ENTERTAINMENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21879, 15 August 1934, Page 16

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE v Greta Nisson gives a pleasing portrayal in the principal part of "On Secret Service," which is enjoying a .popular season at the Regent Theatre. Dealing with an Austro-Italian war, the story opens with a romance between an Italian girl and an Austrian array officer in Vienna. War is declared and the girl becomes a noted spy, while the young man is employed in the secret 'service. The two meet again in Rome and the girl is torn between love and duty. There is a dramatic climax. " LOOKING FOR TROUBLE" Jack Oakie, Arlino Judge and Spencer Tracy appear in the talented cast of "Lookiug for Trouble," which will be shown at the Regent Theatre for the first time on Friday. Masterly direction makes the most of the humorous story and there are two outstanding character studies by Robert Armstrong as a boxer and Ginger Rogers as "Babyface." Five of the popular Walt Disney cartoons also will be shown. ST. JAMES* THEATRE An actress of exceptional talent, Joan Crawford, takes the principal part of "Sadie McKee," which heads the current programme at. St. James' Theatre. She receives excellent support from Franehot- Tone, who gives his usual polished performance. There is a fine supporting programme. "TARZAN AND HIS MATE" The ingenuity and excellent technique and photography of "Tarzan and His Mate," which will be presented for the first time at St. James' Theatre on Friday, make it an outstanding film. The celebrated swimmer, Johnny ' Weissmuller, who will be remembered for his performance in "Tarzan, the Ape Man," gives another fine characterisation. The story tells of an expedition which sets out to find the mythical "cemetery" of all elephants. The adventures the party have after enlisting the aid of Tarznn make a film which sustains the interest to the very end. Weissmuller, as Tarzan, is admirably cast, while Maureen O'Sullivan also takes a large part with credit. PLAZA THEATRE Hilarious entertainment is provided in "Turkey Time," which is attracting large audiences to the Plaza Theatre. The film is particularly notable for the reappearance on the screen of the original Aldwych Theatre cast. Ralph Lynn and Tom Walls, two of the most popular motion picture comedians, take parts admirably suited to their acting, while the supporting players include Mary BrdTlgh and Robertson Hare. Tho story, written by Ben Travers, moves with fast action and ' introduces a liberal amount of wit and humour.

ROXY AND TIVOLI THEATRES Another excellent double-feature programme will commence at the Roxy and Tivoli Theatres to-day. A particularly strong cast has been assembled for "Strictly Dynamite," which will head the programme. Jimmy Durante has ample opportunity for his inimitable! humour in the role of a radio performer who is paid an enormojis salary, which enables him to indulge in absurd and highly amusing extravagances. Lupe Velez gives a typically spirited performance opposite him, and acts as an excellent foil. Strong support is given by Norman Foster, William Gargan. Marian Nixon, Eugene Pallette and Minna Gombell. The story of the experiences of a young girl who finds herself surrounded by deceit, hypocrisy and selfishness at a boarding scnool, is convincingly told in "Finishing School," the second film on the programme. Frances Dee, Billie Burke, Ginger Rogers and Beulah Bondi, give excellent performances in the principal feminine roles. Bruce Cabot and John Halliday maintain their high standard.

MAJESTIC THEATRE The thrilling adventures of a band of criminals make "The Four Masked Men," : the current attraction at the Majestic Theatre, gripping entertainment. The opening scenes show a party of four men at dinner on the eve of the departure of one of them for South America. The setting then changes to an engineering camp miles from civilisation. Jshn Stuart and Judy Kelly appear in the principal roles. NATIONAL AND PRINCE EDWARD Buck Jones gives a virile performance in the leading part of "The Unknown Valley," the first film on the programme to be screened at the National and Prince Edward Theatres on Friday. The film provides gripping entertainment, with many thrilling scenes. "The Line-Up," featuring Marion Nixon, is the second attraction. The film is an entertaining comedydrama.' \ PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE The late Marie Dressier gives her usual fine performance in "Emma," which heads the programme at the Prince Edward Theatre. Robert Montgomery takes the principal role in "Shipmates," the second attraction.

NATIONAL THEATRE The popular Leo Tracy gives one of his finest performances in "Advice to the Lovelorn," the first film on the programme at the National Theatre. "Blood Money," with George Bancroft and Frances Dee in the principal roles, is the second attraction. STATE THEATRE "Midnight Club," an intriguing story from the pen of E. Phillips Oppenheim, heads the programme at the State Theatre. The film is interpreted by a strong cast, including Give Brook, George Raft, Helen Vinson and Alison Skipworth. STRAND THEATRE Evelyn Laye, an attractive English actress, appears in the leading role of "Princess Charming," a delightful musical romance now being screened at the Strand Theatre. ► BRITANNIA THEATRE "This is the Life," " A Man of Two Worlds" and "Kamet Conquered" are the films being screened at the Britannia Theatre. TUDOR CINEMA "The Cuckoo in the Nest" is the principal film at the Tudor Cinema. The supporting programme includes scenes from the Robin Hood pageant. LONDON NEWSREEL CINEMA "J he Yellow Mask" and "Shop Angel" are the films oeing shown at the London JVewsreel Cinema RIALTO THEATRE . Walls gives a fine performance I? Smith, '■ the principal film at the Rial to Theatre. CAPITOL THEATRE . "Bombay Mail," with Edmund Lowe m the principal jpart, is being screened at th<* Carpitol Theatre. "Lord of the Manor" iB the eecond film.

CIVIC THEATRE Lanny Ross, a talented American radio singer, makes his screen debut in "Melody in Spring," which is being screened at tho Civic Theatre. Cast as a young singer who is trying to obtain a position as a radio advertiser, he gets ample opportunity to display his vocal abilities. "ALICE IN WONDERLAND" The film adaptation of the celebrated novel by Lewis Carroll, "Alice in Wonderland," heads the programme to be screened for tho first time at the Civic Theatre on Friday. Many books have been made into films by the Hollywood studios, but none has followed the original so closely as this latest Paramount picture. Combining the best-known scenes from "Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," the director, Norman McLeod, has followed both dialogue and character without deviation. The players themselves have been made to look exactly like the drawings by Sir John Tenniel in the original edition ot "Alice," and the whole film makes first-class entertainment. The large cast is headed by Edward Everett Horton and Alison Skipworth. NEW REGENT THEATRE George White's " Scandals - " heads the programme at the New Regent Theatre, Epsom. CRYSTAL PALACE THEATRE Bebe Daniels has the leading role in "' The Song You Gave Me," a musical comedy romance which is being screened at the Crystal Palace Theatre. FAREWELL RECITAL A farewell concert to Mr. Harold F. Davis, who is leaving shortly to continue his musical studies in the United States, was given in the Lewis Eady Hall last evening by fellow students and a number of prominent local artists, before an enthusiastic audience. Mr. Davis, who is a pupil of Mr. W. A. Garratt, sang two numbers composed by himself, " Desio di Nozze " and " Like to an Opening Blossom," which were very well received. An enthusiastic reception was accorded a bass solo, " Big Ben " (Pontet), by Mr. G. Vryer, who was making his first public appearance, and his encore number, " Elegie " (Massenet), also drew prolonged applause. Mr. H..C. Engel's orchestra, of 30 performers, rendered a number of items, including " II Guarnev " (Gomez), a cavatina by Bohm,"Slavonic Rhapsody" (Friedemann), and a tone poem " Finlandia," by Sibelius. A violin solo "Caprice Lienois" (Chrysler), was given by Mr. Vincent Aspey and an elocutionary item by Mr. Tom Harris. Items by pupils of Mr. Garratt included songs by Mrs. W. McFarlane, Miss Janet Gordon, Miss Ida Davis, Mrs. Simpson, Mr. 0. Mason and Mr. G. Laird. The accompanist was Mrs R. H. Neil.

MUSIC COMPETITIONS. Music competitions, which have not been held in Auckland for the past five years, will be revived on Monday nest, when a festival sponsored by the Auckland Society, of Musicians will comj rnence. Over 350 entries have been re--1 ceivod for the competitions and owing j to the time they will take to judge it has been found necessary to extend the period of the competitions. Particulars | are advertised of the revised programme. Judging will commence on Monday morning in the Lewis Eady Hall and will continue throughout the day, and further classes will be decided at the hall on the three following days. A demonstration concert will be given in the Town Hall concert chamber on Friday evening. PRIMARY SCHOOLS',. CONCERT A choir of 500 voices will be heard at the annual concert of the Auckland Primary School Choirs' Association in Uie Town Hall this evening. In the past three years similar functions have attracted increasing interest on account of the delightfully varied nature of the programme, and this evening's concert should be no exception.. The choir, ,under the baton of Mr. Norman Day. will he heard in nine songs and descants, and in addition 10 individual school choirs will give items. !>. ~ifs -'j I®2- ' Community singing The usual community singing gathering will be held at the Town Hall to-day. The song leader is Mr. Vernon T. Drew. DRAMATIC ENTERTAINMENT A gripping mystery drama, "The Phantom of Carlton Manor," will bp presented in the Scots Hall to-night and to-morrow night. * HAYDN'S " CREATION" Haydn's immortal oratorio " Creation " will be presented by the associated Methodist choirs in the Pitt Street Methodist Church to-morrow evening. Mr. Albert Bryant will be the conductor. LITTLE THEATRE SOCIETY A gripping drama of the sea, -'The Berg," which is the 36th production of the Auckland Little Theatre Society, will be presented in the Town Hall concert chamber for a season of four nights, commencing on Saturday.