ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20950, 13 August 1931, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

NATIONAL THEATRE. The romance and glamour associated with the playing of Association football in England have been admirably caught in "The Great Game," to be shown finally at the National Theatre this, evening, A Soccer final between two leading London professional teams at Wembley Stadium is one of the outstanding scenes. The leading player is John Batten, a former Auckland youth. The new programme to-morrow includes -"No Limit," in which Clara Bow acts vivaciously, and "Gun Smoke," a racy Western adventureromance in which Richard Arlen heads the cast. Other notable players in "No Limit," an impelling story of theatrical life, are Dixie Lee, of "Cimarron," Stuart Erwin, the dull-witted bell-boy in "Social Errors," Norman Foster and Harry Green Set against the open ! spaces of the Western States, "Gun j Smoke"* shows Richard Arlen in a typical j role as a hard-riding cowboy May Brian { is a demurely charming leading lady and ■ William Boyd makes a specious villain. ; Eugene Palette and Louise Fazenda are : also in the cast. STRAND THEATRE. "The Man From Chicago," a swiftly- j moving melodrama in which Bernard ! Nedeli and Dodo Watts are the leading j players, and "The Black Hand Gang," a j farce-melodrama dealing with the exploits of a troupe of street urchins, will be shown finally at the Strand Theatre this evening. Roth are English films and blend action and humour in most entertaining fashion. The two long pictures on the new programme to-morrow are "Strictly Modern." with Dorothy Mac- ! kaill, and "Conspiracy," in which Bessie Love is the leading lady. In the first Miss Mackaill is an appealing character aa a woman novelist who attempts to base her mode of living on one of her somewhat unreal fictitious characters. Sidney Blackmer is the leading man. Breathless suspense is the keynote of Conspiracy," a thrilling story of a girl's desperate efforts to expose a band of unscrupulous traffickers in drugs. A succession of engrossing episodes culminates in a surprising climax. There is an uncommonly good cast of supporting artists. Ib includes Ned Sparks, Hugh Trevor, Ivan Lebedefx, Rita La Roy and others equally well known. REGENT THEATRE. A typical role is taken by Douglas Fairbanks in "Reaching for tho Moon," which will conclude its season at the Regent Theatre to-day. Although he is nothing more romantic than a modern business man, he invests his part with such vigour and boisterous humour that his performance is entitled to rank with those he gave in "The Thief of Bagdad," "The Taming of the Shrew" and numerous other productions. "Reaching for the Moon" is the modern screen comedy-drama in its most futuristic form and i3_ reputed to anticipate the trend of fashions and architectural designs some years hence. Commencing in a '-pent-house" apartment in a large city the background quickly shifts to a luxurious transatlantic liner, the gymnasium of which forms an appropriate setting for the athletic powers of Fairbanks. There is a capable supporting cast, including Bebe Daniels, Edward Everett Hortoo, Claude Allister and Jack Mulhall. "DIRIGIBLE" FOR REGENT. Frank Capra. 'the noted director of "Flight" .and "Submarine." has excelled bis pjaVioua efforts in "Dirigible," the remarkable aviation film which will succeed "-Reaching for the at the Regent Theatre to-morrow. With Jack Holt, Ralph Graves and Fay Wray .in. the principal roles, the entire picture been filmed oil a gigantic scale —in fact, nothing in time, expense or talent has been spared to make it a worthwhile contribution to the screen. Swift action v allied with tender pathos, dominates the' story from first to last. __ The opening scene shows the colourful Navy Day celebration at Lakehurst Station. New Jersey, with balloons, lazily drifting "blimps" and the majestic dirigible filling the air, and high-speed aeroplanes darting swiftlv in and out among the larger craft. " The ever-changing scene depicts an intrepid aviator hooking on and releasing his aeroplane from the bottom of the airship; it shows tho boisterous send-off accorded a South Polar expedition by the volatile crowds of New York: and it shows the dirigible crash into the storm-tossed waters of the Caribbean Sea. A colourful navy ball with its music and laughter is in sharp contrast to tha barren wastes of the polar region where four men battle for their lives against the elements of cold and hunger. PLAZA THEATRE. "Donovan's Kid," the appealing film version of Rex Beach's vivid novel Big Brother,", will be shown for the last time at the Plaza Theatre this evening. It is notable for the fine acting of Richard Dix and Jackie Cooper, a gifted child actor. Mr. Dix, who will be remembered for his picturesque portrayal of Yancv Cravat in "Cimarron" recently, gives a dynamic interpretation of a notorious "gangster" of a decaue ago whose entire outlook on life is radically changed by the childlike simplicity and trust of a pathetic street waif he adopts when a fellow-criminal is killed. As the ingenuous boy who is responsible for the man s regeneration, Jackie Cooper, seen in numerous '-'Our Gang" comedies, gives a performance which speaks volumes for bis future. TIVOLI THEATRE. " Half Shot at Sunrise," in which Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey are at their best, and " Blind Wives,", with Conrad Naael and Genevieve Tobin, will be shown again at the Tivoli Theatre tins evening. The latter is a vital story of modern life in which Mr. Isagel appears as a harassed husband. CRYSTAL PALACE THEATRE. William Haines appears a£ an ambitious radio announcer in "Remote Control, to be shown at the Crystal Palace .Theatre this evening with "East Lynne, in which the principals are Ann Harding, Cave Brook and Conrad Nagel. RIALTO THEATRE. "Remote Control." in which William Haines acts with his usual extreme selfposscssion, will head the programme at the Rialto Theatre this evening. Lover Come Back to ile is a second him. EMPRESS THEATRE. "Meet the Wife" (Laura La Plantc), and "Tho Sky Raiders" comprise the main films on the" programme at the Empress Theatre. EPSOM REGENT THEATRE. Walter Huston gives a telling portrayal in "The Criminal Code." which will head the programme at the Epsom Regent Theatre this evening. "Don't Bet On Women" will also be shown. PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE. " East Lynne," with Ann Harding, Clive Brook and Conrad Nagel, is the main film to be presented at the Prince Edward Theatre to-day. BRITANNIA THEATRE. "Bachelor Father," with Marion Davies, and "Top Speed" comprise the principal entertainment at the Britannia Theatre. GREY LYNN CINEMA. Cyril Maude recreates for the screen his most lovable character in "Grumpy/' to be shown at the Grey Lynn Cinema this evening.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. r i* Tell England," the sincere British war picture which has impressed audiences at the Majestic Theatre, during the past week, will conclude its season to-day; Ernest Raymond's book, on which the picture is based, has always been recognised as one of the finest portrayals of the effect of modern warfare on typical English ■ ( vths. ;uid the picture has captured perfectly the spirit of the original. Of particular interest to New Zealand audiences is the fact that many of the scenes depict the heroic landing at Gallipoli. To-morrow Ramon Novarro will be seen in a part which marks a return to the type of role' he portrayed in " The Student Prince " and " The Eagle." " Daybreak," as the picture is entitled, after the original novel by Dr. Arthur Schnitzler, is a story of romantic Vienna in the gay days before the war, and in it Novarro takes the part of Kasda, a young officer who becomes entangled in a very awkward affair for the sake of a girl. The dashing way in which he surmounts all difficulties makes an enthralling picture. CIVIC THEATRE. The final screenings of the mystery drama " Dracuia " will be given at the Civic Theatre to-day. Few books are a3 thrilling as Bram Stoker's novel, on which the picture is based, and even fewer pictures have been produced to equal the screen version of the book for tense action and sustained interest. Clever photographic and sound effects produce an unexcelled atmosphere of eermess, which is heightened by the acting of the principal, Bela Lugosi, a Hungarian 7 who took part in the silent film. To-morrow the hilarious comedy based on Mark Twain's classic of humour, " A Connecticut Yankee at the Court of King Arthur," will open a. I season. Will Rogers, America's leading j humorist, is ideally suited to the part he j plays. His performances in "So This j is London," " They Had to See Paris " j and " Lightnin* " gained him a wide fol- ; lowing irx Auckland, and his popularity j should be increased by his latest film. ! The story recounts the adventures of a ; modern "American who is miraculously ] taken back to the days of King Arthur i and his knights, and who proceeds to ! enlighten the court about modern manners j and inventions. ST. JAMES' THEATRE. Great heights of dramatic acting are i reached by Miss Joan Crawford in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film "Dance, Fools, Dance," which will conclude its season at St. James' Theatre to-day. She is cast as a young woman, once wealthy, who has to" accept a position as crime reporter i for a Chicago daily newspaper. Her j brother, similarly impoverished, becomes involved with a "criminal gang and drifts lower and lower. Tragedy enters the girl's life when, in the course of her investigations into a particularly brutal murder, she finds that ber brother is closely connected with it. This situation gives full scope for Miss Crawford's greai histrionic ability and supplies a very thrilling climax to the picture. The supporting cast includes Lester Vail, Cliff Edwards and William Bakewell. To-morrow the thrilling film " The Secret Six " will open a season. Wallace Beery, the principal of " Tiie Big House," " Min and Bill ' and numerous" other outstanding productions, takes the leading role. Fast agfcioh and a cleverly-constructed plot are "features or the picture. - "victoria THEATRE. Will Rogers and Irene Rich are the principals in "So This Is London," the main film at the Victoria Theatre. LYRIC THEATRE. Fifi Dorsav, Reginald Denny, Cliff Edwards and .Yola d'Avril are the leading players in "Those Three French Girls," to head the programme at the Lyric Theatre this evening. "CARMEN" THIS EVENING. The Auckland Choral Society will present Bizet's "Carmen" in the Town Hall this evening. The opera • will be interpreted by a ciist -of talented local artists, with Madame Irene Ainsley in the titlerole. In addition to the full grand opera chorus and orchestra there will be a special chorus of boys, depicting urchins masquerading as soldiers. It is unusual for boys to take these parts, the custom being for the sopranos in the chorus to interpret them. Tile cast will also include Misses Nan eye Hanna, Marjorie Fair and Mary Hamilton, and Messrs. Gordon Fagan, Leslie Webber, Geof. Colledge, John Bree and T. Leather. CHARITY ENTERTAINMENT. The "charity rally" to be held in His Majesty's Theatre on Tuesday evening promises to be an evening of surprises. All the proceeds will be devoted to' deserving causes. "The Great Raymond" will provide hypnotic absurdities. Tom Alley, the well-known wrestler, who issued a challenge to a bout of three rounds, will be matched against "The Masked Marvel." Mr. Whitford Waugh and his orchestra will play several items. SHAKESPEAREAN SEASON. Presentations of scenes from Shakespeare and old English comedy will be given by Mr. Allan Wilkie and Miss Hunter-Watts in the Town Hall concert chamber for a season commencing on Saturday evening. There will be two series, each consisting of two matinees and one evening performance. The first programme "ill include portions of " Macbeth," Hamlet," " Henry V.," "As You Like It" and "The School for Scandal." This novel method of presenting Shakespearean drama, which gives the essence of each play without the unimportant scenes, should prove popular among Auckland lovers of the great dramatist's work. PIANO STUDENTS' RECITAL. Mastery of technique and fine interpretation were shown by the students of the Webbe School of Music, who presented an interesting selection of pianoforte items to an appreciative audience in the Lewis Eady Hall last evening. The concert was the 169 th given by the school, which was established in 1883 by the late Mr. W. H. Webbe. The first number was Wagner's imposing "Rienzi" overture, played as a quartette by Misses Edith Whittaker, Noni Wright, Una Moore and Mr. Brian Mason. In spite of their youth. Masters Alec Robson, Keith Cato, Allan Walton and MissPattie Walton, gave a spirited rendering, of the well-known "Rakoczy March" by Liszt. A particularly fine number was the First Movement, "Allegro con Brio," of Beethoven's Concerto in C Minor, plaved as a pianoforte duo by Mrs. H. Boyd and Mrs. M. Wilcox. Miss Doris Bigelow gave two delightful numbers, Ravel's "Jeux d'Eau" and Smetana's "Bohemian Dance." Other enjoyable items were a suite, "Les Silhouettes" (Arenaky), two movements from Schumann's "First Trio" and "Valse Camivalesque" (Chaminade), played as duos by Mrs. Wilcox and Mrs. Boyd; a solo, "Finale Etude Sympbonique" (Schumann), by Miss Marjorie Roberts; a quartet, "Allegro from Symphony in C" (Mozart), by Miss Bigelow and Messrs. R. Harris, S. Ireland and W. Christie; solos, "Etude in D Flat'" (Scriabin) and "Gnomenreigen" (Liszt), by Miss Phyllis Cato; quartet, "Festival Overture" (Brahms), by Misses P. Cato, D. Bigelow, M. McLean and M. Roberts; and solo, "The Erl King" (Schubert), by Mr. Richard Walton. COMMUNITY SINGING.Another popular community ' singing fathering was ■ held in the lown Hall uring the lunch-hour yesterday, when the singing was led by the. Rev. Jasper Calder. Mr. Bert Skeeis, formerly of the Westminster Glee singers, gave a number of solos, which, were .greatly appreciated,... Community singing continues to increase* in popularity among Auckland people.