ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 220, 15 August 1928, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

THEATRE DE LUXE.

RICHARD DIX IN “SPORTING GOODS”

Versatility is Richard Dix’s middle made. At least it ought to be. For almost a year, he has played in nothing except heavy dramatic and melo-dramatic. roles. Now he makes an about-face and gives us a hilarious farce. The. now picturo is “Sporting Goods,” showing at tho J heatro do Luxo to-night, also to-morrow and Friday. It is suro to attract all of Dix’s regular fans, and, in addition, everybody in Palmerston North who enjoys a eouplo of hours of almost continuous laughter. For this picturo is funny. There aro funny characterisations, and funny situations, and funny “gags,” all performed by a capable cast and directed by Malcolm St. Clair. Dix is cast in a typical “young-American rolo, that of a happy-go-lucky golf suit salesman, who gets into tremondous (and comic) difficulties when ho allows a girl to think ho is a multi-millionaire. As tho girl was portrayed by Gertrude Olmsted, ho is not to blamo at all, incidentally. Dix’s deception gets him into deop water, but eventually ho oxtricates himself, saves tho girl’e fortune, and then gets ono himself, and her too. Ono of tho funniest sequences in tho picturo is Dix’s poker game, in which tho villain, played by Philip Strange, and two other men try to cheat Dix out of his money, only to bo foiled by their own trickery. Tho supports aro excellent, including a Fox News, scenic and comedy. Tho box plan is at Berryman’s, theatre ’phono 5050. KOSY THEATRE. “3 BAD MEN.” “3 Bad Men,” an inspired screen story of one of tho most romantic periods in tho history of America, dealing with tho opening of the many millions of acres of Indian land to tho white man, will be the feature event at the Ivosy Theatre. Over 15,000 people appear in somo of the scenes, depicting tho invasion of tho Dakotas. Thehorsos, oxen, dogs, cattle, prairie wagons and other vehicles, including bicycles, surreys, wheelbarrows, hand wagons and prairie schooners run into the thousands. Tho hugo sots reach proportions where mere figures become meaningless. Tho cast includes the notable J. Farrell MacDonald, Tom Santschi and Frank Campeau in tho roles of tho _ “rascally three,” who win applause by their characterisation of this strangely assorted trio. George O’Brien and Olivo Borden play tho pioneer lovers, supported by such wellknown character actors as Alee Francis, Otis Harlan, Lou Tellegon and Jay Hunt. The second featuro is “Dressed to Kill,” starring Edmund Lowe and Mary Astor. Edmund Lowe, of “What Price Glory” fame, is the star in the rolo of “Milo Away” Barry, brainy and immaculate leader of the underworld, and Mary Astor, “tho patrician of tho screen,” plays tho leading feminine role. Bon Bard heads tho brilliant supporting cast with Charles Morton in a featured role. “Dressed to Kill” carries a series of punches that start with the opening title and noyor let up until the final fadeout. There ‘are excellent supports and the start of tho rew serial.

AT THE PALACE. “BRINGING UP FATHER.” “For laughing purposes only.” This caution certainly applies to “Bringing Up Father,” tho newest Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer comedy co-starring Polly Moran and Marie Dressier which is due at the Palace Theatre to-night. The new picture is a matrimonial mix-up and inter-family scrap—Polly Moran being the wife of a successful but plebian business man, while Marie Dressier as his sister, is married to a sundao shop keeper, and does not possess any social aspirations, as the sisters-in-law; Polly Moran and Mary Dressier achievo their greatest triumph, and create more laughter than any other comedy team in pictures, with the exception of the Karl Dane and George K. Arthur combination. J. Farrell and MacDonald as.Jiggs also proves an expert in mirth-making when he is extracting a bootless foot from a rat-trap, dodging a rolling pin, and stealthily returning home at 2 a.m. Gertrude Olmsted as daughter Ellen introduces an appealing touch of romance, which Grant Withers, as a young nobleman, ably shares with her. Jules Cowles, Tenen Holtz, Andres de Segurola, a former grand opera star, and Rose Dione also appear in the cast to great advantage. CHARLIE CHAPLIN IN “THE CIRCUS.” Mr Ross Meikle, manager of the Palace Theatre, is highly gratified in being enabled to present at his theatre Charlie Chaplin’s first comedy in two and a half years, especially so because he considers “The Circus” the funniest Chaplin picture he has seen in his fifteen years of motion picture exhibition. Peanuts, sawdust, pink lemonade, clowns, tigers, elephants, roaring lions, acrobats, wire-walkers, and Charlio Chaplin in his brand now comedy will all be at the Palace Theatre, commencing Monday next. Written, directed and produced by Charlie Chaplin, “The Circus” was two years in the making and it is tho first Chaplin comedy since “The Gold Rush.” An extended season of five nights is advertised, and the plans will open at Martin’s bookshop to-morrow.

“ROOKERY NOOK.”

OPERA HOUSE TO-MORROW.

“There is a lightness and brightness,” wrote a Sydney, critic, “about ‘Rookery Nook’,” which is to be staged for the first time by the J. C. Williamson Ltd., New English Comedy Company to-morrow, followed by “A Cuckoo in the Nest” on Friday. “One never knows what happens when a man is alone with a motor car. If the car doesn’t go wrong, the man does,” is one of tho early remarks of the sour and pessimistic Mrs Twine, and she lives up to it all the time. All the action of “Rookery Nook” takes place in the charming hall of Rookery Nook, the house rented by Gerald Popkiss. “A most satisfying interior which,” wrote an Australian critic, “sets everyone sighing for something just like it, for the staging is admirable in every detail.” Mr Hastings Lynn, the leading comedian in “Rookery Nook,” has had a stage experience extending over 20 years, and he has played in 21 West End theatres. lie has played five of Cyril Maude’s parts, but it is said that he has scored his outstanding success in the Ben Travers comedy. A feature of tho acting is that the artists refrain from over-acting which is always fatal to any farce-comedy. Miss Minnie Rayner, one of London’s best known comedy stars, is said to be most amusing as the “daily woman,” her interpretation of which materially helped to make “Rookery Nook” a record breaker in Sydney. Tho box plans for both productions are open at the Opera House.

GRAND OPERA SEASON. GONSALEZ SEASON. Grand opera at prices which will bring it within the reach of everybody will come to Palmerston North shortly. When Sir Benjamin Fuller announced his intention of bringing the Gonsalez Grand Opera Company from Italy to New Zealand and further announced his intention .to charge popular prices ol admission, there were many who predicted a financial failure of tho tour. Sir Benjamin, however, had not studied the public taste in Australia and New Zealand for over a quarter of a century without knowing what ho was doing. Accordingly, he went ahead with his plans and spared no expense to secure a brilliant combination to produce the best-known Italian operas in the Commonwealth. Signer Ernesto Gonsalez was commissioned to engage the best artists available in Italy, also a full operatic chorus and orchestra. The result was a company which took Aus. tralia by storm, tho criticism being unanimous in declaring that no finer operatic productions had bean staged in the Commonwealth. The Palmerston North season commences at tho Opera House on Tuesday, August 21st., when “II Trovatore,” Verdi’s immortal opera, will be presented, and on Wednesday night “Rigoletto,” one

of the world’s most popular operas, will be staged. Two return visits will be made to Palmerston North —the first one Thursday, August 30th, when “Faust” will bo produced and again on Saturday, September Bth, with “Carmen.” The box plan, which opens to-morrow morning at 9 o’clock, will be at the Opera House. Many hundreds havo been unable to gain admittance elsewhere and to avoid disappointment intending patrons are advised to book first opportunity, '