ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20767, 9 January 1931, Page 14

ENTERTAINMENTS.

PLAZA THEATRE. " Dixiana," the colourful extravaganza which will commence a season at the Plaza Theatre to-day, is described as being tlie first song play to be produced on the screen. The story would bo a dramatic triumph without music, and the addition of tho appealing orchestral and vocal music has made " Dixiana" an outstanding production. Miss Bebo Daniels, whose soprano voico was a feature of " Llio Rita," eclipses all her previous performances. Apart from tier excellent singing, Miss Daniels gives a convincing portrayal of a rolo which calls for difficult dramatic acting. The lending male vole is taken by Everett Marshall, who, although new to the screen, is not new to the world of dramatic and music interpretation. A dist.ii/guished young member of tho Metropolitan Opera Company, Marshall is tho possessor of a rich and attractive baritone voice. This charming musical drama and romance, which describes the care-free life of tho gay south in New Orleans of 1840, with its Mardi Gras and lavish carnivals, has its lighter moments in the antics of tho inimitable comedians, Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey. These well-matched mirth-makers have already won popularity with Auckland audiences by their remarkable performances in "Rio Rita" and " The Cuckoos." Other prominent players arc Jobnya Howland, Dorothy Lee, Joseph Cawthorn and Ralf Ilarolde. Some of tho tuneful melodies aro " Dixiana," " A Tear, A Kiss, A Smile," and " I'm Your Baby Now." Hall's negro chorus is heard to advantage in pleasing spirituals and southern melodies.' Special interest is attached to the appropriate costuming. The women, dressed in crinolines, hoop skirts, basques and leg-o'-mutton sleeves of days long sinco vanished, recall the tender romances and the glamorous atmosphere of those limes. ihe men, garbed in top bats, barn door trousers and the flowing adornments of the 1840's, bring back the stately charm, grace and chivalry of a period in American history. Tho' dances include oldtime negro " hoe-downs," Virginia reels, polkas and schottisches, as well as modern dances. A trained chorus of 150 dancers is seen in the ballet and solo exhibitions. No fewer than 5000 people take part in the ensemble scenes. ST. JAMES' THEATRE. The drama of a great opera singer's life is powerfully outlined in "Romance," tho Metro-Goldwyn-Maver film at present attracting largo audiences to St. James Theatre. Miss Greta Garbo, the talented and beautiful Swedish actress, gives a memorable portrayal in the role of Rita Cavallini, the Italian prima donna whose appearance in New York of last century causes an upheaval in the life of Tom Armstrong, a young clergyman. While nt an evening given by Cornelius Van Tuyl, he meets the charming actress and before he realises, ho finds himself passionately in love. She herself experiences, for tho first time in her life, the pangs of true love. She fights against herself for she realises what her influence would mean in the yonrig minister's life, lie idealises her and when information comes to him of some incidents in her past life, he can hardly believe it. Rita, purposely accentuates the evil of her past, wounding herself it\ order to cure him of his infatuation, which would mean the ruin of his career, and in these scenes Miss Garbo gives ari unforgettable exhibition of dramatic acting. Lewis Stone, noted for his fine, restrained acting, lakes the part, of Cornelius Vaii Tuyl, while Gavin Gordon, a prominent actor of the New York stage, plays the part of Tom Armstrong. The supporting programme includes newsreels, an appealing colourlone revue entitled "In a Clockmaker's Shop," and a comedy in which well-trained dogs take all" the parts. NATIONAL THEATRE. Mornn and Mack, known throughout the English-speaking world as "The Two Black Crows," whose gramophone records have earned them great popularity, appear in " Anybody's War," which opened a season at the National Theatre to large audiences yesterday. The story concerns the experiences of two " darkies" who join the allied forces during the war, and it is in many respects funnier than the two comedians' previous picture, " Why Bring That Up?" An element of romance is introduced by Joan Peers and Neil Hamilton, who are seen as a pair of youthful lovers, while two clever trained dogs also play important parts in lite production. The story opens in a little town on the banks of the Mississippi, where Willie Crow is the town's dogcatcher. The influence of a dusky cook induces the two negroes to join the forces. Abundant humour is provided by the antics of tho comedy pair, together with their dogs, on the troopship and later in camp. Opportunity is given for countless witticisms, which keep audiences continually amused, while, when they reach the trenches, the fun becomes fast and furious. ROXY THEATRE. Lovers of virile out-door romances of tho Western States of America aro well catered for in the programme at present being shown at the Roxy Theatre. Besides exhibiting remarkable skill as a daring horseman, Ken. Maynard is heard to advantage in several entertaining songs in "Sons of the Saddle," in which he is seen as an adventure-loving ranch •foreman who sets out to bring to heel a band of notorious cattle thieves. Ho reveals considerable talent in his singing of tho two rollicking songs, "Down the Home Trail With You" and "Trail Herd Song." " Spurs," which will also be shown, is notable for thrilling action and the splendid performance given by Hoot Gibson, another accomplished horseman. TIVOLI AND RIALTO THEATRES. The " amateur cracksman," who has lived in tho pages of Ihe widely-read series of short stories by E. W. Hornung, is splendidly portrayed by the popular actor Ronald Oolman in " Raffles," the United Artists production, which will open a season at the Tivolj and Rialto Theatres this evening. As the refined and cultured Englishman who finds an outlet for bis love of adventure by undertaking a number of daring jewel thefts, Mr. Colman is as much at his ease as he was ill the part of tho youthful French convict in " Condemned." In order to be worthy of the love, of a society girl the debonair Raffles renounces bis criminal activities, only to be brought back to them to help an intimate friend in financial straits. CRYSTAL PALACE THEATRE. A dramatic rolo is played by Nancy Carroll in " The Devil's Holiday," the Paramount film beading the current programme at the Crystal Palace Theatre. The second attraction, " Tho Gay Nineties," is an amusing film satirising the manners and habits of tho closing years of last century. EMPRESS THEATRE. Two favourites of western outdoor films aro seen in tho current programme at the Empress Theatre. Jack Holt appears in Zano Grey's well-known romance, "The Border Legion," and Ken Maynard takes tho chief part in " Sons of the Saddle." LYRIC THEATRE. Various aspects of modern marriage and divorce are dealt with in a convincing manner in " The Divoicee," which will be shown ;ig;iin this evening tit the Lyric Theatre. Miss Norma Shearer, the up pealing and gifted actress of "The Last of Mrs. Chevney." has the. part fit" a disillusioned wife who adopts Ihe same moral standards as her wayward husband.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. " Elstroe Calling" is the title of a novel film, produced by British International Films, and presenting some of the most talented artists of the London vaudeville stage, which will open a season at the Majestic Theatre to-rlay. Although the picture differs from the usual type of film production, the introduction of a " wireless announcer" and television" achieves original features and even continuity of movement and atmosphere. Hie picture j opens with an announcement that Elstree will broadcast studio scones for the benefit of those members of tho public who own television sets, much of the humour in which the film abounds being provided by the announcer, whose naturalness and spontaneous wit make ari immediate appeal. An amusing interlude shows a typical Cockney laboriously building a television set of a. most intricate and strange description. Some fascinating scenes in the studio lead to a stage presentation by Teddy Brown and his band, who give an appealing variety of musical items. There is some splendid eccentric dancing by the " Three Eddies" and an attractive performance bv Miss Helen Burnell, assisted by a beautiful chorus, in a dance ensemble from " The House That Jack Built." Miss Lily Morris contributes her famous song, " Why Am" I Always the Bridesmaid and Never the Bride," and Miss Burnell and Jack Hulbert appear to advantage in a clevei song and dance scena entitled Ihe HioughtNever Entered my Head." Although his early efforts are brought to by the safety curtain, Donald Calthrop finally succeeds in presenting a riotous burlesque of " The Taming of the Shrew, which recently appeared as a talking picture. Miss Anna May Wong, the alluring Chinese actress, is charming as the shrew. REGENT THEATRE. The spectacular musical comedy "Whoopee" continues to meet with an enthusiastic reception at the Regent Theatre. The picture, which has been filmed in lechnicolour, has been produced on an unusually lavish and ambitious scale. The scenes describing the rugged grandeur of the mountainous country are a triumph for photographic work._ The plot is a slight ono but is sufficient _to give cohesion to a series of entertaining stage presentations. Some of Broadway's highest paid chorus girls are seen in whirlwind • and novelty ballet dances, while the cast includes many notable artists. The honours for acting are won by Eddie Cantor who is the life and soul of the production. Cantor reveals himself as a versatilo comedian of rare ability and his antics and droll witticisms cause unrestrained merriment. Included in the shorter films are "College Hounds," a highly-diverting comedy in which clever dogs appear, a comprehensive Paramount Sound News and an instructive Indian travelogue, "Vagabond Adventure." CIVIC THEATRE. Maurice Chevalier, the popular French matinee idol who has had a more rapid rise to world fame than any other film artist, is ideally suited to his part in "The Big Pond," which is enjoying a successful extended season at the Civic Theatre. He has the part of an impecu ious Frenchman who is forced to earn his living as a guide in Venice. By his care-free nature ho soon convinces an .American heiress of his love for her and it is his efforts to convince her father, an obdurate business man, of his practical worth that provide material for an exceedingly humorous story. For the first time theatregoers are able to enjoy American idioms of speech for it is the gradual assimilation of the latest slang terms by the genteel Frenchman that is the source of much .of the comedy. STRAND * THEATRE. Based on a Broadway musical comedy which met with outstanding success, "Good News." which opens a season at the Strand Theatre to-day, is an amusing story of American college life. Bessie Love, who played the leading feminine role in "The Broadway Melody," is seen as a young college girl whose various adventures and misadventures cause plenty of laughter. Gus Shy, a wellknown stage comedian, plays opposite her, in role ho made famous on the stage. The supporting cast includes many, of the players who were seen in the popular series of silent pictures, " The Collegians." Stanley Smith is seen as Tom Marlowe, the football captain, whose interest in Patricia Bingham, a part placed by Lola Lane, is one of the accepted traditions of the school. The course of their romance, together with an abundance of incidental humour and drollery, makes the film full of interest. LONDON THEATRE. Two fine British attractions, combining to form excellent entertainment, are at. present being shown at the London Theatre. The first is a riotously funny comedy, " Not So Quiet on the Western Front," which extracts the utmost fun from reminiscences of the lighter moments behind the front at the Great War. Leslie Fuller, one of the best known comedians on the English stage, is largely responsible for the humour of the piece, but the members of the large supporting cast are little behind him in their ability to produce laughs. The second feature is " Loose Ends," based on Dion Tetheridge's play of the same name, and interpreted by a powerful cast of English stage players, including Owen Nnres, Edna Best and Donald Calthrop. Tho action is set in London society and the ways and manners following (lie social upheaval caused by the Great War are outlined with biting satiro and humour. LUNA PARK. Patrons of Luna Park, tho popular amusement centre, arc assured of unusual and satisfying entertainment. Large crowds continue to derive great pleasure from the various devices, which include (lie scenic, railway, the caterpillar, the joy wheel, tho dodge-'ems and the fun factory.