ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19236, 27 January 1926, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"CAPPY RICKS." The season of the successful play, "Ca'ppy Ricks," at His Majesty's Theatre has been extended until next Saturday evening. The box plan for the extended season is at Messrs Lewis K. Eady J and Son, Ltd. A number of disabled soldiers will attend to-morrow's performance. "GLORIOUS NEW ZEALAND." The Government Publicity Department's super-scenic masterpiece, "Glorious New Zealand," which had a sensational run of several weeks in Wellington, lias been secured by the Strand Theatre for a season in Auckland, commencing on February 5. Mr. Tano Fama, who has arrived in Auckland, will lecture during the showing of the film, NATIONAL AND LYRIC. A startling William Fox melodrama, "When the Door Opened," and a First National love drama, "The Dark Angel," comprise the new programme opening at the National and Lyric Theatres tomorrow. "When the Door Opened," which is adapted from the novel by James Oliver Curwood, has its locale in the Canadian woods, and revolves around the life of Clive Grenfal, who lias come to Canada to lose himself, after having shot and left for dead the man whom he found with his wife. lie joins the rough crew of a lumber camp a few miles below the mysterious old chateau of an old French recluse, De Fontenac. The latter has lived apart from the -world as long as most of the villagers can remember and has reared his little grand-daughter in the seclusion of the old castle. She has never been allowed to mingle with the people of the countryside, nor does she know anything of the world beyond the village. As the story develops, Grenfal saves Teresa's life at the risk of his own and is nursed back to health by her. He falls in love with Teresa against bis will and she learns to love him, but dares not express her feelings because of her grandfather. Grenfal is torn between his love and his duty when Henry Fredericks arrives in Canada and is a guest at the castle. He recognises Grenfal and drives him to give himself up, and confess his crime to Teresa. Then comes the thrilling climax of the story when a dam bursts under the pressure of a rainswollen Stream and comes rushing down on the old chateau which stands in the way of the angry flood. "The Dark Angel," directed by George Fitzmaurice, is said to be replete with thrills from beginning to end. In this picture Vilma Banky, a charming Hungarian actress, appears in an American film for the time. She is stated to be an accomplished horsewoman and to give a remarkable display of skilful riding. Ronald Colman plays opposite the star.

i HIPPODROME THEATRE. The William Fox special production. "The Iron Horse," will conclude its remarkably-successful Auckland season at the Hippodrome Theatre to-day. Tom Mix has the featured role in "The Heart .buster," which heads the new programme commencing to-morrow. The plot of "The Heart Buster" centres round Tod Walton, a young ranch owner, who is desperately in love with Rose Hillyer, daughter of his neighbour. Rose has just completed her education in Europe and her homecoming is a cause of great excitement around" her father's ranch. Speculation is rife, however, when she steps off tine train accompanied by a foreigner of distinguished bearing, whom she announces as her fiance, when Tod knocks him down for kissing her. Tod recalls seeing the foreigner who has won Hose's heart engaged in a pursuit on which the law frowns, and although he tells Rose of his suspicions she refuses to believe. Tod finds it a difficult task to prove his accusations, for while he is doing it hemmustt t also prevent the marriage. His activity in this direction lands him in gaol, where he is rescued in an extraordinary manner by his faithful horse Tony. The second attraction is "Moon Madness." a Robertson-Cole production, with Edith Storey in the leading role. It is a dramatic story of thu love of a French girl who has been reared in the African jungle. The scenes are laid in Algeria, and in the Latin quarter of Paris. The cast also includes Irene Hunt, Wallace Mac Donald, and Josef Swickard.

RIALTO THEATRE. Wireiess waves and wireless equipment play a prominent part in the Paramount production, " A Story Without a Name," which heads the current programme at the Rialto Theatre. The hero is a young inventor who is experimenting with a mysterious death ray. A gang of spies attempt to steal the secret of the ray, and attack the workshop where the young man has built a model of his apparatus. He is taken prisoner, but not before his fiancee has had time to destroy the model with an axe. After threats have' failed to make the inventor reveal his secret, he is placed on a small island with a workshpp containing everything that a wireless enthusiast could desire. His fiancee is placed on board a vessel of a rumrunning fleet, and he is informed that the girl will be unmolested only so long as he diligently works at the construction of a new model of his death-ray apparatus. Instead, he erects a wireless plant to call for help. His message is intercepted by both friends and foes, and an exciting climax results. Agnes Ayres and Antonio Moreno have the leading roles, and both are said to give outstanding performances. The programme also includes an adaptation of A. S. Roche's story, " Any Woman," featuring Alice Terry. A piccolo solo, " Silver Birds," will be given by Chris O'Malley. "SCARAMOUCHE." "Scaramouche," a Rex Ingram production for Metro adapted from Rafael Sabatini's novel of the same name, will commence its Auckland season at Everybody's Theatre on Friday. This picture, in ten reels, has played special engagements in the larger cities of the world and comes to Auckland acclaimed by critics as one of the masterpieces of the screen. "Scaramouche" is a story of the French revolution. Andre-Louis, a young noble, has sworn eternal vengeance on Marquis La Tour for killing a friend. To make matters worse the marquis is courting Aline. Andre's seditious speeches cause him to be sought by the police and in escaping he joins a strolling. band of players and becomes Scaramouche, the clown. Bitterness against Aline leads him into an affair with the leading lady of the troupe, but. he ends this when the girl accepts attentions from the marquis. Skilled in fencing, he is persuaded to become substitute deputy in the National Assembly of France for a deputy who was killed in the series of duels brought by the aristocrats against the people's representatives. In a duel I with La Tour Andre-Louis wounds the marquis, and Andre's misunderstanding of Aline's actions, after the duel further widens the breach between them. The fires of rebellion are finally fanned into open revolt. The patriot Danton, played by George Siegmann, leads the mob" to the Tuileries, where the monarchy is overthrown. The marquis escapes from the massacre and seeks shelter at a house j where he finds Aline, who has been unable to get away from the city. Andre-Louis comes to save her, and finds the marquis there. The two men are on the noint of killing each other when revelations are made that disclose Andre's real identity. BRITANNIA THEATRE. A number of Auckland's leading vaudeville artists will appear at the Britannia Theatre this evening. Musical items will be given by the San Toy Jazz Orchestra. The featured film is "The Roughneck," a William Fox adaptation of Robert W. Service's well-known story of the same name.

DESCENT OF NIAGARA FALLS. The famed Bobby Leach, the only man who has ever made the descent of the Horseshoe Falls at Niagara, is at present in Auckland and will appear at the R-ialto Theatre for a season commencing on Friday, when a film of his daring exploit will be screened. The hero of the adventure will explain to the audience the various incidents of his hazardous journey and give an account of his sensations at the time. The famous descent was made on July 25, 1911. Bobby Leach entered his barrel at Navy Island, two and a-half miles above the falls, in order to avoid the police who were determined to prevent his foolhardy experiment. Inside the barrel he was strapped in a hammock and fastened with a double set of harness. He had a supply of oxygen sufficient for an hour, but it was only 39 minutes after he set out when he dropped over the fall, which is 168 ft. in height. The barrel was so heavy.that it fell behind the curtain of i falling water and was dashed on the rocks. | The shock broke the harness by-which Leach was secured, and his jaw and both kneecaps were broken. He was in hospital for 23 weeks after his exploit. The film is said to depict very clearly the stirring incidents of the adventurous journey. " EAST LYNNE." What is described as one of the greatest casts ever collected in a screen production has been assembled by William I'ox for his version of "East Lynne," which commences at the National and Lyric Theatres on Thursday, February 4. Edmund Lowe, long a Fox star and entrusted with the leading role in many of the most notable successes of this company, plays Archibald Cavlyle, the hero in " East Lynne,"' while Alma Rcubents, one of the most beautiful women on the screen and star of many productions, is cast as the ill-fated Lady Isabel. Lou Tellegen, for years a hero of the French and American stage and more latterly of the screen, is playing the role of Sir Francis Levison, a part which gives him plenty of opportunity for his varied talents. Others in the-cast are Frank Keenan, Marjorie Daw and Lydia Knott. THE MUNICIPAL BAND. The Municipal Band will play at the Domain to-night at 7.45. A bright programme has been arranged for the occasion.