ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20263, 24 May 1929, Page 15

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"THE ICING OF KAWAU." "Tho King of Kawau," or "Seventy Millions," will bo presented for the la3t time by the Auckland University College students at St. James' Theatre this evening. Tho play concerns tho "King of Kawau" and his financial difficulties. The production comprises bright and original songs, clever sketches and ballet numbers. The ballets have been designed and arranged by Madame Valeska. An excellent musical programme has been arranged by Mr. T. Sparling. The cast includes: Misses Freda Gaudin, Ruth Walker and Jean MacCormick, and Messrs. A. H. 11. Friar-Raisher, F. Martin, J. Gregorv, D. Plurnmcr, R. Fenwick, J. E. Forde and R. £. L. Aubin. THE MIDNIGHT FROLICS. The Midnight Frolics will conclude a memorable season at His Majesty's Theatre on Saturday night and there will be a special matinee on Saturday afternoon. Record houses have been greeting Mr. Ciem Dawe and his talented associates and intending patrons on Saturday will no doubt view the remnants of the box plans as early as possible. ST. JAMES' THEATRE. Mr. Pat Hanna and his popular " Diggers" will appear for a short season at St. James' Theatre, commencing at the matinee to-morrow afternoon. An extensive and varied repertoire of songs and sketches will be presented by the company,, which consists of 25 versatile revue artists. Entertainment of a novel and high standard is promised, and a successful season is anticipated. Tho booking arrangements are advertised. REGENT THEATRE. Splendid entertainment is provided in "The Shopworn Angel." tho Paramount talking picture which is being presented at the Regent Theatre. The story concerns a young soldier who wins the love of a Broadway Follies' dancer. The girl's happiness is threatened by events of her past life, which she has not revealed to her lover. How the story is eventually brought to an unusual climax makes an absorbing picture. The leading roles are played by Nancy Carroll and Gary Cooper. The synchronisation includes all the sound effects of the rehearsals of a large musical comedy company, while the musical score, which is rendered by an orchestra of 80 instruments, is excellently recorded. The dialogue of the marriage scene embraces an entire reel of the picture, and the singing of "A Precious 'Little Thing Called Love" by Nancy Carroll is a feature of tho production. There is an excellent supporting programme of "talkie" subjects. "West of Zanzibar," a soundsynchronised picture featuring Lon Chaney, is the principal attraction of the programme to commence on Monday. It is a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production, a drama of primitive emotions in a wild jungle. It is said to show Chaney in one of his most remarkable roles, that of a former stage magician Who, paralysed in a fight with his wife's lover, follows his enemy into the continent, using his magic to terrorise and rule the natives and to wreak a terrible revenge. No more outstanding cast has ever been assembled for "a picture. It includes Mary Nolan, Warner Baxter, Lionel Barrymore, Kalla Pasha, Roscoe Ward and Jane Daly. PLAZA THEATRE.' Permitted by science to throw his fine voice into the remote theatres -of the globe, A 1 Jolson, who appears in "The Singing Fool," which is meeting with such a remarkable success at the Plaza Theatre, must be acclaimed as a rare artist. He is first the singing waiter in a second-rate cabaret. He enjoys mediocre popularity until he sings for a large producer. There are .some bright cabaret scenes, in which scores of dancers step to a vigorous band. Jolson's voice rings from the screen with great clarity, and the fidelity of the Vitaphone reproduction is consistent throughout. The bolt falls when Jolson is called to the death-bed of his child. The infant voice from the screen is one of the strong emotional factors in the picture. From the gloom of the hospital Jolson goes to his theatre. There is no frustrating the clamouring audience. Jolson, now the negro, attains the climax in pathos in the final scenes. Betty Bronson and . Josephine Dunn have the leading feminine roles, the one a shallow wife, and the other the overlooked woman, who admires the artist from the distance and becomes his champion when the domestic situation breaks. There is a splendid programme of supporting talkie subjects, including songs by Giovanni. Martinelli, numbers by Mischa Elman, the violinist, a burlesque of opera players by the Howard Brothers, and a setting of a monastery cell is used for the remarkable offering of a quartette of cowled friars. MAJESTIC THEATRE. Many prominent English players appear in "Troublesome Wives," one of the attractions of a promising doublefeature programme to be shown at the Majestic Theatre to-day. It is a matrimonial comedv in which Mabel Poulton, the foremost "English actress, has the leading role. The story is told of two j young women who, piqued at their husbands' apparent absorption in their work, become involved in a series of adventures which demand from them n large measure of courage and resourcefulness. Both husbands are aviators, and so engrossed is one of them in his work that on the very day of his wedding he rushes off to attend to his plane, which is entered for a race on tho following day. It is the girl a determination to teach him a lesson that leads to tho exciting developments. Prominent members of the cast are Eric Bransby Williams, Roy Russell, Reginald Fox and Lilian Oldland. A further attraction is a film made with the cooperation of the German Admiralty and the Australian Naval Board, The Exploits of the Emden." The picture has been produced in Germany, and is said to depict in vivid realism the exploits ot the German raider Emden from the time when she first entered the war until that eventful day when sho was defeated bv H.M.A.S. Sydney off the Cocos Islands. The supporting programme includes a Majestic and a comedy, "Plumb Dumb. LYRIC AND GRAND. An absorbing romance is said to be unfolded in "The Street Angel, which heads the programme to be presentert at the Lvric and Grand Theatres to-day. With 'the picturesque city of Naples as a background, the story tells of the adventures of an artist and a waif of the waterfront. From being comrades in misfortune, the two learn to love each other. The girl's happiness, however, is threatened by certain indiscretions committed in her past. The climax is both unexpected and agreeable. lhe leading roles aro played by the wellknown artists, Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell. The supporting attraction, "Trent's Last Case," has been adapted from tho mystery novel of tho same name by E. C. Bentley. The plot revolves round the figure of a saturnine cripple, who plans" to shoot himself in such a way as to bring a charge of murder against his wife's lover. Iho surprising climax is said to make the picture ono of tho most unusual film dramas of tho year. The leading roles aro played by Raymond Griffith, Raymond Hatton, Marceline Day, Lawrence Gray and Donald Crisp. MOULIN ROUGE THEATRE. The vivacious Clara Bow has a congenial role in the swiftly-moving drama "Three Week-ends," which heads the programme at the Moulin Rouge Theatre this evening. Tho supporting feature is "True Heaven," in which George O'Brien plays the leading role.

STRAND THEATRE. The •exploits of a notorious bandit, the Cisco Kiel, and his love for a beautiful girl, Touia Maria, form the theme <of "In Old Arizona," the all "talkie" picture which heads the current programme at the Strand Theatre. The story opens with the offer of a substantial reward for the capture of the Cisco Kid. Sergeant Mickey Dunn, a daring cavalryman, is commissioned to find the bandit. Ha induces Tonia Maria to betray her lover,. The Cisco Kid learns of the plot, however, and exacts a terrible vengeance. Warner jj Baxter, Edmund Lowe and Dorothy Bur-, gess play the leading roles, while there is a strong supporting cast. The remarkable photography and sound reproduction are features of the production. A variety of "talkie" subjocts is included in the supporting programme. The attractions comprise items by the popular jazz artist, Ben Berate, and his orchestra of 16 players, the Royal Hawaiian Singers in "Honolulu Melodies" and English stage comedienne, Beatrice Lille. The programme is completed by an interesting Fox Movietone News, depicting events of a world-wide nature. CRYSTAL PALACE THEATRE. An attractive programme, comprising "Honour Above All," and "Name the Woman," will be presented at the Crystal Palace Theatre this evening. "Honour Above All" is a powerful and absorbing storv replete with dramatic and exciting incidents. As the leading players Leatrice Joy and Nils Asther are said to give convincing portrayals. A surprising climax to a series of complications is revealed ir the second attraction "Name the Woman," in which Anita _ Stewart is' the principal. The supporting programme is; of the usual high standard. HIPPODROME PANTOMIME. School children are specially catered for at the holiday matinees which are being held daily at the Hippodrome Theatre. The main attraction is the favourite Aladdin pantomime, which is interpreted by a cast ot' 50 talented performers. The magician, the cave of jewels and the slave of the lamp are all represented. The supporting feature is the appearance of Worth's performing animals, including one of tho smallest ponies in the world, and Tarzan, a clever monkey. There is also an excellent pictorial programme. NATIONAL THEATRE. An exc silent double-feature programme, comprising "The Speeding Venus" and " Girls Clone Wild," will be presented at the National Theatre to-day. Romantic and exciting incidents abound in the first attraction, " The Speeding Venus." The popular actress Priscilla Dean plays the leading role in this comedy-drama. Tlie second feiture, " Girls Gone Wild," is a William E"ox production. The leading roles are played by Sue Carol and Nick Stuart. .An excellent comedy and an interesting gazette complete the pictorisil programme:. Incidental music of a high standard mil be rendered by F. Barfclett's orchestra.