ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 28 August 1930, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

THE REGENT. “CAMEO KIRBY." Romance, beauty, songs, comedy and. ■drama —“Cameo Kirby,” which, had it® first showing at The Regent theatre* New Plymouth, last night and received, the enthusiastic plaudits of the audience, lias them all. And all are welded into a harmonious whole that makes this Fox Movietone romantic musical drama the best entertainment of this class that will be seen her in many a month. The two stars, J. Harold Murray and Norina. Terris, sang beautifully, acted intelligently and Imbued their roles with a charm that held last night’s audience in its spell from their .first appearance to the final fade-out.. Douglas Gilmore, as the villain, Myrna Loy, as a Creole girl, Stepin Fetchit, as a negro butler, Robert Edeson, as Miss Terris’ father, Charles Morton, John Hyams and Mme. Daumpry, all turned in excellent, well-rounded performances, affording the stars perfect support. The songs include “Romance,” “After, a Million Dreams,” “Home Is Heaven,” “Tankard and Bowl,” and "I’m a Peaceful Man.” The supporting programme includes Movietone news, “Happiness Boys" (vocal duo), “In and Out” (talking comedy), Eddie Peabody (wizard of string instruments) and the Kentucky Jubilee Singers (in a medley of negro spirituals). This programme will be repeated to-night and to-morrow night. EVERYBODY’S TALKIES. The theme of “The' Careless Age," now showing at Everybody’s Talkies, New Plymouth, is the allure that a sophisticated woman sometimes has for a younger man. In this case the young man is almost a boy—-and the woman is an actress. They meet at Lake Como, where the actress is glad to find diversion in the arms of the youth, liien she returns to the glamour of her London life and is ready to forget him, but the boy has other ideas. And so the complications start. It is an interesting story, well directed and logical, told amid the gay tinsel of theatrical life, and in the colourful resort at Lake Como, Douglas Fairbanks, Junr., has his most dramatic role as the boy, and this sterling young actor never to better advantage. Carmel Myers is cast as the actress, and the talented young woman whose performance in “Ben Hur” will never be forgotten does a splendid piece of work as die temperamental, flighty stage star. JLoretta, Young’s fresh beauty is lovelier than ever in her role of a young English girl. The supports include Movietone news, “Crystal Cave Revue" (singing and dancing short), Pathe sound news. Audio Re,view and Willie and Eugene Howard (vocal and patter comedians). NOTABLE MUSICAL EVENT. CHORAL SOCIETIES UNITE. It is particularly, appropriate that the arrangement for the collaboration of the New Plymouth Choral Society with the Royal Wellington Choral Union in a per- , formance of “Hiawatha” should follow soon after such a successful' festival as Music Week, as it will serve to show that the festival has quickdh.ed. interest in the ordinary activities of -.the New Plymouth musical societies, g /The idea of reciprocal visits among musical societies is not a new one, and this will not be the first occasion on vhieh the New Plymouth Choral Society has had a visit from the Wellington society. On this occasion, however, the work chosen is such an attractive one that the occasion should of itself be a festival one. There will be an accession to the strength of the New Plymouth choir of about 100 singers from Wellington, making over 160 choristers. A ft: s cast of soloists has been engaged in Madam® Winnie Fraser, who is a great favourite of New Plymouth concert goers, Mr. Hubert Carter, who is also an established favourite here, and Mr. Ernest Short, Wellington, who will be making his first appearance in New Plymouth in the title ro)e of the work. T.he concert -will be given under the direction oPMr. John . Bishop,, Wellington, who has been specially invited to conduct the performance. Longfellow’s poem describing the customs and legends of the North American Indians is. well known, and it has been set to music by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor which is as attractive as the poem itself. The first part of the work describes the scenes at the scenes at the festival in honour of the w’edding of Hiawatha and Minnehaha. The second describes the severity of the northern winter, with s tlie ravages of famine and fever bringing desolation, and death in their wdke, taking away the lovely bride of Hiawatha. The final section tells of the re-appearaiice of spring, and the coining of the white man with his message of the gospel of peace to the Indian, concluding with the very noble farewell of Hiawatha ■- to his people as he departs to the land of vhe Hereafter. Tickets for the concert may be obtained from members of the choir and at the Classic Art Depot. • The concert will be-given at the Opera' Hou,se tn Saturday, September 6. “ROOKSRY NOOK." That England has not failed to snatch the golden opportunity that was thrust at her with the introduction of talking pictures, is proved conclusively in the new all-talking British production, “Rookery Nook,” which commences a season of six matinees and six nighta at Everybody’s Talkies, New Plymouth, on Saturday next. Adapted from the famous play by Ben Travers, the dialogue is so crisp and conveys so much of°the real English atmosphere to the listener that it is quite easy to see that it would have been sheer tragedy to have attempted to film “Rookery Nook’’ without an all English cast. Tom Walls, Ralph Lynn, Winifred Shotter, Mary Brough and Ethel Coleridge have the leading roles in the new talkie. These stars, it is interesting to note, also filled the leading roles in the London stage presentation of “Rookery Nook.” Ben Travers’ play as a talking film is delightful in. many ways, but the. really remarkable English diction deserves special mention. Every member of the cast speaks his or her “lines” so naturally and clearly that the pleasure of ■watching “Rookery Nook" is considerably enhanced by the ease with which one may listen to it. So well has the recording been handled that it has brought forth loud praise from the American sound experts. The Gramophone Company (His Master’s Voice) and the' Western Electric Corporation are equally responsible for this side of the film.