ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19386, 22 July 1926, Page 13

ENTERTAINMENTS.

J. C. WILLIAMSON VAUDEVILLE. With a dearth of theatrical attractions recently the advent of a new company of international vaudeville stars from J. C. Williamson's theatres in Sydney and Melbourne should be greeted with enthusiasm by Auckland theatre lovers. The new company, leaves Sydney on Friday t by the Ulimaroa and will make this city the opening town of the Dominion tour. Heading a brilliant company are the dog actors of Leonard Gautier, the famous French animal trainer, who has trained canine pets to such perfection that they will enact an entire one-act play entitled "The Bricklayers of Dogville," entirely and apparently of their own accord. Hardly less in importance is the appearance in the Dominion of MantelPs Mannikins, sixty miniature performers ranging from acrobats and singers to dancers and bullfighters, who, on their own stage within a stage, perform feats of daring and skill. From novelty to beauty is art easy step in vaudeville, and the new company will present one of the beauties of the recent "Miss Australia" beauty competition in the person of Miss Peggy Mouat, popularly regarded as Australia's most beautiful girl. She will be seen in a captivating exposition of "The Charleston," as danced in the leading ballrooms of Sydney. A comical fellow from Genoa is Van Dock, a caricaturist of international repute. On a brilliantly illuminated sphere dainty Miss Elroy will twist her beautiful limbs into fantastic shapes and figures of an extraordinary kind. The "Uncrowned King of Birdland," is Iniito, who, in a wonderful and mysterious woodland setting, talks and whistles in their own language so that even the real birds t!:at appear with him are deceived. Katrina and Joan will introduce their dancing scena, " The Romance of a Garden." Maxim Brodi, a Russian tenor, accompanied by Dechelette, a French pianiste, will be heard in a repertoire of classic and popular melodies. A dainty American comedienne, Marie Moore, in her "'Jazz snapshots at the piano, featuring the latest song "hits," should become a warm favourite. The box plan for the season, which commences on Wednesday evening next, opens at Lewis R. Eady and Son, Ltd., on Monday morning. PRINCESS THEATRE. Douglas Mac Lean's latest farce- comedy, "Introduce Me," in which he is said to reach the pinnacle of his achievement as a comedian, and a Paramount adaptation of Joseph Conrad's famous classic, Lord Jim," will form an attractive programme, which is to be offered at the Princess Theatre for the first time to-day. The picture is based on a variation of the ideas used by Mac Lean so successfully in "Ihe Hottentot' and 'Going Up, a critic, of "Introduce Me." 'He is thus provided with opportunities which he has demonstrated suit him perfectly, and which are good for a number of laughs from any class of spectators. The mountain-climb-ing act in this picture is especially amusing, and can hold its own in comparison with the horse-riding and 4eroplane-flymg in the other two. Naturally tha climax is handled in a farce-comedy vein, and every possible opportunity for a laugh has been used to advantage here. The fun gets fast and furious when the hero finds a bear right behind him on a narrow ledge 1 and becomes so frightened that he makes- a seemingly impossible leap. When he later tries to lassoo a projecting crag and gets the bear's nose instead, and ends'in being pulled up whether or no, it would take a frozen face to refrain from real laughter." A strong cast appears in "Lord Jim," the leading players being Percy Marmont, Shirley Mason, Noah Beery and Raymond Hatton. It is a tale of the sea, and concerns a sailor who deserts his ship in a moment of danger, and spends the remainder of his life attempting to live down the name "coward," which is attached to him. MAJESTIC THEATRE. A vivid story of life in the Parisian underworld is told in "The Masked Bride," a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production, featuring Mae Murray, which commences at the Majestic Theatre to-mor-row. Gaby, a beautiful child of the slums, had been reared in the sordid surroundings of an underworld cabaret; her whole life had been influenced by this environment and by the evil life of her dancing partner, Antoine. She becomes engaged to Grover, an American millionaire, whom she plans to rob with her partner on her wedding day. The plot is discovered and Gaby is about to be handed over to the pol'ce when Grover shows hi", love for her and the interrupted wedding ceremony is continued. The role of the millionaire is taken by Francis X. Bushman, who is said to have been the world's most popular screen star in 1916, when, after some years on the stage, he resumed film work. Fabulous values are attached to the gowns and jewels worn by Miss Mae Murray. Her decorations are features ot a dramatic picture, and she is to bo seer in a glittering arrav of beautiful gowns One of her striking garments is a costume of metallic beads, which were especially fitted by a firm of Paris jewellers. The supporting programme will include the third series of Phonofilm* and topical pictures. As one of the series of famous scenes from grand opera, "The Daughter of the Regiment" will be presented. It is being produced by Madame Irene Ainsley. The overture will be Nicolai's "Merry Wives of Windsor." GRAND THEATRE. Owing to its popularity in Auckland some weeks ago a return season has been arranged for the "American \enus," which opens for a week at the Grand Theatre tomorrow. The picture is considered to be a film masterpiece, and is rich in luxurious settings, beautiful co-stumes and wonderful scenic effects." The story is by Townsend Martin, and is built round a nation-wide search for America's most beautiful girl. An interesting love story concerning one of the contestants and' an enterprising young publicity man is woven into the theme. In addition to a bathing beauty contest, there is a magnificent fashion display in which some of New York's loveliest mannequins wear the latest modes before the camera. This fashion show and the series of artistic tableaux, which is another lavish feature of the production, are filmed in colour. The leading male roles in "The American Venus" are portrayed by Lawrence Gray, who was Gloria Swanson's leading man in 'Stage Struck"; Ford Sterling, noted film comedian, and W. T. Benda, the internationally famous artist. Frank Tuttle directed the picture, which is based on Frederick Stowers' screen adaptation. QUEEN'S THEATRE. "The Bandit's Baby," in which Fred Thomson appears to great advantage, will be screened at the Queen's Theatre for the first time to-morrow. Among the exciting events in the film are a horse race at a rodeo, a desperate dash for freedom on the part of the hero, and a race, on horseback to save a child which is in danger of being run over by a train. The programme will also include ''Cytherea," a First National release with a strong cast, including Lewis Stone, Alma Rubens, Norman Kerry, Irene' Rich and Constance Bennett. The film was directed by George Fitzmaurice, and is adapted from a novel by Joseph Hergesheimer. Much of the action takes place on the beautiful island of Cuba, and the picturesqueness of the scenery is enhanced by colour photography.

DIXIELAND CABARET. Dancing will be held at the Dixieland Cabaret this evening. The Dixieland international orchestra will play. The next long night will be "A Night in China."

STRAND THEATRE.

Gene Stratton Porter's widely-read novel, "A Girl of the Limberlost," will be seen in screen form, together with a film version of Jack London's popular story, "White Fang," at the Strand Theatre for the first time to-morrow. The story of the former picture concerns a girl whose mother has shown nothing but hatred for her since the death of her husband. She grows up unloved and accustomed to finding solace in her own company. In spite of the opposition of her mother she enters the high school, struggling to save enough money to educate herself. A professional naturalist, the Bird Woman, teaches the girl how to collect and preserve rare moths and butterflies, and how to market them for other collectors. When graduation time approaches the girl needs only one moth to complete a collection worth several hundred dollars, which - will enable her to finish her education. Many incidents which serve to make a highly-dramatic story occur before the girl finally secures the desired moth. An unusual romance is interwoven with the story. Gloria Grey, Emily Fitzroy, Raymond McK.ee, and Cullen Landis have tlie principal roles. The famous wolf-dog, Strongheart, plays a prominent part in "White fang, ' which is a remarkably gripping and dramatic film. The plot is laid amid the wide panorama of the northern snows, and the picture is said to contain some of the most beautiful scenes yet shown upon the screen. The ferocious, starving, blcodhunting wolf pack appears again and again in the picture, and is seen circling and circling in and out around the toiling wanderers on the snowy wastes of Alaska. The pack is seen not only in distant "long shots," but also in a number of "close-ups" of a battle between a trapper whose last cartridge is gone and a score of ravening wolves. There follows the stirring rescue of the stricken hero, a fight between the sltki-dogs, and a battle over the division of the gold. Theodore von Eltz, Ruth Dwyer, and Mathew Betz have the principal roles. The supporting programme will include a cartoon comedy, "The Burglar's Alarm," and topical films. Boccherini s "Minuet" will be given as a special musical item.

NATIONAL AND LYRIC. "Egypt, with its Oriental glamour and atmosphere of intrigue that mystifies the Occidental mind, furnishes the setting for 'lnfatuation,' adapted from W. Somerset Maughan's play, 'Caesar's Wife,' " writes an American reviewer. "Infatuation," with Corinne Griffith in the principal role, will be the main attraction on to day's new programme at tho National and Lyric Theatres. The picture was directed by Irving Cummings and is released by First National. Corinne Griffith is cast as a fascinating young Englishwoman, who, in spite of an initial dislike for what she terms his inhuman method of warfare, marries an English general, who is in charge in Egypt. Business and secret diplomacy which he does not share with her result in loneliness, and she finds solace in the lovo of a subordinate. Faced with a situation where her husband is in peril she rushes to his rescue and realises her real lovo for him and that she has only been infatuated with tho younger man. The supporting cast includes Percy Marmont, Malcolm McGregor and Warner Olaud. A William Fcx production, " Black Paradise," starring Edmund Lowe and Madge Bellamy, is the second featured film. It is a melodramatic tale of the underworld in which Lowe appears as a young secret service agent who follows a criminal to an isolated island in the South Seas on a rumrunner and falls in love with the girl who has accompanied her sweetheart on board the ship. It is a story filled with thrills and clever comedy. There are some exciting chases in fast speed boats as the young criminal escapes to the sailing barque already headed out to sea and dramatic scenes on board ship when the young detective discovers that he is in the midst of a gang of thieves and murderers. The climax is sudden and totally unexpected.

TIVOLI AND EVERYBODY'S. Universal-Jewel's latest special production, "His People," will be screened at the Tivoli and Everybody's Theatres for the first time to-day. The absolute naturalness of the story and its truth to life are said to be its outstanding characteristics. It tells of the simple life of an exiled Russian Jew in New York, but the characters are said to be portrayed with such remarkable skill that the picture cannot fail to hold the interest of the audience. The story is simplicity itself, and concerns tho drab life of an old refugee from Russia living in the Ghetto of New York, eking out an existence by selling from a stall the simple garments made by the unceasing labour of his faithful wife. He has two sons, one a larrikin who sells papers and brings home the profits to his mother, and the elder a bookish prig who is the idol of his father's heart. Time passes and the character of the two boys remains unchanged. The elder acquits himself at college and is a clerk in the law office of a judge, and falling in love with his employer's daughter, denies his father and mother in order that there may be no bar to his marriage with the girl, but the larrikin son. although turned out of home, undertakes a fight against, almost overwhelming odds in tackling the local boxing champion for a purse of 1000 dollars, a sum which will take his ailing father to the better climate of California. The critic of the New York Mirror wrote of the film as follows"What cool water is to the perished desert traveller, 'His People' is to this jazz-crazed picture era. 'His People' gives us that fine old artist,Rudolph Schildkraut, in the glorious characterisation of David Cominsky, You can see David Cominsky any day on the East Side, grizzled, slow-moving, too kind-'nearted to more than scrape a bare livelihood, learned with the fine teachings of the Bible and the great writers of to-day, but mostly yesterday. This picture is a beautiful testimonial from Carl Laemmle and those involved in its making to an institution that seems to have been pushed into the dim background—the family."

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS' CARNIVAL. All the pomp and splendour of a Royal court were faithfully enacted in a colourful and brilliant setting in the Town Hail last evening when the final Roman Catholic boys' schools' carnival took p!ac<k The coronation of the queen-elect, Miss Vola Cunningham, after the official investiture and procession, presented a pretty spectacle. The effect of the elaborate costumes of the heralds, pages and attendants was further enhanced, by coloured lights. Great applause greeted a clever dancing ensemble at the conclusion of the ceremony. Appropriate organ music was rendered by Mr. Harry Hiscocks. Miss Nell Ormond played the accompaniments.

GOUNOD'S "FAUST." A full concert performance of Gounod's "Faust" will be presented at the Town Hall this evening under the auspices of the Auckland Choral Society. The great English tenor, Mr. Arthur Jordan, whose voice is described as one of beautiful quality, will represent Faust. The singing part of Mephistopheles is takeD by Mr. Harison Cook, the Carl Rosa hasso. A fine cast has been selected to sing the minor parts and the whole performance should prove to be of a high musical standard , BAND PERFORMANCES. The Municipal Band will give a free musical recital in the Town Hall on Sunday evening next. Special items in a fine programme are Brahms' "Academic Festival" overture, suite "Scenes in Maonland" and Liszt's Rhapsody .No W The Royal Artillery Band wiilplaya selected programme in Albert ?* rk ™ Sundav afternoon next. A c Welfare be taken up in aid of the An.mal Welfare League.

PIANOFORTE RECITAL.

A very successful pianoforte recital was given la:it evening in the Unity Hall, tipper Queen Street, by Mr. Ronald Chamberlain, who has recently been conducting the annual musical examinations under the auspices of Trinity College, London. It was gratifying to note that there were so few vacant seats in the hall, and the attention bestowed upon the exacting programme numbers was an eloquent tribute to the abilities of the recitalist, who played almost continuouslv from memory for an hour and a-half. Mr. Chamberlain is a pianist of high attainments and wide sympathies, and his masterful technique enabled him to make light of the difficulties of his chosen pieces. Such a formidable list as was put •forward at this recital would have dismayed most players, and it is to the credit of the interpreter that, with the exception of some inequality of treatment of the opening Chopin " Sonata" opus 58, lie emerged from the ordeal with the greatest ease. In the Sonata the first movement with its profusion of themes and rich details, paved the way for the beautiful and winding figures of the " Scherzo" section and the subsequent movements. More notable was the performance of the same composer's First " Ballade" in G Minor, and here the brilliant passage work, and dramatic fire of the composition were finely expressed. The revolutionary "moderns " were represented by Debussy Bax, and Scriabin, the height of interest being aroused by the group of studies by the last-mentioned composer. The numbers, " A Capriccio " and " Tempestoso," were sound technical examples, and keenly appreciated. In the Schumann, " Kreisleriana " op, 16, and the colossal " Etudes Symphoniques" marked versatility was shown, and tho moods of the music were fully expressed. Mr. Chamberlain was heartily applauded after each group, and at the close of the recitals he was compelled to again return to the platform.