ENTEETAIMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18077, 29 April 1922, Page 11

ENTEETAIMENTS.

"THE CHOCOLATE SOLDIER." After a lapse of nine or ten years since it was seen on an Auckland stage, the famous comic opera, " The Chocolate Soldier," was revived at His Majesty's Theatre last evening before an enthusiastic audience. From the musical point of view "The Chocolate Soldier" has scarcely a rival among comic operas and the many notable vocal numbers were received with enthusiasm. Of particular j note was Mr. Charles H. Workman's j characterisation of Bumerli, the role I created by him in the original London , : production. It was evident that the audi- | j enca recognised the outstanding merit of i his performance from the first. Miss |. j Patti Russell created a furore by her sing- • mg of '' My Hero." the greatest musical I I number in the opera. The finale of the I' ! second act was repeatedly applauded. , | Miss Ethel Morrison gave a stately perI formance of Mrs. Pnpotf and M;sa Byri | Walkely made a dainty Mascha. Mr. : Chas. Mettam had evory opportunity in : ; i tie part of Alexius Spiridotf, and Mr. I John Ralston gave a faithful representa- , 1 tion of Colonel Popoif. " The Letter ! Song " had to be repeated again and 1 again, and the sextette " The Tale of the Coat," "Falling in Love" and ''That. ! Would be Lovely " were other favourite j 1 numbers. j A matinee will be given this afternoon ! and the rinal performance this eveiung. : | On Monday the company will stage' I " Merrie England " at Hamilton. 1 ELLA SHIELDS. I After winning popularity throughout.. I the Dominion during her recent tour, Miss' : Ella Shields will open a farewe.il season ■ at His Majesty's Theatre on Monday evenI ing. Miss Shields i g exceptionally gifted I as a male impersonator. Ln every eharac- ' ter, from the swagger middy of the ; King's Navy to the battered personality of "Burlington Bertie" she holds the audience completely. She is the immaculate ; boy, and at, the same time always delia--1 ously feminine. Miss Shields is supported : hy a strong combination of vaudeville art-1 ists, comprising Maurice Sterndale, Con , Moreni, the three Jacksons, Harko. Togo, ! ' George Brooke, Edward Calull, and Mr. ■ and Miss Tree The planu are at Lewis r R. Eady and Son, Ltd. i 1 I " BABES IN THE WOOD." | The J. C. Williamson pantomime this year, "Babes in the Woon," will be pre-. ; sented at His Majesty's Theatre for the : first time on Thursday, May 11. The sen-. . son will extend over nine nights and three I matinees. The piece, which has been I sty.ied the "Full Steam Ahead" pantomime, comes with high praise from Aus- j | tralian critics. Special attention has been j paid to the scenery and costuming. There I I are 22 scenes, and the people in the panto-; j mime number 150. The principals are said ! to form a very talented combination. Miss Norah Delaney is the principal boy, Miss I ; Florie Allen is the principal girl, and Mr, j Jack Williams is the dame. Also included j j in the cast are Mr. W. S. Percy, the well- i i known comedian, Naughton and Gold, ec--1 centric comedians, Miss Josie Melville, | premiere danseuse, and Mr. Frederick I Mackay, premier danseur. Matinees will I be given each Wednesday and Saturday. ; The box plan for the first six nights and i the first two matinees will open on Mon- | day. May 8, at Lewis R. Eady and Son, Ltd. STRANLV' THEATRE. Somo temerity is required on the part of an actor who has made his fame as '- comedian to attempt to be taken senously in a dramatic impersonation. In ! ! " The Kid " Charles Chaplin goes half' ' I way toward such an attempt in that he , '! plays a role which is part hilarity and | 1 j part human nature. The result is a Eim 'i of more than usual interest, one that is '■ j better than the screen favourite's former 1 efforts because of his revelation of talents , i hitherto kept hidden. There are moments ■! in "The Kid" when the spectators realise ■ i that Chaplin is something more than a ■ | knock-about funny man. He is shown as - j a delineator of character in which I sincerity and dramatic impressiveness are i prominent The Strand Theatre, where i the first screenings of the picture were , given yesterday, was not large enough to i accommodate the throngs of people who wished to witness it, and at the evening i session many had to be turned away. In " The Kid" Chaplin is a shabby tramp living in a dingy attic. He finds a baby in the slums and adopts ft chiefly owing to the difficulty he experiences in getting 1 j rid of it. Uproariously funny are his 1 j tricks and devices in infant rearing, in- ' | tenselv humorous, too, his adventures with ' the child when it has attained the age of five years. Then the human interest with which the film has opened is reintroduced 1 The boy is ill and Charlie nurses him. 1 Roueh men come to remove his little ! charge to an orphanage, and there is ' drama and pathos in the parting and the ' subsequent reunion, with a happy ending ' when " the kid" is restored to his mother. Here then is something of a plot, ' with an appeal to the heart, and cleverly r constructed so as to brin;; out the con- • traste in sheer fun and deeper sentiments 1 with very telling effect. Certainly it is • the best Chaplin effort to date. The • comedian has lost none of his well-known 3 subtlety of by-play, none of his original- ' ity. He is always doing the unexpected > and inducing the sudden laugh. Whether - dodging policemen, or fighting the bulky ' puciiist, feeding the baby from the spout • of a coffee pot, or mending windows with f i an atrocious amount of superfluous putty, - I ho is divertinc to a degree. Hia study s j of the human side of the character a '1 equally as impressive, notably in the de--3 i piction of the attachment and affection he i feels for the waif he has taken under hiß »! protection. In the latter role young Jacky i I Cocan is amazingly good, winning m- ' | stent popularity. Edna FmBH« the I mother plavs with remarkable ability and 1 is very convincing. In the supporting pro- , gramme are the fine Topical Budget views Mof Princess Mary's wedding, some good ' j travel scenes, and one of Tony Snrg s brfl--1 font cartoons. By way of prologue to the 8 chief film Mr. Alan McElwain singes ' Übert Chevalier's " The Little Nipper. " There will be special sessions for children , s this morning at ten and eleven o clock. u i NEW LYEJC THEATRE. J "The Mark of Zorro," featuring the 0 screen favourite, Douglas Fairbanks will f Snmence a season at Ike New boo ! Theatre this afternoon, and- will be rer ported to-night and unhl further notice. 1 I Plentv of excitement and romance are prof ! Sd to spectators in this latest film proSed by the Bi c Four .***** WiU „ be seen in a remarkable dual role. d PRINCESS THEATRE. d " Over the Hill.'' the William F<u } - masterpiece, continues to attract overflow- '■ big audiences to the Princess Theatre, IS where it is now entering its third week. !e- The human interest of the story is St powerful in its appeal that few people can witness the film without being deeply affected. Mary Carr, in the leading role of the mother/who became a victim to the , selfishness of all but one of her cnudren, '• enacts the part with such naturalness that - it is difficult to realise she is acting, the » pathetic phases of the picture are many, ,g vet the light renef afforded by numerous , ' comedy interludes makes a good contrast. I The result is that the sentimental emotions l\ ; are stirred, but not to a too poignant t degree. As a lesson in filial duty, and an 1 illustration of mother-love, this film has [' few equals. The technique and the pheftol graphv leave nothing to be desired, while i the cast supporting Miss Carr is a very , r capable one. The general effect of the picture is enhanced by the excellence of ' the musical score played by the Princess orchestra. )l HIPPODROME THEATRE, !j A double programme is being screened v this week at the Hippodrome Theatre. ",, " Smiles are Trumps," a William Fox film, .' featuring Maurice Flynn, is a very ex e citing railway drama. It is replete with thrills, and has a. strong lcve interest, A sensational scene is that in which the leading man leaps from ono speeding

locomotive to another as they raw along the track. The tecood feature in " When Men Desire," a gripping emotional drama, in which Theda B;lra is the star. It is a story of a girl who finds her road to matrimony and happiness beset with obstacles, because of the jealousy of a disappointed lover. BROADWAY THEATRE. The chief attraction at the Broadway Theatre, Newmarket, this evening will be the Universal film, " Reputation,'' featuring Pnseilla Dean. This is a pleasant romance, with many scenes of ansorbwg interest. There is a good supporting programme. ORGAN RECITAL. The city organist, Mr. Maughan Barnett, will give the Ssnai irgac recta! in the Town Hall to-night. The p-pgramme will include works by Mendelssohn, Tschaikowski, and Schubert, ?nd i toccata by Purceil taken imm a valuable manuscript in the British Museum. Mr. Arthur Ripley wui be the vocuist. MASSED BANDS' CONCERT. A concert by the bands of the Auckland Bands' Association w'-ll be given at the Domain cricket ground •o-morrow afternoon, commencing it 2.-15. The oands taking Dart >ire '-he Auck.and Artillery Baud, the Anckland City Band, the Onehunga Brass Band, and the temperance Guards Band. Selections will bn played by each band. Tie items :o be given by the massed bands ire ' Old Comrades," "The Great Little Army." ;nri "Wye VaJiev." The ctnd.irtors ire Lieut. 0. F. Cater, Mr. A. Clareburt. Mr J. Barley, and Mr. J. Row*. A noiler tton in aid of the associations funds will be taken up. MISSION CONCERT. A concert w.U be given in tho Town Hail concert chamber this evening, at eight o'clock. Ai attractive programme has been aranged, and the arti-a include Miss Laura Stone, Miss Marjsret Salisbury, Messrs. T. Hams. H. T Hill. R. Piore, A. Hall. A Bree. and the Lync Quartette, The proceeds from the concertwill be donated to the Sudan United Mission, and will be expressl v used to send Mr. Keith Rimmer to Africa.