ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19517, 22 December 1926, Page 10

ENTERTAINMENTS.

MARIE BURKE IN "KATJA." "Katja," the London musical comedy success, is to be staged hero for the first time at His Majesty's Theatre on Monday afternoon next (Boxing Day) by tlie J, C. Williamson, Ltd., New Musical Comedy Company, headed by Miss Ma.rie Burke. She will be remembered for her brilliant performance in "Wildflower," when this opera created a furore of enthusiasm in Auckland. Miss Burke and the members of the company arrived from Sydney yesterday. "Katja" is saicl to have quality not usually associated with the typo of musical comedy produced in recent years and is, it is said, suggestive of the best Gilbert and Sullivan operas. "This is particularly true," wrote a critic recently, "in the first act, when the whole atmosphere of the production is dramatic. Movement begins with the rise of the curtain and it proceeds with a swing to the finale, with a thrilling climax at the end of the second act." One of the outstanding features of "Katja" is the comedy element, and with this in the hands of the clever London light comedian, Mr. R. Barrett-Len-nard and Mr. Cecil Ivellaway, the audience should be kept highly amused. Another feature of the opera is the dancing of Miss Babette Odeal. Miss Thelma Burners has a splendid singing and. acting part as Pat Orpitch, and Mir. Herbert Browne is happily cast .in the excellent singing role of Prince Carl. The chorus work is said to be excellent and a full operatic orchestra is under the direction of Mr. Harry Burton. Owing to the brevity of the season, only a limited number of representations carx be staged of "Katja," and during the season "Wildflower" will be revived. The box plans arrangements are advertised. PRINCESS AND TIVOLI. Excellent holiday entertainment will be offered at the Princess and Tivoli Theatres commencing to-morrow. Heading a fine programme will bo the screen adaptation of Sir James Barrie's charming story " A Kiss for Cinderella." Three facts combine to make this feature worthy of the best yet offered by the Paramount Corporation. These are the imaginative whimsicality of Barrie, the directorial artistry of Herbert Brenon, and the piquant personality of Betty Bronson, who is cast in the principal role. •Unlike " Peter Pan," " A Kiss for Cinderella " is not entirely pure fancy. It is a vivid, appealing, modern-day romance, laid against the very realistic background of the London slums, with a lovable little heroine in the person of a lonely, half-starved waif, and a sympathetic policeman as hero. The locale is London during war-time. The action takes place in a London street at the beginning of an air raid, an artist's studio, the quaint Penny Friend shop, a section of the London slums, a magnificent ballroom and an. English seaside cottage. The story ;of this little Cinderella, who dreams of the day when she will be invited to a marvellous ball where a handsome prince will pick her i out as his princess, is one that only Barrie could nave written, altogether delightful, filled with tears and laughter, and enlivened by all those whimsical touches that are part and parcel of every Barrie tale. Betty Bronson, who showed in " Peter Pan " that she possesses that wistful, elusive quality so necessary for the peaceful portrayal of a Barrie heroine, gives a finished performance. She lives the role of Cinderella, thereby lifting the character from make-believe into the real. Tom Moore plays the part of the fairy prince who turns out to be a policeman. Esther Ralston makes a lovable fairy godmother, while Dorothy Camming and Flora Finch are also included in a distinguished supporting cast. The story of a girl's courageous fight against_ the glamour of New York theatrical life, and of how, by her great spirit and sympathy, she eventually persuades the wealthy young man she loves to leave the vortex of Broadway, forms the background of a powerful melodrama in which Evelyn Brent gives the most vivid portrayal of her career* " A Broadway Lady" is the title of Miss Brent's most recent production, which will be shown in support of " A Kiss for Cinderella," The cast includes Joyce Compton and Johnny Gough. NATIONAL AND LYRIC. A fine racing picture, " The Futurity Winner,'' from the story by Joseph Louis Vance, is the chief attraction on the Christmas week programme commencing to-morrow at the National and Lyric Theatres. Besides many exciting racing scenes are pathetic incidents which should awaken keen interest in the story. The scene showing the old Southern colonel, a victim of a-banker's duplicity, owing to which he is sent to prison for embezzlement, is- especially pathetic. There is considerable comedy, too, caused by two convicts whom the colonel had befriended while in prison, and whom he had invited to visit him on the expiry of their sentences. Kenneth Harlan and Patsy Ruth Miller head a capable cast of players. The second picture, " Hanson's Folly," is an adaptation of the famous story of the Indian wars by Richard Harding Davis. Richard Barthelmess plays the role of Lieutenant Ra.nson, an adventurous soldier, who embroils himself in sundry difficulties on account of his dare-devil disposition, Dorothy Mackaill is seen opposite the star. She has the part of a daughter of a Western pioneer. After a series of thrilling episodes she finally wins the hand oi" the dashing soldier. STRAND THEATRE. Two fine pictures, "The Clash of the Wolves" and "Money Talks," will, form the double-feature programme to com" mence showing at the Strand Theatre on Friday. The first is a vivid drama which moves against the gorgeous background of the Sierras, far from the homeis of men. Here the wolf-pack lived until a forest fire drove them down into the valley. Rin-Tin-Tin, the wonder dog of the screen, i:j seen as Lobo, leader of the wolves. He is fierce and terrifying until he is found wounded! by the girl and treated gently. In the end, Lobo the outlaw "became Lobo the hero. This other attraction, "Money Talks," is described as a fast-moving comedy that provokes constant hilarity. Claire Windsor and Owen Moore, in the leading roles, are seen as a young couple who have a series of exciting and humorous adventures. The husband, a cheerful optimist, charters a vessel and, with a cfew of invalids, goes to sea, in search of health and happiness. Their capture by rumrunners and their escape lead up to an exciting climax. In addition, a cartoon, "Raisin Cake," and the Strand Magazine will be shown. The Strand Symphony Orchestra will play the overture "Christmas Greetings" and "Slavonic Rhapsody." RIALTO AND REGENT. Entertainment of a high order charafcferises the holiday programmes at the Rialto and Regent Theatres. The success:ful Paramount film, "Miss Brewster's Millions," adopted from the popular novel by Georgo .Barr McCutcheon, will be the principal attraction at both theatres commencing on Christmas Eve. An uncle leaves Polly Brewster a fortune of a million dollarsi on condition she invests it. Another uncle, annoyed at this action, bequeaths a much larger amount to the girl, but he provides that she must dispose of ! it within six months. Crazy inventions and impossible schemes offer avenues for investments with no hope of returns. And in three months some of the schemes bear fruit, making it harder to get rid ot the million. Finally Polly succeeds in spending the last few dollars by knocking down a man with her car. From then on- ! ward the action is fast and furious, making an excellent farce comedy. Bebe Daniels heads a strong cast, including Warner Baxter and Ford Sterling. At the Rialto Theatre only the supporting feature will be " The Transcontinental Limited," a stirring melodrama of the railroad Johnnie Walker has the leading role. j

NEW REGENT THEATRE, i Not since " The Covered Wagonhas Paramount achieved as great a picture," declare;} a critic, of " Beau Ceste," Paramount "ii latest special production, which | will be screened for the first time at the : opening of the New Regent Theatre on i Friday. " The first scene, ' says the critic, " shows the stretches of the desert Math a hody of the Legion moving to the relief of a beleaguered garrison. Camel trains and infantry people the snowy sands;., distributed with the skill that marks the best work of the European directors. This fine handling of the mobs in 'Tiro Loves of Pharaoh,' which were so widely acclaimed at the time, gave us nothing better than the effects achieved by Herbert Brerion in this and" later scenes. Ho crashes in on the mind of the spectators by the very immensity of his appeal, and then sweeps on to the little desert outpost where the dead legionaries still man tlio battlements, achieving in death the victory that was denied them living." The programme will also include selected vaudeville items by Zoe Delphine arid Company , spectacular novelty dancer!!, -whose act will be entitled " In a Paris Cafe," and Hilda Nelson, celebrated English, soprano. DOMINION SCREEN CONTEST. The Dominion contest now being conducted by First National Pictures on behalf of Producers' Distributing Corporation offers to New Zealand girls an exceptional opportunity of attaining screen fame. The Auckland section of the contest will be carried out at the National and Lyric Theatres. All that is required of entrants is to fill in the entry form and send it, with a portrait or fulifigure photograph, or, if possible, both, to the Casting Office. First National Pictures, P.O. Box 1308, Wellington. From the photographs received tho casting director will select 30 girls to compete in the Auckland semi-finals. Studio screen tests of the selected semi-finalists will be made in Auckland, and exhibited at. the National and Lyric Theatres, The Auckland finalists will then meet those from Wellington, Christ-church and Dunedin in Auckland on February 17. The winner of the Dominion contest will receive a free trip for herself arid chaperone to Melbourne, where she will compete in the Australasian Finals. Tho ultimate winner of the contest in Melbourne is to receive a ten weeks' contract engagement in Producers' Distributing Corporation pictures at Hollywood, at a salary of £2O a month. In addition, all expenses to America and back will he- paid for both the winner and her chaperone. On arrival at Hollywood, the winner will take part in a picture which Cecil B. de Mille, the famous director, is to make. The male star in this picture will be Rod La Rocque, and a prominent role will be allotted to the contest winner. Among the prominent players included in the huge organisation, of Producers' Distributing Corporation are Leatrico Joy, Marie Provost, Elinor Fair and Vera Reynolds. The opportunity of acting with siuch popular stars is so unique that intending entrants should lose no time in filling in the entry form which forms part of the .advertisement published in another .column. EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. An excellent picture for the holiday season has been secured by the management of Everybody's Theatre, and will commence showing to-morrow* The film is entitled " Wandering Footsteps,"'and is described as a most original film' play. In the picture the young hero is played by Bryant, Washburn, who quickly recognises temperamental kinshrp between himself and Alec B. Francis, who plays the part of the older man, and at once adoptis him as his "father." True, they both are drunk, and neither remembers anything about it the next morning. To Hal Whitney the legal papers of the act of adoption, by which he has acquired a "father," come by mail a little later as a very great surprise. But he succeeds a« a dutiful and affectionate son, and the older man succeeds as a father, spirtnally, and after a while materially, by marrying the young man's mother. The female side of the cast is assisted by Estelle Taylor, who has many claims to fame other than being the wife of Jack Dempsey. Her I work in " A Fool There Was " and " The : Ten Commandments " will long be remembered. The supporting feature will be " Jimmie's_ Millions," an entertaining picture in which Richard Talmadge has ample scops to dsplay his athletic ability, t' THE. BLACK PIRATE.'-"' "Colourful is, the only word that, literally as well as figuratively, describes 'The Black Pirate'," says a critic in commenting on Douglas Fairbanks' newest production, which will be shown at the Majestic Theatre for the first time on. Friday, Not only is it a rollicking;, romantic tale of adventure, but also :it has been filmed entirely in natural colour. Through the judicious selection of shades there a.re no unnatural colours to disturb the dramatic action: Not only do the picturesque costumes, elaborately ornamented vessels and beautiful backgrounds make this an ideal story for colour photography, but also it has been handled so well that story and colour supplement, but never obtrude on each other. Fairbanks has ample opportunity of using to advantage his dashing personality and athletic physique a,s well as of matching his wits against his opponents, Amongother exciting incidents is one where, in capturing a ship single-handed, he -goes to the top of the masts and, thrusting his sword up to the hilt in the top of the! sails ho grasps the handle, letting himself: down easily to the deck and at the same time cutting the sail in two and rendering it useless. A comedy and the Majestic _ News will also "he shown. The Majestic All Soloists Orchestra will p]av the overture ''Christinas Greetings"" and there will be a prologue to "The Black Pirate," t "THE: SPOEIT OF KINGS." When lan Hay devised his devoir and farcical comedy, "The Sport of Kings," which will be produced at His Majesty's Theatre to-night for the first time in New Zealand, he had in mind the oftexpressed belief that kneaded in the original clay of humanity there was at least one grain of the gambling spirit. Ancl in the three acts, which are aaid to be boisterously funny, he succeeds, in showing that the gambling spirit, tike tho influenza, is no respecter of persons. In the first act Algernon Sprigg (Joseph Cunningham) preaches the gospel that in every human being there exists the gerfli of gambling and . that it can be made to sprout. The second act shows how Algie goes to work op what at first looks like the toughest of raw material and wins. The "Sport of Kings" will be played for two nights only, when the English Comedy Company conclude their sieason, FERRIS JAZZLAND REVUE CO. Something entirely new in vaudeville will be offered by tho Ferris Jaxzland Revue Company, which will open a season at the Town Hall next Monday evening. The members of this company, which has | been referred to as "America's greatest; aggregation of coloured ente-rfainen;," are experts in jazz;, and are the first company of their kind to visit New Zealand. Comedy, dancing, singing and music all help toward making a varied entertainment of the highest class. Included in the company's ydzz band are four girls; who are said to be splendid musicians, and when this band starts the audience is supplied with the brightest of jazz music. Plantation melodies and pastimes bold a high place in the show, as do the special dancing numbers, which include the "Charleston." There is also a great comedy number entitled, " A One Man Quadrille." Arrangements for booking are advertised. •