AMUSEMENTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 3 April 1926, Page 12

AMUSEMENTS

EMPIRE THEATRE TO-NIGHT ".STRAIGHT THROrGH" O'Diiy, prospector. gambler and ,U<’" oral all-round bad man, promises the evangelist to come to the mouiiiei s bench immediately upon being convinced of having d< ne wrong. O'Day is convinced, but' it is a strange manner in -which this conviction came to him. tor O’Dav learns that Denver Nell has "banibooded" him nut of the money he had won from her gambler consort. O'Day keeps his promise to the rvange list, takes his vows sincerely. 1 hen begins for him a series ot strang experiences. He is astounded when his host friend returns from Denver with Denver Nell as his wife. O’Dav, through streuu oils adventure, finally justified his new-ly-earned name of Good Deed O Day, although he nearly loses the woman he loves in the doing. A stern lesson lor "men" is seen in "Wages of virtue. Gloria Swanson's latest l’aranmmit pm duetion. In flaming moments they will witness the vindication of a man s right to fight for the gnl he loves. 'I here have been many sensational lights in mm ion pictures, but there has never been a fight which taught such a lesson of dauntless courage and high purpose as tho one wages between "l.tiigi, the example of ruthless brutality and cunning, and "Marvin," the defending figure nl youth and love. REWTS HAST STAND MARSDEN 11A1.H TO-NIGHT In the winter of 1863 the set I lenient ol Auckland lived in constant fear nf being wiped out. by hordes ot Maori rebels Irom the King Country. Sir George Grey, England’?! great Pro Consul, has been sent out to handle the Colony s momentous problems. Dr. Wake, an Aueklkandjj surgeon, and his daughter. Cecily, meet 1 1 a young Englishman named Kenneth Gordon, newly arrived from England, \ and the two young people become fast friends. When the Waikato war assumes large proportions. Gordon, ever thirsting for adventure, joins Von Temp sky’s Corps of Forest Rangers. At a farewell ball, given in honour of tlie departure of the 40th Regiment for the front, Gordon is drawn into a quarrel by one, Colonel Grfeig. a dissolute Army officer, who is a. rival for Miss Cecily's hand. Through losing bis tern- | per in the quarrel with Greig, Gordon is disgraced, and leaves the ballroom mis- * understood by the crowd and Miss Cecily. Greig has certain lJuovvlcdge appertaining to Dr. Wake’s past life, and uses it as a lever to press his suit for Miss Cecily's hand. Ken Gordon leaves for i the front without seeing Cecily, and is 5 attached to Colonel Greig’s division as -* despatch orderly. When Gordon strays from camp in order to meet Von Tempsky and McDonnell, who have gone out to spy on Paparatji. Pa, Greig has the boy posted as a deserter. In his wanderings through the bush. Gordon rescues Takiri, a Maori maiden of high birth, who has leapt into a torrent in order to prove her bravery. Gordon and Ta'kiri, the .Maori maiden, are captured by a war-party and taken to Wnirnkn, in the heart of the Maori Country, where the Tohungas endeavour to- wring from the boy detain information regarding General Cameron's movements, and Takiri is forced to invoke an old tribal custom to save Ken from torture. lie is kept prisoner by the Maorfis, and is told he will be killed if he attempts to escape, but when the war drifts further south and the villages are emptied of their men, Gordon watches for an opportunity. He is planning to escape when Takiri informs him that her little brother Rangi has strayed from carnp, and the two go off iri search of the bov. The trail leads through the bush to Kihikihi, where a. war-party is j building Hie fortifications of the famous Orakau Pa. At Hie Pa, Gordon is brought before Pewi Maninpotn. the great chieftain, who, enraged at the pakelm's appearance has him bound up and thrown into a run (dugout )tn prevent the boy from escaping with information to the British lines. Rewi tells Gordon he will be . sent, back with the women next day, hut when tho day dawns the British j forces, under General Carey, have stir- ! rounded the Pa. and Ken is forgotten, j lor three days the battle rages, and when finally the Maoris make their glorious clash for freedom Ken is liberated, and endeavours, with Takiri, to regain the British lines, hut Takiri, (he Maori maid, is shot, and dies in Cor- ; don s arms. Tie buries her in tlie hush, and is endeavouring to reach the* British camp at Te Awnmutu when lie is discovered by a picket of Maori horsemen, who pursue tlie fugitive. He finally evades them and readies Te Awnmutu camp, where lie is placed under guard for deserting to the enemy, hut the intervention of Von Tempsky and the evidence of a Maori prisoner, save him, and he is reunited with Cecily. The box plan is at Cull's music warehouse.

LITTLE 80-PEEP PANTOMIME Ktlit'l Osborne, t lie lyric »rrino I lintiNlfllui., (. I a ra, Butt and \ crbruggen liavo recently taken such great interest Tn, was introduced to Nelson audiences smne four years ago by the same management that is producing “Little BoPeep” at the Theatre I’oval, Nelson. this evening. Elhel Osborne was fairy queen during the eight months tour of Mr Stanley McKay's Aladdin pantomime in the .Dominion, and on three occasions the management has been fortunate in securing the services of three stars, two of whom have attained success in the world’s gicutest city, London, while tin- I bird has astounded tin 1 critics as well as the musical public of Sydney with lief remarkable violin playing! IJoUi Miss Hutli Bueknall and Mr A. E. V. Penhum Lave sung at the Albert and Queen’s halls as well as at the Coliseum, while Rene .Rich, the Australian violin genius, has filled Ihe Sydney Town Hall with enthusiastic music lovers. Bimht, up-to-date comedy is a feature of the production, the principal fun makers being Frank Perryn, English character comedian, Arthur'Meredith, the quaintest of dames, and Maudie Stewart, Australia’s funniest girl. The necessary Jr/ve interest is sustained by Laurie McLeod, the handsome principal hoy. and dainty Marjorie Abrahams, prim cipal girl. 80-Peep is to be repeated at Monday’s matinee while The Forty Thieves is the production for Monday night. Seats mav be reserved at Begg’s.