AMUSEMENTS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 144, 3 June 1936, Page 11

AMUSEMENTS

' REGENT THEATRE "KOENIGSMARK" "Koenigsmark,” the first of the C. M. Wooif Anglo-French productions which has won the enthusiastic admiration of critics the world oyer, will be presented at the Regent Theatre today. Brilliantly adapted from. I’ierre Benoit’s unforgettable drama of love and intrigue at the Court of Lautenbourg, “Koenigsmark” has lovely Elissa Laadi as its bright “nd particular star, while John Lodge and Pierre Fresnay play opposite her, with Marcello Rogez, Frank Vosper and Allan Jeayes heading the huge supporting east. The setting is a small Ruritarian kingdom and the story deals with the life of Princess Aurore who is forced into a marriage of convenience with the Archduke lludolpbe. MUNICIPAL THEATRE DOUBLE FEATURE BILL Story of the romance between a beautiful stage star and the private detective hired by a jealous "sugardaddy” to protect her from rivals is "Her Bodyguard”, romantic comedy featuring Edmund Lowe and Wynne Gibson, which screens to-night at the Municipal Theatre. Its action is set in New York, and its heroins is a stage star. The second attraction is "The Eagle and the Hawk”, starring Frederic March, Cary Grant, Carole Lombard aud Jack Oakie. It is an air picture, with many authentic sequences.

STATE THEATRE "FOLLOW THE FLEET” "Follow the Fleet,” the latest .Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musical, now screening at the State Theatre to large houses. It is the typical mixture of gay tunes and twinkling feet, with Astaire as a dancer turned sailor who longs to get back to his old job, his old partner and the bright lights of Broadway. Ginger, of course, is his former partner, aud, naturally, the meeting comes about. There is more comedy than in this team’s previous offerings, and Astaire proves that he is making great strides as an actor. Harriet Hilliard supplies most of the songs, and is a welcome addition to the team.

COSY THEATRE MUSICAL AND DRAMA “Millions in the Air,” the farcical romance which Paramount has turned out as a gentle jibe at prevailing radio amateur programmes, opens to-day lit the Cosy Theatre and by virtue of its variety, has everything that is needed to make first-class entertainment. Wendy Barrie, the talented British across, and John Howard, a new and refreshing screen personality have the romantic leads, while Eleanor© Whitney is the dancing star. Also on the programme is “Eight Girls in a Boat,” starring Dorothy Wilson and Douglass Montgomery. The scene is laid in a boarding-school and the story is as novel as it is entertaining.

WILLIAMSON COMPANY TWO BRILLIANT PRODUCTIONS The fact that the discerning and experienced directors of J. C. Williamson Ltd., have selected from their vast repertoire of London successes Ivor NovcHo’s brilliantly clever aud entertaiping comedy "Fresh Fields” and the dynamic dramatic triumph "Night Must Fall” to introduce to Hastings playgoers on Monday aud Tuesday nights next their new comedy-dramatic company, which is headed by the two New Zealand artists, Miss Ethel Morrison and Miss Elaine Hamill, should be sufficient in itself to commend these plays to playgoers. * The controversy which was created by "Fresh Fields” in London brought the following interesting reply from the author: —"A comedy of modes aud manners, created out of the figment of an author’s imagination and written with the one idea to amuse, should be accepted by those who saw it performed in the spirit iu which it was created and not as if it were some serious effort on the part of the playwright to delineate the characteristics of certain nationals. In English life we find a complete gallery of types, from the amusing Cockney to the aristocrat. In my comedy, ‘Fresh Fields,’ I have chosen to depict a cultured English set, living a more or less easy existence, who delight, amuse, or irritate. Into their artificial lives I have introduced a purely supposititious Australian family, extreme, and no doubt just ns impossible as my English types; with the object, as I have already said, of creating amusement, and certainly uot with the least intention of causing annoyance to anyone. My English characters might just as well have been culled from the ‘Upper Ten’ iu the United .Slates, aud my imaginary Australians from ‘Darkest Africa,’ for’alb that it matters, as such types are to be found in evpryycpiiiilyy., _I bppe therefore, my comedy will be received accordingly, aud that it will bo a case of 'Laugh and the world- laughs with yon.’ ” '

In "Night Must Fall” the play opens with an original prologue iu Which a judge sitting iu a criminal appeal tells you what has .happened. He upholds the conviction Of a man who has murdered two women aud deplores the publicity associated, with the case as the Utting background' of the theatre rather than a court of law. With dramatic glee the playwright then presents the story of the erimv committed in the tranquil atmosphere of Forest Corner in Essex. The drama calls for brilliant acting, and it is said that each artist rises tn every demand made upon him by the author. The box plan for "Frosh Fields” and "Night Must Fall” will be opened at Fail's on Friday morning next at nine o’clock. A queue will be formed from 8 w.ni