“SPLINTERS”

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 985, 30 May 1930, Page 17

“SPLINTERS”

FUN BEHIND THE LINES CIVIC’S BRILLIANT SHOW » For one brief hour last night an audience at the Civic Theatre rej captured the spirit of 1914, with its j hectic excitement and merry goodi fellowship. j The occasion was the showing •I of “Splinters/’ a British film deal- | ing with the fortunes of an army j concert party. I Tho entertainment behind the lines lias not so far been "overdone" in ' either literature or films, and “Splinj ters" fills a unique and important gap i in the record of the war. Let it be said at the outset, however, that “Splinters" is not a war | story of the usual kind. There is no | romantic element, no farewells. no scenes of life in the trenches. It is ! just the tale of the commencement of a divisional concert group, the collection of the artists from among the troops, the trials of the sergeantproducer, and the final growth into the Bra Sat Theatre. But there is an underlying spirit about "Splinters" that makes it a big picture in every sense of the word. Men who were there will see again the rough smoke-filled wooden barn, hastily made into a “theatre"; the I crude curtain and background, and plentiful use of packing cases; will hear again the rowdy crowd in khaki bawling away at the old songs such as “Tipperary," as they wait for the curtain to go up; hear the inevitable and obliging pianist, the hearty laughs, whistles, and applause that greeted every joke and song, no matter how old. But above it all, everyone will catch for one brief hour the spirit of high gallantry and cheery laughter that set things going in those far-off days when the war was still an adventure. No one but an Englishman who had been there could have made this picture. It is fitting that the two chief characters in "Splinters” are played by the two originals. Hal Jones, of the I3icture. was the Hal Jones who started the concert party in the shadow of Y p res j Reg Stone, a clever female impersonator, looks as charming today as he (or she) must have looked to the tired infantry in Flanders. Some of the original crowd, of course, did their duty and "went west" many years ago, but their places have been filled by the best of London music-hall and musical comedy talent —Nelson Keys, for example. Tho beauty chorus of forty "ladies” would fool any' man. Faithfully and movingly, "Splinters” shows a typical rest billets concert. But best of all are the old songs. "If You Want the Sergeant-M.ajor, I Know Where He Is," "Old Roger Rum," "Lankie Carrie from Lancashire," "I’ll Be Getting Along," and many’ more. The first half of the programme at tho Civic is also most entertaining. Ted Henkel's splendid Civic Concert Orchestra plays with that delightful finish one always associates with it Sullivan's bright overture from "The Gondoliers." Fred Scholl entertains with a humorous novelty entitled "The Evolution of the Movies.” Finally, there were four sound gazettes, embracing a full budget of tho world’s news from far and near. To those who like gazettes these are a real treat.