ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 18962, 8 June 1923, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

, CIVIC PICTURES. “THE MAN WHO SAW TO-MORROW.” Thomas Meighan, who is appearing at the ; Municipal Theatre to-night, together with j Theodore Roberts, June Elvidge, Leatrice i Joy, Eva Novak and an all-star cast in “The Man Who Saw To-morrow,” did not attain eminence as a star by good luck, but by hard and conscientious work. For years a leading man in Paramount pictures playing opposite many feminine stars, he finally became a star and his popularity has been growing ever since. Possessed of minetic talent, he has also an engaging personality which serves to enhance his vogue with the fans. His role in “The Man Who Saw To-morrow” affords him numerous opportunities for the display of his art, and supported as he is by an excellent company of Paramount players, this production is one that should prove an immense attraction to picture-goers. Mr Meighan, playing the part of Burke Hammond, a wild son of a distinguished English family, roams the South Seas until, upon a lonely island, he falls in love with an old pirate’s daughter. No sooner has he won her affection than he is involuntarily carried away aboard a yacht to New York. Hammond does not forget his South Sea beauty. He writes, telling her be will return some day. Meanwhile, his father arrives in New York with a proposition that the young Englishman marry an heiress. She appears and, to make things harder, also comes the girl from the South Sea Island. Whom to marry? Hammond is helped out by a professor who shows what would happen if he married the heiress and then what happens if he married the pirate's daughter. So Hammond came to earn the title of “The Man Who Saw To-morrow.” How he sees ‘To-morrow” forms perhaps the most engrossing part of this altogether entrancing picture. Leatrice Joy plays opposite the star. Also on the programme is the. Universal feature “The Ghost Patrol,” in which Ralph Graves and Bessie Love have the leading juvenile roles. The story really revolves around incidents in the life of a retired policeman who returned to the territory he patrolled in his younger days, and interested himself in watching over the happenings to certain of his flock. This. part is played by George Nicholls, who gave such an excellent characterisation as the boss of the construction gang in “The Pride of Palomar.” Round 9 of “The New Leather Pushers” is also on the programme, and will be found up to the high level of the preceding rounds. Box plans for Friday and Saturday are open at The Bristol. ALBION THEATRE. That old favourite of theatre-goers the famous Irish play “Con The Shaughran” comes to the Albion Theatre under the non-de-plume of “My Wild Irish Rose.” In days gone by “Con” was a general favourite with both young and old and to-night’s performance should be well attended by those lovers of the melodrama “My Wild Irish Rose,” a picture the very title of which will appeal to all sons of the Emerald Isle is billed as the starring attraction at 7.30 p.m. The story is adapted from the famous play “The Shaughran” which had such a success in London. The picture is a romance of Shamrock Isle, and breathes the very atmosphere of the old sod, and there is the touch of brogue in every title that makes one live in the very atmosphere of Old Erin. Pauline Starke and Pat O’Mally are the star players, and the interpretation of the former as the sweetheart of the shaughran is tempered with pathos and feeling. John Gilbert will be seen at 8.45 p.m. in a Fox production that portrays him in a role entirely different from any this popular star has before essayed. He plays the part of a breezy, devil-may-care sort of fellow in “The Love Gambler,” a story wherein Cupid deals and hearts are trumps. This screen drama is based on a theme of sacrifice and its various elements are said to be cleverly woven together. The director, Joseph Franz, has handled the sequence of the tale in a rarely skilfull manner, according to the New York reviews. Playing opposite Gilbert is that extremely beautiful actress, Carmel Myers, who was especially engaged to appear in this picture with John Gilbert. Her sympathetic interpretation of difficult roles makes her a welcome addition to the Fox staff of screen artists. The story is war ranted to hold the spectator’s interest to the very end. The photography is said to be unusually praiseworthy. Summing up the qualities of the film, it seems that it has every requirement of good entertainment ; an engrossing story, careful direction, good photography and actors of the first rank. Those who see “The Love Gambler” during its three night’s run at the Albion are promised an evening of keen diversion. A dandy Mack Sennett comedy “Ma and Pa” and other features complete what should prove a very popular programme. Seats may -be reserved by telephoning the Albion (738).

RACING SPECIAL “GARRISON’S FINISH.” The best racing picture that has yet been made anywhere is presented by United Artists in the production “Garrison’s Finish.” There are nine reels, nine thousand feet of rattling sport; seething excitement. and a fine and appealing love story. The Kentucky Derby and genuine views of the Louisville course and the great Metropolitan’s famous arena at Bellmont Park are seen with all its sporting society. “Garrison’s Finish” is a royal and elaborate presentation of a story of the sport of kings. The season commences next Tuesday at the Albion Theatre for three nights only. Seats may be reserved by telephoning the Albion (738). ORCHESTRAL’S SOCIETY’S CONCERT. The inauguration of the concerts for the benefit of school children by the Invercargill Orchestral Society in the Grand Theatre last evening can justly be said to have achieved immediate success. The attendance was very large, the theatre being filled with scholars from the majority of the primary and secondary schools, as well as a good percentage of adults. The object of the Society is. to instil an interest of music in the younger generation and to give them an idea of how the various sections of an orchestra execute their particular portion of an item. The piece chosen last evening for this purpose was Schubert’s well known “Marche Militaire,” in which the orchestra appeared to better advantage than at the previous concert. All the orchestral numbers last evening were the same as rendered at the opening concert, the overture “King Stephan” (Beethoven), “La Bourse” (Delibes), Tone Etude “Adagio Sostenuto” (Beethoven) and the Fantaise “Carmen” (Bizet.) being repeated in a manner which showed that the orchestra had, in the interim, secured more confidence in their ability to execute the numbers with due regard to the many points required to give a correct interpretation. That they succeeded in doing so last evening cannot be gainsaid, and it augurs well for the future concerts of the Society during the present season being of a high standard. In addition to the orchestral items, some very fine solo numbers were given, notably a flute solo entitled “Valse de. Concert” by Mr E. Lepetit, and a flute and ’cello duet entitled “Serenade,” by Messrs E. and V. Lepetit. The most popular items, however, and especially to the children, were the quartettes which included several humorous ones, given by Dr. Brown, and Messrs Grenfell, Taylor and Pierce. Miss M. A. Steele’s items “The Wild Rose” and “Under the Greenwood Tree,” were also well received and deservedly encored.