ENTERTAINMENTS.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2645, 14 May 1923, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS.

PALACE. ' “RICH MEN’S WIVES.” Claire Windsar and House Peters are co-starred in the big society play, “Rich Men's Wives,” at the Palace Theatre to.night. A story rich in human appeal, settings, and in good taste, a cast rich in talent and feminine beauty are the outstanding char, acteristics of “Rich Men’s Wives.” This is a play of society’s sins and follies of the day. “Rich Men’s Wives” is aptly named because it has to do with that circle of society to be found in almost every large community—a circle that lives for a feverish round of pleasure and excitement, a circle wherein intrigue and deceit breed scan, dal and divorce, whoso members deify Folly as their supreme ruler. The central figure of the story is a young girl who has always had everything she desired, everything except the attention and love her parents were too busy to shower upon her. The mother, a vain, ambitious, modern sort of matron, gave her daughters everything she thought they could want, and then overlooked the all.importaut fact that they might care for her mother.love. The father thought his cheque-book an admirable and suitable substitute for his paternal responsibility. The big cast of players include House Peters, Roscmark Theby, and Claire Windson. A comedy introducing some new -muts, “For Land’s Sake,” and a Gazette will also bo shown. ( —-a KOSY.. STORY OF SOUTH. SEAS, Do you want to go to the South Sea Isles? Nearly everybody does, since reading the books of Frederick O’Brien, Wj S. Maughan, and others. Patrons’ of the Rosy Theatre will find themselves carried away to this roman, tic region when they see Betty Compson in “The Bonded Woman,” her latest Paramount picture, which opens there to.day for a run of three days. In this offering the South Pacilic Archipelago is shown at its best, with enough of its worst to make the drama. Miss - Corapson, as Angela, goes to a dive in Honolulu to rescue the man she loves. This is a colourful scene, with dancing girls, sailors and natives, and pictures Hawaii as most people fancy it. But fate, and the girl’s wish then remove the pair to a barren deserted island, where the denouement takes place. Miss Corapson is supported by a very fine cast, in. eluding Richard Dix, Joint Bowers, J. Farrell MacDonald, Ethel Wales, William Moran, and others. A comedy (Sennett), a Travelogue, and a Gazette are also included. “ONE WEEK OF LOVE.” PACKED HOUSE FOR THE FIRST SCREENING. Wise indeed wore the patrons who took the precautions to reserve their seats for tl&i first screening of “One Week of Love,” at Everybody’s on Saturday night, for long before eight o’clock seating accommodation was taxed to the utmost. Prior to the pic. ture being screened, “Skipper” Francis, possessor of a line baritone voice, sang the song, "One Week of Love,” his own composition, and especially dedicated to Miss Elaine Hammcrstcin. “Both Wynne requests the pleasure of your company at the silly celebration of her party. Please come attired in formal bathing costume, and leave your brains at home,” ran the invitation. And what a party it wasl Everything was of the most extravagant. Ihe bathing pool and the dance in the evening has never before been seen in film production. All goes well until, Beth’s aunt arrives on the scene, and strongly objects to such behaviour, but Youth, the aspiring, must have her fling, and so the fun continues. Franklin Fraser, a persistent wooer of Beta, is challenged to an air race, the winner to have the right to say “yes” nr “no” to the marriage question. Up among the clouds they go, but here fate plays her cards, and Beth becomes lost in a fog. Her machine re. fuses to work, and miles from nowhere, out in the Wilderness, crashes, wreck, ing her machine and the shack of “Buck” Fernloy, a onetime clove-r New Ycrk engineer, but now a renegade living a life of solitude with two

“Greasers.’ A cut o£ the cards p.aces Beth ut tre mercy of ‘Puck’' Fcinley, who takes her to his lonely shack in the mountains. What happens ther", and the way Beth treats, hates, and yet loves her captor, must be seen to have any idea as to the ability of these two “stars,” to play their respective parts. The story is not withhout its humorous side, and here and there peals of laughter were forced from the audience. The Anal scene in which a cloud-burst sends a raging torrent down the valley, sweeping everything before it is intensely exciting, and when the express on which Beth is returning home, comes thundering through a tunnel to find the bridge gone, one is hclf spell-bound. How “Buck” Fernley comes to the rescue, and saves Beth from what is almost certain death, is a splendid ending to a real first-class picture. The picture will be shown to.night, to.morrow night, and Wednesday night, with a special matinee on Wednesday afternoon.

ALLEN DOONE COMPANY. Allen Doone established himself for ever in the hearts of the general public and won a lasting reputation as an actor of high degree. His policy in following a bright, breeze, rollicking Irish character captured and delighted everyone and banished for all time the stupid stage Irishman and ridiculous caricatures from our theatre. Truly the splendid successes Allen Doone scores everywhere are rightly due to him, for without doubt he is right in the forefront of the world’s greatest and most popular play-producing performers on the stage at the present time. On Friday night next, May IS, Mr. Doone will commence a two-night season with “Lucky O’Shea.” On Saturday, May 19, “Molly Pawn” will be staged.

The plans arc on view at Oates music shop. “THE OLD WOMAN WHO LIVED IN A SHOE.” 1 Despite the fact of pantomime com., panics having long ago appropriated all adaptable fairy stories, Laurie’s No. 1 Pantomime Company built round the meagre story of the “Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe,” a very commendable musical production, shown for the first time in Palmerston North on Saturday. While lacking the number of performers and the variety necessary for a successful pantomime. the “Old Woman” was yet entertaining. The role of dame was amusingly played by Will Evans, who, with her affinity, farmer Giles (Tom Lincoln), provided some laughable moments. Th« prin. cipal boy was Miss Doris Bailey, who won great popularity also with her singing. A favoured principal girl was Miss Muriel Brown, whose dancing was a feature of the show. Perhaps the best received items of the evening were the solo songs by, firstly. Mr Lcs Faulkner, whose rendering of “Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes” demanded an instant encore, which was "Beneath thy Window.” Mr Reg. Le Blow was the other favoured singer, and his choice, “Friend O’ Mine,” brought him back again with “Re. quiem.” Other soloists were Miss Daphne Beben, soprano, Miss Ethel Rose. con. tralta assisted by a ballet of dainty girls. ’ The De Marr children, fav. ounites of Palmerston North, also entertained with numbers. The Saturday matinee attracted a large lot of people, besides a good muster of little ones, who thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment.