ENTERTAINMENTS

Southland Times, Issue 21179, 4 September 1930, Page 13

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE REGENT. ‘•GOLD DIGGERS OF BROADWAY.” STILL DRAWING PACKED HOUSES. Those who have not taken the precaution of reserving the seats for this big picture have been doomed to disappointment for night after night crowds have had to be turned away from the ticket box at a very early hour. Yesterday and last night the rush was greater than ever and a more thoroughly satisfied and delighted audience has never left the theatre. Record seasons have been played everywhere this picture has been played and Invercargill is now experiencing the boom. In Auckland it established New Zealand records for length of tun and public attendance and here it will be the same. It is an all-talking comedy, is produced in natural colours, and the cast includes actors and actresses famous on Broadway. There is a story which is utilized for the purpose of introducing songs and dances, and ensembles. The dialogue is smartly written, there is a show within a show, and a chorus of dancing and singing Hollywood beauties. Altogether, ‘‘Gold Diggers of Broadway” is a screen production that has a strong appeal for all classes of patrons. Nancy Welford and Conway Tearle have the leading roles, while other principal parts are acted by Ann Pennington (Broadway’s dancing darling), Winnie Lightner (the “tomboy” of musical contedy), Lilyan Tashman (a ravishing blonde from the “Follies”), Albert Grand, Helen Foster. William Bakewell and Nick Lucas, who sings five of the nine songs. Box plans are open at the Bristol. MAJESTIC TO-NIGHT. WILLIAM POWELL AND HELEN KANE IN “POINTED HEELS” PARAMOUNT'S ALL-TALKING-SINGING-DANCING MUSICAL ROMANCE. The brand new programme at the Majestic Theatre was greeted wirh two packed houses yesterday when “Painted Heels” was screened locally for the first time. This Paramount production has all the required ingredients of first-class entertainment. There is clever acting, interesting plot and much first-class comedy in it. William Powell runs off with the acting honours in the production. Ho in the sauve man-about-town and producer of artistic stage revues who forms the third side to the romance triangle of which Fay Wray and Phillips .Holmes are the other components. Miss Wray is the show girl who marries Holmes, the youthful song-composer. Their .married happiness is almost curdled by the machinations of the urbane Powell, but at the finish the lyric admixture is cleared by a surprise twist in character on the part of Powell, who turns out to be not a villian, but just a demi-villain after all. In brief it is as simple as all that—but in the audible celluloid unwinding of it,. “Pointed Heels” is intensely gripping at' all times, even when Helen Kane and “Skeets” Gallagher, a new movie song and dance team, are putting over their amusing mummery. One never knows just what turn the fortunes of all will take at each moment of the play—and that is the proof of good entertainment. A list of splendid all-talking and sound subjects accompanies this new programme which is distinctly worth while. REGENT THEATRE, GORE. “THE GIRL FROM HAVANA." “The Girl from Havana,” played brilliantly by Lola Lane, is a detective who is sent .from the Cuban capital by 'Jewellers’ Detective Agency to Balboa to intercept a passenger liner Havana-bound upon which a gang of jewel thieves have taken passage from Los. Angeles. They have with them the loot of a diamond robbery perpetrated in broad daylight upon a Los Angeles jewellery establishment, the intriguing incident with which the picture opens. Their attempt to land at Morro Castle before the steamer docks and the denouement when the clever girl detective not only springs her trap, but finds a threatened romance of her own, marks a colourful and vastly exciting climax to this most unusual Fox Movietone production, opening at the Regent Theatre, Gore, to-night. J. C. WILLIAMSON’S MUSICAL COMEDY COMPANY “LOVE LIES.” This evening at 8 o’clock J. C. Williamson’s new English Musical Comedy Company will make its first appearance here

in the latest and best London Gaiety Theatre musical comedy triumps “Love .Lies” and “So This is Love,” which have broken all known records in England and which have just terminated a highly successful season in Sydney. The occasion will prove of special interest by the fact that they will signalize the reappearance here of the popular and talented young comedian Clem Dawe and it will mark his debut here in a musical comedy production. He will take the role of Jerry Walker in “Love Lies,” a part which was created in London by Stanley Lupino and those who have witnessed them both stale that Clem Dawe’s very humorous characterization compares more than favourably with Lupino’s. It is said that he creates roars of laughter the whole time he is on the stage, and he is particularly funny in the number “Hats Off to Edgar Wallace,” and in the scene where he disguises himself as a fair haired maiden in order to escape the attentions of a Spanish vampire. Prominent London artists who will make their first appearance here this evening are Miss Betty Eley, a dainty English soubrette, Mr Bobby Gordon, a light comedian and dancer who assists Clem Dawe in the funmaking and Mr Maurice Cole, a well-known London artist with a good baritone voice. That sterling actress Miss Marie Eaton has scored one of her best successes as Junetta Martineze, an American-Spanish vampire. Other well-known artists in the cast are Paul Plunkett, Dan Agar, Mona Barlec, Katherine Stewart, Les White, Erie Edgley, John Wood and Compton Coutts. Exquisite costumes, pretty music, delightful musical numbers, clever dances, original settings and wholesome comedy combine to make “Love Lies” and “So This is Love” outstanding musical comedy triumphs. The specialty dance by Mona Zeppel and John Robertson created a furore in Sydney and one of the tbiggest features of the production is the brilliant “tap dancing” by a specially selected ballet of Australian girls. The full operatic orchestra is under the direction of Gregory Ivanoff. The production is staged under the direction of Eric Edgley. And to-morrow night London’s latest musical success, “So This is Love,” will be staged. Plans at the Bristol.