THE THEATRES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2028, 14 August 1920, Page 29 (Supplement)

THE THEATRES.

DOUBLE ATTRACTION AT THE LIBERTY. An unusual double programme of supreme excellence, the Lyric Costume Comedy Company, and "The Way of a Woman," u new Select drama, are included in the offering at the Liberlv Theatre to-day and during next week. The l.yric Company is an exceedingly brilliant combination of singers, musicians and humorists, which has established a big reputation. The entertainment includes the newest in ballads, song, and sketch items, as well as many popular oldtime melodies and songs. One if the many delights of the performance is provided by the famous l.yric Quartet, a party of gifted male singers who make a speciality of part-singing, accompanied and unaccompanied, of the songs and lyrics of England, and selections from the classical and popular operas. Arthur Ripley, tenor. Herbert .). Richards, tenor. John W. Hyan. basso. Alan McKlwain, comedian and baritone, .lessie Bartlett. mezzo soprano and Evelyn Harvey, violinist and pianiste, are the principal members of the company. Miss Belly Edwards, a dunseuse of no mean order, has been especially engaged. Norma Talmadge. tic popular dramatic actress, is the star of "The Way of a Woman," which is said to he an exceptionally fine screen version of Eugene Walter's celebrated i-iage success, "Nancy Lee." The fascinating star is seen in a role thai affords her many fine opportunities for displaying her remarkable dramatic abilitv and personal charm. Conway Tearle is leading man. and Gertrude Berkley. Joe. Huinphrev, Stuart Holmes. George I.e Guene. and others equally well known, head one of the finest and strongest

supporting companies ever seen in a Norma Talmadge picture. I'athe Gazette, Topical Budget. "Caves and Coquettes"' comedy. "The Kingdom of Spring" (Swedish scenic). Educational Review No. 12, and "All Blacks' South African Tour" (Topical) complete a prograinnie. that cannot fait to please any audience. STRAND THEATRE. An excellent programme is billed for presentation at the Strand Theatre to-day. The star attraction is "The Beast." The beast (George Walsh) doesn't know he is a beast until the beauty tells him so. He is a ranch owner in Arizona. He allows his cowboys, with three months' pay in their pockets, a little recreation in Gophertown, a woolly western spot. To keep them straight he goes with them, but ends by getting drunk with (he "boys" in a saloon and dance-hall that is typical of the old border days. There he meets the "beauty," an Eastern girl, travelling with her father in their private car. She is seen by the roisterers, and lured by her beauty, the beast lights another of the men lor possession of her. The beast wins, and inflamed by drink and light carries her off on his horse towards his desert home in true cave-man fashion. They reach the brink of the river, where they are discovered by three pursuing Mexicans, who want the girl's jewellery. Aroused to their danger the beast plunges into the rushing river. They are swept and whirled by the powerful current till they are washed ashore, and when the beast revives he finds that he has saved the girl's life. Then over the desert he rides with her, and reluctantly takes her back to her anxious father. Through months that follow- the beast remembers. At length he journeys to the city and sees the girl. When he meets her she does not recognise in this prince charming, so hauntingly familiar, the beast of the tragic desert episode. At last when he has won her love, he reveals himself.

QUEEN'S THEATRE. —~ "Tlip Tong Man," featuring the great Japanese actor Scssuc Hayakawa, will be the star film at the Queen's Theatre, commencing to-<lay. In Chinatown there lives I.uk Chan, a "hatchet man." who is very proficient in the handling of that deadly weapon. He is feared in the Chinese colony and is known as the most desperate assassin of the "tong," a secret society. He is an outcast in the eyes of the better class, hut there is one. Sen C ec, the beautiful daughter of Louie Toy. a wealthy merchant, who cares for him. Ming Tai, the mean, cringing leader of the "tong," has n liking for both Sen Chee and the merchant's fortune. The merchant will not consent and Ming Tai schemes to put him to death. It falls to I.uk.Chan to execute the crime. The "hatchet man" lures the merchant to a den to kill him. As he is raising the hatchet his heart fails him and the old man leaves unharmed. Luccro, a faithful friend of Louie Toy's, informs Luk that the girl has been captured by Ming Tai. They both hurry over the roofs of the buildings to the assassin's house, and save the girl. The lovers hide in a large dragon's head until Luccro can secure passage on a boat bound for China. There is an excellent supporting programme and mi added attraction for Monday will be "Romance ami Arabella," starving Constance Talmadge.

EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. "Twenty three anda-half Hours' Leave" js the amusing tilm which will head the programme at Kvecybody's Theatre next week. Douglas Maclean and Doris May are the co-stars in this luce production, which I is a rollicking comedy-drama containing i new "business." speedy action, unusual, yet humourous, situations and delightful romance. Mary Hoberts Rinehart wrote the excellent story. It recounts the experiences of an audacious n.c.o. in a training camp, Sergeant William Gray, who has made a bet that he will be invited by his general to eat bran muffins with him at breakfast. Gray meets the general's daughter and falls' in love with her. During his 234 hours' leave he and she capture a pair of German spies ami the general, pleased at his feat, invites him to breakfast with him and feeds him with bran muffins. Gray wins his bet and the general's daughter as well. "Sadie 1-ovc" is the other feature, starring Billie Burke. The story is an unusual one, full of swift-moving comedy-drama and complications of an amusing nature. James L. Crane is Billie Burke's leading man. The dainty comedienne proves conclusively in this picture that she is one of the prettiest, pertest and cleverest little ladies on the screen. CRYSTAL PALACE. The bill for next week at the Crystal Palace will be headed by what is said to lie one of the. most amusing comedy-dramas seen here for many moons, "Please Get Married."' The picture is an adaptation of the riotous farce bv .lames (allien and Allen Browne and stars the bewitching star Viola Dana. The plot is most adroit. It has to do with the honeymoon of a young couple who are interrupted by a chain of exasperating incidents. In the lirst place it turns out that it was a burglar and not a parson, who performed the wedding ceremony and it is only after the pair of youngsters have left on their bridal tour that the bride's parents learn the astounding fact that they may not be married at all. They set out in pursuit but the newl.vweds have a start of them, and a great number of unusual adventures befall them in Ihe little mountain hotel where they seek shelter and solitude. The juvenile bad is sustained by Antrim Short. The current programme, headed by "The Street of Seven Stars," will be shown finally to-night. SYDENHAM PICTURES. "The Man from Kangaroo," featuring the prominent Australian actor Snowy Baker, will he the star lilni at tint Svdenhain Piclures next Monday. "All the World to Nothing" will be screened for the last time b -night. "HIAWATHA." Coleridge-Taylor's masterpiece, "Hiawatha," will be given a repeat performance in the Choral Hall this evening. Ihe piece is well produced by the Chrislcluirch Orchestral Society and music-lovers should not miss this treat. One hundred seats for this concert have been allotted to senior scholars attending secondary schools bv the. society which thus hopes lo develop in the children a love for choral music. SACRED CONCERT. A sacred concert will be given in the Opera House to-morrow evening, commencing at X.15. Some of the artists will he Miss Dorothy Gainer, the Nelson contralto; Miss Vaguer, soprano; Miss Cadeiiliead, violinist; Messrs Ilutton, flautist; George. Alarlinengo, 'cellist and baritone.

OPERA HOUSE. i To-night will be-the last performance of llio current programme lit the Opera House ' winch has provided such excellent I entertainment for the holiday-makers In town during the week. The artists include j Billy Klliott, black-face comedian; I.e. Mourner, athlete and jiu-jitsu expert;! Knight and Hunting, refined vocalists; Nora! Burke, music hall artist; Pagdeh and StanIcy, sketch specialists; Kiteli and Kliftic. who put on a novelty turn; Balto and Curly Sherwood, who also contribute acceptably! to the programme. GRAND THEATRE. Social conditions as they ~c\lst to-day, with particular emphasis on the divorce evil, I arc graphically shown in "The Blindness of Divorce," a William Fox production which I will he screened twice daily all next week at the Grand Theatre. It has as its theme the terrible consequences that come from | j the neglect of some husbands, and their willingness to rush into the divorce court j upon suspicion, and wreck the lives and] happiness of their wives. "The Blindness' of Divorce" was written ami directed by frank Lloyd, who made "l.es Miserables" and "A Tale of Two Cities." The story is! superbly acted hv a cast which includes j Bertha Mann, Rhea Mitchell. Charles Clary, I and others equally well known. The divorce j problem is one of the oldest with which I civilisation has had to contend, and William I Vox instructed Frank I.loyd to make the drama one that would carry its message I to the public. There is a good supporting programme. "THE GEISHA." The Christchurch Operatic Society has been fortunate in securing the services of Mr Tom Pollard, the well-known producer,'

to direct its rehearsals of "The Geisha,", which popular opera will he its first effort.! Ever since its initial production, "The Geisha" has enjoyed an extraordinary run of popularity, which, however, is not surprising for "The Geisha" contains far more than the average number of catchy lyrics; has a sparkling libretto; and possesses a t story of interest. "The Amorous Gold-, iish," "The Interfering Parrot," "Chin. Chin. Chinaman, I'he Jewel of Asia," and "Star of My Soul," to mention only a few numbers from tlie score, possess the same pnpu-| larity to-day, as at the time \vh n "The! Geisha" first created a sensation In London.! A strong cast has been secured, and the i {Production, which commences a sevennights' season on August US, promises to j be a most successful one. The society are 1 enrolling members at £1 I/- per annum I which "entitles them to three tickets for each production. ! , GRAND NATIONAL CARNIVAL. i I The Grand National Carnival at King Edward Barracks was again well patronised! i last evening, when the large audience was I ! thoroughly delighted with the carious I 'amusements provided. To-night will be the! last opportunity of paying a visit to til • j ! carnival and of witnessing the spectacular! j display under Ike direction of Mr W. S. | I Watichop. A special programme of the . i season's most successful items has been j [arranged ;n I will include Hie gorgeously I dressed Eastern Scena and the picturesque ! ! ballets, the beautiful pageant of fashion and j 'the charming statue dance. Solo numbers I will be contributed by Miss Elsie Lock, j [Thelma Thompson, Ivy Spence and .loan Wright and Mr Jack Wright, whose work has won much praise during the season., I The drawing of the various art unions i and raffles will lend additional interest to j the evening's proceedings. The position of (Candidates in the Prince and Princess com- : • petition at closing time last night was as j follows:- Hibernians 1, Diggers 2, Pictures i.'! and Sports 4. | ORCHESTRAL CONCERT. I The Christchurch Orchestral Society's ! second concert of 1!)20 season will be held on Wednesday next, at tlie Choral Hall. The society's full orchestra will play:— I Overture "Hosamunde" (Schubert); Symi phony in D Minor (Cesar Era nek), Entr'acte, "Corisande" (R. A. Home); Suite. "Scenes j Pittoresques" (Massenet); Triumphal March from "Cleopatra (Marncinelli); Mr Vere BuI chanan (violinist) will play "Meditation from Thais" (Massenet), with full orches- i tral accompaniment. The soloist will be I Miss Hose Hon'ell, who will sing, "All In- j (ban Squaw's Song" (Morgan), " Heart's | Delight" (Clarke), "Proposal" (Brackett), and "Come Close, Beloved" (Lambert). The j | accompauiste will be Mrs Vere Livingstone. The box plan opens at The Bristol on Mini- ! day, at !) a.m. WAR MEMORIAL FUND CONCERT. j ! Intending patrons of the concert to. be i given 4lor the War Memorial Fund are reminded that the box plan is now open at | Wcblcy, Sons and Oofton. The commercial travellers' ability to till the house is well known and holders of ticki ts will he well advised to secure their seats without delay. I

EVANS-GANGE CONCERT SEASON. I .fudging by the comment of the Auckland 1 papers, it is evident that the local concertI goers may anticipate something out of the 'ordinary status in this field of entertain- | ment, when Amy Evans, the Welsh soprano, and Eraser Gauge, the Scotch baritone, make I their debut here. The tour of these over- ! sea artists is being conducted under the direction of Chappell and Company, the widely-known musical house of London, and this llrm have claimed that they have cnj entered the concert "arena" of the Southern : Seas witli a view to introducing the foremost artists of the old world. They assert j that on presenting Amy Evans and Eraser I Gauge as forerunners of their campaign, l I their, whole future hi this direction is based. : The management claim that the merits of i I both of the artists are admitted in all parts lof th<' world. The Christchurch season is: i announced to commence on Tuesdav. August 21, in the Choral Hall. The box plans' .'or 'the whole season will be opened at The' I Bristol on Thursday next. "MOTHER HUBBARD." The final presentation of the .1. and X. | Tail pantomime "Mother Hubbard" will bs j given this evening. The pantomime is verv ! popular with Christchurch folk, and its sea- , ■ son here has been a very successful one. . | Aknroa's early spring, with its Leaut.iful harbour, healthiest holiday resort in the Dominion, Jots of sunshine, in the restful old French town. ' .1 i No more grinding of teeth with WADE'S WORM FIGS. .2