ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18629, 9 February 1924, Page 11

ENTERTAINMENTS.

:'; —~"~"— ♦■- /"' ;,. „.,,',,'" ■' C". , THE GROSSMTTH SEASON. :; The J. C. Williamson, Ltd., management will present Mr. Lawrence Grossmith |; and his "■ supporting company in - a revival of the thrilling and" humourous <ttmedy-drama, . "Ambrose ; AppleJohn's Adventure," at' His Majesty's Theatre this evening. This piece proved very successful when it was. staged - here last ; year. It .has'generally been acknowledged that Mr. Grossmith is at his best • an'; ''Ambrose; Applejohn's Adventure." s Iheplay gives him thej necessary opportunities to display .his versatility. . He presents in one act the cultured gentleman, and in the next' a daring; pirate. He revels in; the comedy scenes, and it is as a high-class humourist that his real genius displays itself. Mr.: Aston Jarry has'never done anything better than his characterisation in- "Ambrose Applejohn's Adventure,*' and Miss Diana Wilson Will be seen to' greater advantage in 1 this play than in -the opening : production. The cast is a particularly . strong* one, including as it does Messrs. Leslie Victor, Dorothy .-,- Seacombe, Adelaide. Gunh, Wilmington Barnes, Paul Plunkett, Mattie Brown, Mabel Gower, and .Edmund Duggan. The staging and the costumes are features. There are.over 60 people concerned in the representation. The play ■will be staged under f the personal supervision of Mr. Lawrence Grossmith. , Only the three performances can- be i given, and the season will close with the two revivals of the fascinating comedy, "The Silver Fox," which ran for upwards of six months, in Sydney and four months in Melbourne. This play ranks with the best comedies staged during the, past, decade, and on its previous representation .in , Auckland it /attracted packed ' houses ' to ' His Majesty's Theatre. NATIONAL THEATRE. The combination of vaudeville and pictures is still a big attraction in Auckland, judging, by the large audiences at the National Theatre yesterday. The management has succeeded in presenting a programme of good variety which is likely to please all tastes. , The leading feature of the vaudeville turns is the performance of Miss Dorothy Waters. It is not often that film stars come to Auckland; and it is still more unusual for a young !ady of ten years to be able to claim the .- distinction of being not only a film, star, but also a talented stage artist. From her first appearance Dorothy Waters won her audience. Her singing of " Carry Me Back to Carolina Home " was good. Her dancing is remarkable, showing that she has very little to learn in this direction. The Tully Sisters, who are making their final appearance in Auckland this week, continue' to delight their audience; with their harmonious syncopation. There is no doubt' this is one of the 'best, bands of its kind that has ever visited Auckland. Their numbers Include ■:;" Mellow Moon," " Gallagher and Sheen" as a saxophone duet, and " Carolina in the Morning," the latter is very popular, last evening's audience demanding a recall. The drummer, of the quartette is up-to-date, and' introduced some . very hovel. effects upon her instruments. The chief film is the Universal production " Thundering Dawn," featuring J. Warren Kerrigan and Anna Q. Nilsson. : . The sTbry deals with the adventures of a man who,' to save his father from disgrace, f owns to an embezzlement of which he is not guilty - and goes to Java. His" downfall there and subsequent redemption give opportunity • for dramatic ■' situations. The picture contains many thrills, ~including some remarkable storm and flood \ scenes during '* a typhoon. There are excellent supporting films, including ; a \ topical gazette, and a Burton Holmes travel picture of life at Cape Finistcrre.'■;'■■ ■> ; ■ v PRINCESS THEATRE. The William Fox picture, " Mile-a-raihute Romeo," was • viewed sby = .large audiences at the Princess Theatre: yesterday. It is a fast-moving Western drama, ■a-ith a large sprinkling •of comedy, and gives opportunity to Tom Mix,, the roughrider of the screen, to display his remarkable horsemanship. Tony, his almost human horse, has a prominent role to play :in conjunction with master, and the onlooker has to admit his .admiration of the horse's seeming understanding of what i* required of him. ,' The. story has been adapted from Max, Brand's ; novel, "The ; Gun • Gentleman," and it ? concerns three rivals in love with the same - girl, Their schemes to win her become entangled in ah intricate web, one of her , rivals, more crafty than, the rest, inducing the ; other; two: to fight each other under a mistaken' idea that one had insulted the other.; that there are numerous dramatic \ situations and thrills. Betty Jewel- is Tom Mix's leading lady,, while there are capable artiste in support. Of ! Tom Mix himself it can be said that he makes a dashing lover, seeking his love and believing in marrying ; ' her without \ wasting much time over trivial : details. On the same programme is ■a t Paramount - picture, 1 'Children [of Jazz/' 'an entertaining drama, dealing with the jazz life of Babs; Weston, daughter of a financier; who becomes-- engaged to three men simultaneously. Subsequently Babs is induced to take a trip in a hydroplane with two of her admirers, and the-machine is wrecked in a storm off an island, The occupants are rescued without difficulty. Then follow" a series r dramatic incidents until a novel climax brings the story to .a fitting '■? conclusion. "Theodore; Kosloff, Ricardo' Cortez, Robert Cain, and 'Eileen' Percy occupy * important i roles.■• j*.f, STRAND THEATRE. , ~ • The screening of. "Trilby" this-week at'the Strand Theatre gives to picture patrons ■ the opportunity of viewing ;one of the finest > star-productions -'seen in Auckland for many a long day. Interest is added to' the programme in the introduction of a charming S; prologue by-' Miss Lois Evans and ; Mr. Tom Harris, in which the former sings the old-time ? favourite, of years gone 5 by, "Ben Bolt." It is i now 30 years since ; Du Manner's immortal romance' took the ■ whole > world by storm. It stands high in' the realm; of dramatic, as well as literary art, and in the First National presentation; of;? the i picture, ' all the f well-loved I characters *of the Parisian art studio \ live % again. ; The part of Trilby, ' ! played by Andre Lafayette, is full ; of ' life ; and vitality, and ] one's heart thrills ■in - response •to ; the gaiety and beauty "of the little model \of the studios. Her trio of adorers, Little Brio's, Taffy, and the Laird, are just exactly as fancy has "depicted 'them k indeed, the charm of the whole production is ' the faithfulness with which" the 'text of the book has been -followed.; Svengali,hideous and .sinister, .flits through the picture like' some haunting spirit of evil, his" shadow darkening the wedding feast, exerting ?a malevolent influence that follows . the - ill-fated Trilby right up to the threshold of -happiness, and. strikes her down in the very moment of- her triumph. The part is ' played .by Arthur Edmund Carewe, and ranks as , one of .his; most conspicuous ; successes. ; r The .faithful Gecko, - "Joßtzou, j and other characters are all' well portrayed., and 'the setting is true to the novelist's -presentation. " The supporting films are well selected, and complete a programme of unusual merit.

QUEEN'S THEATRE. '. The ■■ new programme... at the Queen's Theatre is proving popular. Chief interest centres in the ;i detective drama, "The Man" from Scotland Yard," featuring Earl Williams, and the South ' Sea drama, "The Bonded Woman;" starting? Betty Compsbn; The latter artist appears as Angela; who goes to a dive in Honolulu to rescue the man she- loves. • Fate, "however,' and the girl's wish, ' subsequently remove - the pair to a. barren * deserted island, 'where ■ the denouement takes place- The storm and' shipwreck scenes are very, fine, while in many cases the backgrounds v for the story are of great;beauty %i and charm.' Miss Compson "is supported by John r Bowers and Richard Dix. • On the same pro gramme,' too, is a good comedy, "Love and Doughnuts," withßettsTuSrpitt in tho leading, role. . .„,',,.■'.