ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18885, 6 December 1924, Page 14

ENTERTAINMENTS.

SAVOY HAVANA BAND.

Commencing to-day at the matinee, by arrangement with J. C. Williamson, Limited, Bert Ralton's world-famous Havana Band from the Savoy Hotel, London, together with Bert Errol md a big supporti:); company of English, American and Continental acts inaugurate a season of vaudeville which promises to be the best the J. C. Williamson firm has yet presented hers. The Savoy Havana Band is indisputably one of the world's greatest danco bands and there are few homes they are not known in through the gramophone. They are also a favourite dance band of the Prince of Wales and have had the honour of many command nights before the Prince. At the ci;d of a twoyears' season in London one critic wrote :— " Tho Savoy Havana Band under tho energetic leadership of Mr. Bert Kalton, retains its position as the premier organisation of its kind at tho present time. There aro many copyists, of course, of this famous combination. From a musical point of view, it is the finest jazz band in London and Mr. Kalton is an artist to his finger tips as also are the rest of his company." London's popular " female " impersonator, Bert Errol, will bo another notable act. Ho is assisted by Bay Hartley, his dancing partner, who is really Mrs. Bert Errol. He has become a great female impersonator. From the London Coliseum come Isolde and Alexis, billed as this season's dancing sensation. They present eccentric, acrobatic, comedy, trick, apache and ballroom dancing. Mr. Hymack with his sketch. "At Bogey Villa," presents what a critic calls " A ludicrous masterpiece." From tho time Hymack comes on the stage things aro not what thoy seem. A star from the most, exclusive corner of the vaudeville world is Marie Kendall. With her latest, character studies, she presents comedy work in and artistic annex. Britain's soldier conjuror, is Cai.lini, who makes a pack of cards seem i lire. He deals a full hand of mystifying- card manipulations. Hilarious people aro Hal Scott and Connie Graham, who stage " The Adventures of Sam and Liz." A full orchestra is under the baton of A. J. Forrest. The plans for , the season are at Lewis 11. Eady and Son, Limited, and the plan for to-night will be jpen after 12 at H.M. Theatre confectionery. "THE TEN' COMMANDMENT?." The qucje outside Everybody's Theatre ;ach evening testifies to an unfailing pubic interest in the Cecil B. de Mille promotion, " The Ten Commandments," ivhich is now in its second week at this heatre. The picture is one that cannot ail to make a deep inpression, and one ' ■vhich should give pause for thought to ill wise enough-to profit by the great \ esson it teaches---that God's immutable . aw, cannot be treated with contempt • vithout a penalty being enacted. As the ■ensers burn, and tho curtains part, the luriienco is transported back to the days when Pharaoh of Egypt lorded it over the enslaved Israelites, and, with every attention to Biblical detail, the defiance f of Moses, and the freeing of the children c of Israel is depicted most graphically on a ( grand and thoroughly convincing scale, f 'he flight across the desert, the mad pur- t suit of tho Egyptians, and the parting c of the Red Sea are wonderfully handled, c Another high light is tho reception of I God's message by Moses on Sinai, and, t in the latter's absence, the falling away 1 from grace of the Israelite host. Moses* I wrath and God's vengeance strikes the J revellers down, and emerging from the r smother of the storm comes a peaceful v little family scene in a San Francisco c home. It tells how Daniel McTavish dc- e fies the Commandments deliberately one I by one, until at length the vengeance of 1 the Lord smites him. One dramatic e touch of unusual strength and beauty is that in which Dan's wife, fearing she has contracted leprosy from her dissolute husband, appeals to her brother-in-law, John, a man of pure thought and Christian t habits, and he, turning over the leaves J of the Bible, reads the' passage descriptive J of tho healing of the leper woman by c Christ. Here the story reverts for a mo- \ ment to the days when Jesus walked the J earth, and very beautifully and reverently ( is enacted the healing of the unclean one £ by the Miraculous One. The entire effect. a is enhanced by the special musical score played by the augumented Everybody's Orchestra.

i- PRINCESS THEATRE. . fc " For Your Daughter's Sake," a ' powerful modern film drama, is ono of .' the two leading attractions at the Princess Theatre. A William Fox production, ■ its story concerns the problem faced by a " parent who is tempted to mislead a ' l daughter in the mistaken idea that it " would be all for the latter's good. The " theme and its treatment on the screen 11 is both human and convincing. The prins cipal roles arc in the hands of Grace Darling- and Rod La Rocque. The second a film drama in the programme is a Play- '- goers' release, " Through the Storm," fea- * turing Edith Stockton and Louis Kimball. fc The former has the role of a girl brought s I face to face with the alternative of either i telling tho truth and bringing unhappi- ' ness, or remaining silent to lace the guilt i of her own conscience. When lightning - strikes a building where two girls" t strangers to each other, have sought shlter', 3 and kills one of the girls, identities become 3 mixed. Helen Stone is taken for an 1 orphan who was on her way to make her 1 home with a rich aunt whom she had ', never seen. Helen, humiliated by her father's disgrace arid the knowledge that „ she has failed at making her own living, accepts the new personality. She is affectionately received by the supposed aunt and a young surgeon fulls in ] o vo with her, hut she is recognised as a forger's daughter by an. architect, who uses his J knowledge to blackmail her and force her to marry him. He is responsible for a shock that paralyses the aunt. Helen is I overcome by (he knowledge that her dishonesty has led to such a misfortune, mid is further tortured by the realisation that the man she loves admires truth above all ether virtues. Finally she confesses and wins forgiveness ami lore. Mr J George Poore's orchestra contributes a I pleasing musical programme at the even-* j ing sessions. CAROL CONCERT. The 'Municipal Choir will sag a number of carols at the recital in ths Town Hall this evening. These will include traditional settings and arrangements by Rutland Boughtoii and Hubert Parry. Madame Irene Aindey will be the vocalist, and will be heard in works by Gounod and Mendelssohn. The city organist, Mr. Maughan Burnett, will play organ solos, and the programme will conclude with the "Hallelujah Chorus." ORGAN RECITAL AT ST. JAMES'. An organ recital by Mr. Walter Impott will be given at St. James' Presbyterian Church next Monday evening. The organ selections will be Fantasia in D, Reverie in _E Fla:, " An Alpine Village," " The Night Patrol," scene pastorale entitled " The Storm," and "Christmas Pastorale." Songs will lie sung by Mas- j ter Bert Skeels, Miss Muriel Neale, and j Mr. A. MacPherson. An offertory will | i be taken up for the organ improvements fund. OPEN-AIR PICTURES. Considerable interest is being taken in the open-air picture, which are to be screened at Cnrlav, Park for the first time this evening. During the last few weeks many electricians, engineers, painters, and carpenters have been making the necessary arrangements for screening the pictures. A six-hour test run has been made with all the machinery, and the projection on the screen was found to be perfect. Everything theretore points to a most successful opening this evening. The canvas dock chairs have been completed, and these are described as being most comfortable. The programme will be headed by' "The Broken Silence." A picture of Auckland will also bo shown. A full orchestra will be in attendance

" THE SEA HAWK.

The film version of "The Sea Hawk, Rafael Sabatini's stirring tale of advei ture in the eventful days of Elizabet and the Spanish Main, had its' initio New Zealand presentation at the Sfcram National and Tivoli Theatres yesterday Frank Lloyd who produced the pictui for First National, has succeeded in coi vincing fashion in reproducing the e: tire spirit of the Sabatiui novel, so muc so that the famous characters of tl story seem to live, fight and love in th actual atmosphere which fiction, and, i; deed, history, imparts to those days < England's greatness on the seas. Tha heavy expense and much time was sppr in the making of the picture is not diff cult to understand. The construction c the great English and Spanish galleons c the typo used at the time of fie Aunad is in itself a feat never attempted o the .'tamo scale before, and the rc-nlt wa well worth the trouble, if only for th beautiful and realistic seascapes that thci use mikes possible. All the elements c the novel have been utilised by th. -1 ah of these picturesque, if dumsy-lookin vessels. There is the killing <.f Pete Godolphin, the perfidy of Lionel Tietsil ian, who lavs the deed at Lis half brother's door, the kidnapping of Si: Oliver by the unscrupulous Captain Leigh the capture of the ship by a Span is! galleon, and the diabolical cruelty i f tin Spanish captors, who condemn him t< the oars a long agony of toil end tor merit. There is the destruction of the galleon in battle with a Moorish galley arid the delivery of Sir Oliver from hi; cruel slavery. Then, with dramatic force is shown the revolt of the English gentle man from custom and convention and hi: vigorous prosecution of a piratical warfare against all who claimed tho masters of the seas. His meteoric career as a corsair under the banner of the Moor: in • depicted in glowing colours, and reaches a sensational climax when, with his band of armed pirates, he lands en the rocky coast of Cornwall and dramatically kidnaps the lady, who had previously spurned him, from the very altar steps of tho church. Conforming to the Moorish prize law, he hands her over to the slave market at Algiers, buys her himself against wealthy bidders, and, after forcing a confession from his cowardly half-brother, wins back his honour and her love. The battle scenes have been managed in a remarkably realistic manner, and afford, in all probability, as near an approach to the type of warefaro engaged in in the sixteenth century as could bo obtained on the modern motion picture screen. Milton Sills, as the Sea Hawk, is a magnificent figuredignified, brave and victorious— typical Elizabethan '[sen dog." Enid Bennett makes a beautiful Rosamond, while Wallace iieery is responsible, in the role of Captain Leigh, for tho few moments of humour. An ambitious and impressive stage prologue precedes the picture at the National Theatre, and a prologue on different lines is also- staged at tho Strand. Local talmt has been employed with excellent, lesults in both cases. Appropriate orchestral music is played at each of the three theatres. GRAFTON SCHOOL CONCERT. A varied programme has been arranged or the concert at Scots Hall on ThuVslay evening by the committee of the Srafton public school, who are seeking unds for ground improvements. Among he entertainers are the Rev. Jasper Caller and his boys, Bud and Dan, who ;ive a 20 minutes' turn, while tho St. )avid's Dramatic Club will stage the arco, "lei on Parle Francais." Miss .ois Evans and Messrs. A. H. Ripley and -. Oolledge, will sing duets and 'solos. lr. Norman Tate, juggler, will give a ew turn, and tho children of the school .-ill contribute solos, part songs, and reitals. Miss Eileen Olsen will give an xhibition of toe dancing, and Miss Irene ,ong a series of Highland dances. With 6 items of a bright and varied nature* the vening should bo a pleasant ono. "THE MESSIAH." The Auckland Choral Society will give he annual performance of Handel's "Tho lessiah" at the Town Hall on Thursday, )ecember 18. The soloists for the famous ratoiio will bo Miss Teresa McEnroe, of Velliagton . (soprano). Madame Irene u'nslay (contralto). Mr. 0. Gasquoine tenor) and Mr. A. G. Colledge (bass), eats may be reserved at Lewis R. Eadv nd Son, Ltd. \ STUDENTS' RECITAL. A pianoforte recital will bo given by ' pupils of Miss Ethel Sharp and Miss Edmunds in the Grafton Library Hull on Monday evening. Included in" the programme will be songs, sketches and elocutionary items.