ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18323, 13 February 1923, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

. - " OPERA HOUSE. > ■ ■ , -..a - ' ; v .V '•'.<* .v.* ' f. /:* Bright, catchy music,, a i delightful' set-; ting, and a whirl of fun are the ingredient*. which go to the making of the smart revue,, "Hermie's Trip .• Abroad," which the American Revue Company staged at the Opera House for the first time last evening. Patrons voted this the best thing yet done by this sparkling <■, littlo company, and while there was an almost studied indifference to any plot, which might have explained what it was all about, the colourful scenes which followed one another in such quick succession, and the genuine fun which Mr. George H. Ward, as the pugnacious Dutchman, and Mr. George Irvine, in the sole of the chronically irate Irishman, dispensed ; throughout, did not leave the audience one minute in which to • speculate as to Hermie's destination. Among the best of the entertaining items which * the various members of the company presented were those of Miss Ida Merton, who sang " Champagne " and " Jazz Baby." Miss Curley Sherwood, In "Keep the Music Playing," and " You've Got To Do It," gave her songs in her usual dashing style, and Miss Mabelie Morgan's rendering of "Beautiful Lady," was ' warmly applaude<jL Not the - least striking feature of the revue was the work of the vivacious chorus. Smartly dressed and well trained, they lent an appropriate background to most of the > musical numbers, and were seen in many clever danceu. Mr. Sam Stern, _ who , made- a welcome re-appearance, is . a • Hebrew comedian true to type, and his i numerous offerings proved irresistible. A s gentle riot was pictured in his version • of a Yiddisher band playing an Irish . tune, and ; in his impersonation of a i Jewish girl yearning. for some male attention, he immensely pleased . his hear- • ers. No less clever were two Italian i; impersonations, one of which a burlesque , of Italian opera, introduced some firstclass music. Mr. George Edwards arid Miss Rosie Parlies presented another of their short sketches, entitled " Off on ■ Their Holidays," and kept the audience . highly amused. Les Bau Malagas,:j a pair of Spanish and Continental dancers, ; were again . seen in their specialty, a ' Spanish Gipsy dance of a kind quite i fresh ■to Auckland audiences, .. and met with a very favourable reception. Leyi land Hodson, a quaint singer of appeal- ! ing songs, and the Andros, a team com- > prising a boy ventriloquist, and a humourist with a fiddle, completed an enter- ' taining programme. The programme will be repeated each evening this week and , at the usual matinees. ■ '. > NATIONAL THEATRE. . The touching story cold in " Silver Wings," the William Fox special 'feature now being screened at the National Iheatre, has made it . very popular.'. It » will be : repeated 'at each session ; daily until Thursday. On Friday tlieie will be. L >; C" ! sented "The Prisoner of Zenda," by Anthony Hope, which has thrilled thousands ' who have read the book ,or seen , the play.;. ! The film, has been made: by Rex Ingram, : the, man who- leaped into the 'front rank of motion picture: directors by his produc--1 tion'' Of "The Four Horsemen of '.-the 1 Apocalypse." • This Metro picture is said ' to preserve all those elements which made - T ; the Edward Hose stage. version of the ' novel so popular. It is - a story ;of tha ■ adventures of Rudolf Rassendyll, a young ' Englishman who for a time became the ' king- of the mythical coujitry of Ruritania and who i won the love of the Princess > Flavia, after a series of plots and coun- • terplotfi during which ' h0... is ' {©impelled to ;. f fieht for ;his; very life. Beautiful settings, gorgeous costumes-, . and an :excepi tional cast are said to. contribute to make ' this romance one which will be talked 1 about by all lovers of good pictures. In » the cast are Lewis Stones Robert Edeson, • Alice Terry. Stuart Holmes, Ramon Na- - ' varro,,; Barbara - La Mnrr, Malcolm Mc- - Gregor, Edward Connelly, rind Lois Lee--1 The adaptation . was : done ■,by , : Mary Y O'Hara, and the photography by John. IP. a Seiiz. J t y : . . PRINCESS THEATRE. ' Large numbers of spectators are being attracted - to the Princess 'Theatre this " week, where the current feature is : " Blood and Sand," ' the Paramount production of a r story of modern 1 ' Spain by Vincents'' Blasco 1 Ibanez,' author ,of " The Four Horsemen 3 of 'the Apocalypse." Rodolph; Valentino.; . appears in s the- chief , part,''that of Gal- V ! lardo, a ' bull-fighter, who is "; the 1 idol of \ Seville, : 'and,' indeed; of the wholep of ' Spain.; He Jis happily / married, but. beJ . comes : infatuated with another ' woman;' a widow' moving in the; higher. I social '■ cir- /•' 5 cles, and '-complications ensiiie' which lead ' to dramatic : and emotional situations. The i 1 bull-ficrht Gcenes are nia'Tiiificently staged, " and; the spectacular f features of the'? pic-;, ' ture are numerous. ' ♦' . • r EVEBYBODY'S THJ'ATRE. •\ , The' principal , picture It v Everybody's: i Theatre this week is , " Hie Go'den Gift," ' starring Alice' Like. wljO gives one of , j the most powerful dramatic; portrayals 'of , her ; screen career. 1 ? .• The story . relates the j adventures of a' v young-ringer, who is de-* serted by her husband ,and left ,to face the ; [ world alone. How she . succeeds, by dint J , of, great : pluck; and resourcefulness, ,'iii be-: coming a . renowned operatic ' artist;,' is •' • told in most entertaining , fashion. . i The '| star has i excellent ? opportunities for the ; ; [ display of . her 'abilities', as, a ' dancer. 'Also on the bill, are the third and ' fourth chap- ;; ters'of the exciting serial, " The Lion , Man." . /.The episodes;, take the spectator . to the mining district in Arizona. v' ' : ; " \QUEEN'S THEATRE. .fj - ■ . The j:! Marshall i Neilan . V production, • >;Vitv," starring young Wesley 1 Barry, of " Freckles'.' ; i lame, is the main attrac-: tion this week; at the :; Queen's feaieatre.-; It- is the ; interesting. story \of a ; boy.: who ; i meets with many dramatic adventures. Also on the programme. is' the comedy,' "Trying to Get tig,''^featuring v Harold •: Lloyd, and a Mack Sennett diversion. ;: *■' •' ~j». i 3 VAUDEVILLE TRIALS. • ' - Considerable interest is being aroused by j the forthcoming amateur 1 vaudeville triaw which are to take place at His Majesty's s Theatre next Friday and Saturday. The j object of ' the trials is to discover talent for theatrical enterprise in Australia and j New Zealand. ' The events, for which «b----tries are; invited, include ballad singing - by ; ladies < and gentlemen, recitations, both ■ / comic and r serious; ; comic einging, and ;: Q fancy dancing. - Liberal prizes are offered.