AMUSEMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19784, 8 May 1926, Page 21

AMUSEMENTS.

C/ OCTAGON THEATRE. “Charleys Aunt,” this week's star attraction at tfie Octagon Theatre, is from the famous old stage taroe which has been Tunning steadily- for 35 years, and is the one stage farce which has stood (he test of time. Now that it has become a film, critics who have already seen it have stated that it is the funniest picture ever made. 3n addition to the material of tho famous P ,a y hy Brandon Thomas, most of the credit Is due to tsvd Chaplin, tho star, and the supporting cast. The complete roster of the plavers in addition to Chaplin include# Ethel Shannon, James E. Page, Phillips Smalley. Lucien Littlefield, Eulalie Jensen, Alec Fiancis, David James, Jimmie flarri*on, Priscilla Benner, and Alary Akin. The pictur e deals with the humorous and embarrassing situations which occur when one of the_ boys at Oxford impersonates another fellow’s “Aunt from Brazil where the nuts come from.” “Charley’s Aunt" ,vas first produced at. Bury St. Edmunds, in Suffolk, in 1892, with W. S. Penley starring, and ■was then brought to London, playing first at tho Royalty Theatre, and then at the Globe, where it ran continuously for four years, a total of 1466 performance?. The fame of “Charley’s Aunt” spread far and wide, and seven touring companies started out through the provinces. Several companies are still touring with it in England, ?nd_ each year it is nut on in London, where it is one of the “draws” of the holiday season. Borne of ihe great stage stars who have p\ayed in “Charlov’s Aunt” were the original W. S. Penley, Lynn Harding, Brandon Thomas. Miss Nina Bouoicault, Julian Royce, Reeves Smith, and A. K. Matthews. It was first played in America by Girardot. Air A. Neate’s Octagon Concert Orchestra renders an excellent programme of incidental music, which includes the following selections, Overture, ‘Vanity Fair” (Fletcher) : suite. “Yankiana” (Thnrban): selection from (he light opera “The Maid of the Fast” (Neale); “Air de Ballet" (Crn nfi el J): “VaLe Serenade” (Walton), and “Orienta Intermezzo” (Haber). EMPIRE THEATRE. George Fffzmaurice’s latest offering, “The Dark Angel,” which is now on view at the Empire Theatre, is a First National picture presented by Samuel Goldwyn, and one calculated to please the most hardened picture-goer. Ronald Coirnan is at his very best as Hilary Trent, the young and handsome army officer, and tho story concerns _ his lov e for Vilma Banky. as the beautiful Kitty Vane. This is Miss Banky’s initial bow to Dunedin audiences, and there should be a great future for tiro talented and beautiful young lady. She is the Budapest “find” of Banuiel Goldwyn while in Europe some time ago. The scenario, as prepared by Frances Marion, required some skilful riding at the hunt on the part of Miss Banky— not only sensational hedge and water jumps but a dangerous fall as well. . Miss Hanky’s ability as a rider was entirely an unknown quantity to her director, but, when tho timof came for her performance she surprised the entire assemblage, which included the pick of Southern California's expert riders. Sitting a fractious mount which reared dangerously with her, she brought him to his feet gracefully and the dangerous jumps and tho falls were negotiated with all the sang froid of Tom Mix himself. The supporting cast, which includes Wyndham Standing. Frank Eliott, Florence Turner. Helen Jerome Eddv, Charles Lane, and other well known players. is well chosen and very capable. Fitzmaurice, ns usual, has overlooked no opportunity for artistic effects, his settings are magnificent. and he has injected some grgeous episodes in natural colour photography. Comedy relief is plentiful, and thrills are interspersed throughout the production, which is a screen version of 11. B. Trevelyan's famous stage success of the same title. The photography is superb and the credit goes to George Barnes. George Fitzmaurice personalia directed tho picture from tho scenario by Frances Marion. Excellent supports are also shown, and the Empire Orchestra, under the direction of Air C. Parnell, is responsible for tbo musical side of the programme, among which are the following selection?:- —Overture, “King Rose” (Barnard! : entr'acte, “By the Waters of Minnetonka” (Lieurance).

QUEEN’S THEATRE. Edith Roberts lias the principal role in “The Sunshine Trail,” which began at the Queen’s Theatre yesterday. Douglas Mac Lean has the leading male part. The story tells how Jimmy (“Sonny”) M Tavi=h, fprrngf doughboy and now owner of the

O-Bar-O ranch, has not returned to Pixley Centre, his home town, since the war ended. In Pixley Centra lives “Sonny’s” sweetheart, Juno, and his uncle. Jimmy believes in the “Sunshine Trail” motto which bids one “Scatter sunshine on your way; do something good every day.” Jimmy leaves the reach amid some wild scenes, including a thrilling fight with a Mexican at tho ranchhouse, boards a train where he has some amusing adventures, and fail# in with a woman crook. Tho latter 'eaves a (Hd napped child on his hands. The nearer Jimmy gets to his home town the more his troubles pile up. His adventures uiiiil his happiness is restored make an excell i.list ory EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. Two first-class pictures are being shown this week at Everybody’s Theatre, and in them are featured well-known screen stars of the first magnitude. “Where the Pavement Ends,” a Metro production, features such famous players as Ramon Navarro and Alice Terry in the leading roles and the supporting cast includes Edward Connelly and Harry T. Morey The picture, which tells a story of the South Seas is a screen adaptation of John Russell’s novel of tho same name, and was directed by Rex Ingram. In support is a Paramount picture which tells the story of a young society girl who keeps her family in a continual state of coma. Belie Daniels is cast in the leading part and is supported by Rod la Rocque. PLAZA AND GRAND THEATRES. The programme at tho Plaza and Grand Theatres is headed by “The Little Giant,” in which Gienn Hunter has the leading role. Ho is ably supported in this light comedy liv Edna Murphy and David Higgins. It is the story of the humiliating failure and subsequent awakening of a youthful sales manager who regard# his snobbery and up-to-date selling theories ns superior to his seedy old uncle’s life training as a country pedlar. In support “Daddy's Gone AHunting" is shown. The leading roles are plavod by Alice Joyce and Percy Marinont. It is a dramatic story of an unhapny marriage. Tho detail in tho lives of the temperamental husband, and the distraught wife and the rhild who suffers through tho lack of sympathy between tho parent? is carefully, pa’nrtakinglv and logically worked out and portrayed in a picture of unusual interest.