE, TO-NIGHT. “THE MAN WHO LAUGHS.” Victor Hugo's immortal romance, “The Man Who Laughs,” has at last been made into a motion picture. With infinite effort and at great expense, the Universal Pictures Corporation has translated the stirring story of early English court intrigue into a super- 1 production that mirrors Hugo’s unusual and colourful characters and events in gripping scenes. It will open at the Opera House, Hnwera, tonight (Wednesday). Tire filming of “The Alan Who Laughs” was sponsored by Carl Laemmle, the same motion picture impresario who brought Hugo’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” to the screen. The same producer was instrumeutal in presenting the Frenchmade “Les Miserables ” to American screen lovers. ‘Those two photodramas have become screen classics. The new Hugo rendition is expected to be even more of a success, not onlv with Victor Hugo readers, but with all lovers of gripping drama and colourful romance. Conrad Veidlt and Alary Philbin .play the leading roles in “The Alan Who Laughs.” Veiclt was brought to America primarily to play the role of Gwynplaine, the Alan Who Laughs, in this picture. In “The Alan Who Laughs,” is Dea, Hugo’s blind and lovely heroine. The box plan is at Miss Blake’s sweet shop. GRAND THEATRE, TO-NIGHT “OUR HANGING DAUGHTERS’’ Joian Cralwford, who recently starred iu “Rose Alarie” and co-starred with John Gilbert in ‘‘Four Falls,” achieves a sensational success iu “Our Dancing Daughters,” her latest starring vehicle for Aletro-Goldwyn-Alayer, which will be ssiliowii ait the Grand Theatre to-night. This picture holds the mirror to the modern jazz age with startling fidelity, showing the carefree and even reckless search for pleasure which characterises our younger sets. “On with the Dance ’ is the keynote of the production, which is the most elaborate in years, while tlie brilliant pho tograjpliy iis new to movie-goers and the east as large as it is* distinguished. An excellent variety of short subjects will also be shown, m support.

WILLIAM HEUGHAN

A. CELEBRITY TRIO

When last in iiew Zealand one of fclie host critics wrote : “To find on the concert (platform one man who can provide wealth of entertainment is rare enough, hut to find a man who possesses personality, feeling and a voice that at once liold® and pleases is still more rare. But it falls to the lot ol William Heughan, the brilliant Scottish bass, to provide these rarities.” Although he is acknowledged to be such an artist, although some of the most eminent critics have acclaimed him “one of the world’s greatest singers,’ do not get the mistaken idea, that there is anything of the "one man show” about* a Heughan concert. He did not. make the mistake so many great artists have made, when they went on tour, of having any .sort of artists as, associates, of assisting artists who do not assist hut only kill time. Nothing loss than twp distinguished artists, two worthy associates, eoidd be good enough for him. “Mr Heughan’s collaborators are worthy oil’ the lion our lie has done them,”, sot said one of the Melbourne critics. “A remarkable trio,” One of the English mu,sic critics speaking of the Heughan concerts on tour said, “Great as he is, there is much beside Heughan. Miss Gladys Sa.yer as accompanist and solo pianist, has few equals. Her own setting for many of the folk «ougs is delightful to all those who can begin to appreciate what Miss Sayer had done. We must remember that we can. only begin to appreciate if we start now. Then there is Miss Bell with her ’cello. Her purity of tone made one realise once more what a king of instruments is the ’cello when played superbly. It is seldom that so many really capable artiste travel together, or that the public, outside the great centres, can have the privilege of hearing them. Even those who are not real uvusioloveirs, will find l on hearing them that they have opened a magic door which will let them into realms of which previously they have never dreamed.” Dr. Floyd l , of the “Argus,” Melbourne, wrote “No one can afford to miss the Heughan concerts. Each of the three musicians taking part is a distinguished artist.” >

A concert will be given here in the Opera House on Friday, August 19. The box plan is at Miss Blake’s.