ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 19170, 14 February 1924, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS

ALBION THEATRE. ENTERTAINMENT SUPREME. In the great screen classic “The Bright Shawl,” now at the Albion, Richard Barthelmess has the role of a young American, Charles Abbott, who, on a visit to Havana, becomes so interested in the cause of the downtrodden Cubans that he decides to espouse it. He feigns infatuation with a beautiful Andalusian dancer, La Clavel, in order information invaluable to the reGels; for La Clavel is the favourite of Santacilla, a Spanish captain. One of the most piognant scenes of the drama is that which is enacted when the beautiful La Clavel, fatally stabbed by Santacilla, gives to Abbott the highly-prized bright shawl as a token of her undying love. In “Glass Houses” Viola Dana appears as Joy Duval, who loses the money she has inherited and is faced with the necessity of going to work. She lands a job as companion to Billy Norton’s Aunt Harriet. Returning home late one night she goes to the garage to sleep. Upon awakening she finds that Billy has also been sleeping there. To save her reputation Billy mar ries Joy, who then appears in a chic frock, much to the delight of her husband. It is at this point that there occurs a series of complicated adventures with Billy labouring under the impression that his wife is a notorious crook. How she clears herself and the subsequent development in doing so gives Viola Dana the merriest opportunity of her carrer. LAUGHTER AND THRILLS. ON THE CIVIC PROGRAMME. Laughter, thrills and a healthy heart interest mixed in, with entertaining stories provide the basis of the' excellent programme at the Municipal Theatre. “Backbone,” the principal feature, is a melodrama of the really worth-while order, with plenty of vigorous action and set in the timber country of North Maine. It tells of a family in the backwoods of Maine making a fortune from the lumber. The sole survivor of the male line is A’ndre de Mersey, and his only blood relation living is a granddaughter (Ewith Roberts) who is abroad at the opening of the story. Andre discovers that he is being robbed and orders his manager from the house. The excitement is too great for the veteran, and he falls with a heart attack. The manager returns with an alleged doctor, and they plan to keep Andre away from his friends. He dies, and the conspirators continue the deception. A rival lumber man (Alfred Lunt) comes on the scene, and his activities mean a long fight between the ’ lumber men. When the finale comes, it is proved that the new lumber king is a descendant of an ancient French family—a descendant of the opposite side concerned in the earlier section of the romance. The story will be found very sustaining and the method of its presentation'will meet with the approval of all fans. Viola Dana has never done anything more delightful and amusing than her latest picture “Crinoline and Romance.” She knows nothing of the world outside her grandfather’s domain —until she breaks away and goes out with her old coloured mammy to “see life!” Her transition from crinolines to the modern one-piece bathing suit, her introduction to the cigarettes, cocktails and dance steps of the present day are merely incidents—hilarious incidents let it be said—in a story that is chock full of humorous situations. More fun is provided in the Metro comedy featuring Stan Faurel. BATTALION BAND. This evening at Rugby Park the people of Invercargill will have the opportunity of seeing 4ind hearing the Ist Battalion Band going through the Military Quickstep, and playing the music for the big contest which opens at Christchurch on Monday. The band has been practising very assiduously of late and the public should come along to see and hear for themselves the wonderful progress that has been made by the band under the able conductorship of Mr H. Berryman. The proceeds are for the band’s contest fund. Both the Hibernian and Pipe Bands will be in attendance.

WESTMINSTER GLEE SINGERS. To those people who run away with the idea that the Westminster Glee Singers sing only hymns and anthems, and such like, the appended list of extraordinary diversified items which is to be included in the three farewell programmes should remove all doubt as to the versatility and the popularity of the programmes submitted by this famous combination. Selections from “Carmen,” including the “Soldier’s Chorus,” and the “Song of the Toreador,” valse from “Romeo and Julipt,” valse from “Faust,” “The Barcarolle” from “Tales of Hoffmann,” “Gounod’s Serenade,” “The Cruiskeen Lawn,” “My Love she’s but a Lassie,” “The Blue Bells of Scotland,” “The Last Rose of Summer,” “The Sands o’ Dee,” “She is Far from the Land,” “The Pipes of Pan,” “Way Down Yonder in the Cornfields,” “Rosebud,” “Bonny Mary of Argyle,” “The Song of the Flea,” “The Banks of Allan Water,” “Nymphs and Shepherds,” “Where the Bee Sucks,” “Believe me if all those Endearing Young Charms,” “It was a Lover and his Lass,” etc., and in humorous vein “The Wind that Shakes the Barley,” “Dixieland,” “Peter Piper,” “Simple Simon,” “My Celia’s Charms,” “Dinah Doe,” “Sing a Song of Sixpence,” “Poor Thomas Day,” etc. Anthems include “God is a Spirit,” “Comfort, O Lord,” etc. Thus in one programme may be heard the whole gamut of vocal music, gay, grave, and classical. The Westminster Singers have met with really wonderful success right throughout Australasia, and it is safe to predict a warm welcome at the Municipal Theatre on Monday next, when the brief farewell season opens. The box plan will open at the Bristol to-morrow at 9 a.m.