ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 August 1926, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS.

THE PEOPLE’S THEATRE. "EAST OF BROADWAY.” A smashing drama of the New York Police commences to-night afr the People’s Theatre. The title of the picture is "East of Broadway” and was produced by Schofield for Master Pictures. Owen Moore and Marguerite De La Motte have the leading roles while Mary Carr, and Ralph Lewis are also featured players. The picture has everything that goes to make for real dramatic entertainment. lu story, direction, cast and production, nothing is lacking. Beside the thrills and there are thrills aplenty, there is heart interest and human appeal, but it is very deftly handled and is not over done. The story is about a young man who is trying to qualify for a position on the force and how he finally wins, in spite of ail odds is the theme of one of the best pictures it has been your pleasure to see for many months. “East of Broadway” is supported by a Gazette, a Nature Study, and Comedy, "Moonlight Nights.” EVERYBODY’S. BLANCE SWEET & BEN LYON ARE STARS. What is the new commandment? It can be made and given according to one’s disposition, but rarely is it heeded. Like the warning of an angry conscience a First National picture, based on Colonel Fairfax’s great novel, “Invisible Wounds” and entitled “The New Commandment,” comes to Everybody’s to-night. It is not an indictment,- it is not an accusation, it is a simple statement of accepted facts, courageous and even .uiWcss, intensely dramatic, but with a softening balance of idyllic romance. Set in Paris during the most momentous period of European history, tragic and care-free 'by turns as is the custom of Paris, engrossing in its plot and eminently thrilling in its situations, "The New Commandment” possess every attribute of a good story and in its artistic and lavish settings has ■everything needed for a good production. It is not merely the Paris of the bouleyards and the Champs Elysees. Running as it does the gamut of human emotions and ambitions, it also threads its course through every walk of life, aud the result is that the picturesque and romantic corners of Paris are visited along, with the salons of the city, and all the colour and atmosphere of a typical Bohemia are included in this great picture. In harmony with the dramatic trend of the film is the accomplished acting of the two leading artists. Blanche Sweet and Ben Lyon appear in the leading roles, and in portrayals that call for subtlety and finesse in an inordinate degree, they both do the best work of their careers.

EMPIRE THEATRE. “MADAME SANS GENE.” Gloria Swanson’s new Paramount picture, “Madame Sans Gene,” the story of a French laundress who befriended Napoleon in the days of his poverty, and was remembered by him in his days of prosperity and power, heads the programme for the reopening of the Empire Theatre this evening. Made entirely in France, this picture was filmed without a single “set.” Every scene shown on the screen will be the real thing—rooms of palaces, exteriors, great courtyards, lawns and terraces of surpassing beauty—all genuine, and all once upon a time trodden by Napoleon and the historical figures who surrounded his court. “Madame Sans Gene” will be shown for three nights at the Empire, and the music is in the hand's of the Opera House orchestra, under Messrs. Tozer and Bernard’s direction. Seats may be reserved at Collier’s. BRADLEY'S MONKEY HIPPODROME Local theatre-goers have seen many animal performances, but nothing like that to be presented by Bradley’s wonderful monkeys at Hawera at 3.30 and 8 p.m. to-day and New Plymouth on Saturday next at 2.30 and 8 p.m. This novel animal act has proved itself to be the most popular that J. C. Williamson, Ltd., has imported from America to Australia. The New Zealand Herald, speaking of the act, said: "The masterpiece of the whole show at Fuller’s was the monkey jazz band. Dressed in varicoloured velvets, they played the vari • ous instruments under the conductorship of one of their number. The intelligence displayed by these monkeys in keeping time with the music and playing their instruments at the proper time, would put many human beings to shame, and the fact that this jazz band performs entirely without assistance or direction is amazing. Tommy, the trapeze artist, was perhaps the Cleverest of the other monkey performers. He balanced, somersaulted and reversed on the trapeze bars, and also did the flyinv act as capably as a human being.” Foley’s Vaudeville Compapy will contribute the balance of the programme, consisting of witty cartoons, ventriloquism, chalk talks aud Oriental magic. The monkeys will parade the. town on Friday afternoon at 3 o’clock. The monkeys and vaudeville will show at Waitara on Monday, August 23, at 3.30 and 8 p.m., Inglewood Tuesday, August 24, at 3.30 and 8, Elthaiii Wednesday, August 25, at 3.30 and 8, Opunake on Friday, August 27, and Stratford Saturday, August 28, at 2.30 and 8 p.m.