ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 14 March 1933, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

“TESS OF THE STORM COUNTRY.” OPERA HOUSE ATTRACTION. With those two outstanding favourites,, Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell, in the leading roles, “Tess of the Storm Country,” a delightful romance which is playing to crowded houses at the New Plymouth Opera House, needs no further recommendation to the theatre-going public. Perhaps it is the colourful sea setting or perhaps the superb acting, with all its varying phases of innocent joy, love, humour, pathos and bravery in the face of tragedy, which seems to place this production on an even higher footing than the ten preceding talkies in which Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell have starred together. As Tess, the motherless daughter of a New England sea captain, Janet Gaynor fills the role chosen for . her to perfection and achieves one of the best performances of her career. Farrell, as a millionaire’s son who is disowned by his irascible parent because of his interest in the heroine, also comes through with a flawless portrayal. EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. “ONCE IN A LIFETIME.” The screen version of George S. Knauf - man’s stage comedy “Once in a Lifetime” will screen finally this afternoon and to-night at Everybody’s Theatre, New Plymouth. An all star cast is headed by Aline McMahon, Jack Oakie, Zasu Pitts and Louise Fazenda. Children will be admitted for half price this evening.

“NO MORE ORCHIDS.” A more brilliant and fascinating Carole Lombard than has been seen before on the screen comes to Everybody’s Theatre to-morrow afternoon and evening in the leading role of Columbia’s “No More Orchids,” a modem drama of a modern girl. “No More . Orchids” offers this blonde screen actress more opportunity to display not only her ability to wear clothes but to carry a major dramatic role than any other of the numerous films she has made previously. Miss Lombard will be seen as a modem daughter of a wealthy banker who is thrown into distress by financial failure. Her first sincere emotion, when she falls in love with a young, alert and handsome lawyer, played by Lyle Talbot, meets a compelling dramatic conflict when her wealthy grandfather refuses to lend her father’s bank any money unless she marries the prince her grandfather thinks would make a proper match with royalty. No more perfectly suited a cast could have been found for the many important roles in “No More Orchids.” Walter Connolly and Louise Closser Hale, two of the finest players on the stage and screen, play Miss Lombard’s father and grandmother. Others in the cast are C. Aubrey Smith, Jameson Thomas and William V. Mong. REGENT THEATRE. “THE NIGHT CLUB LADY.” “The Night Club Lady,” which undoubtedly is one of the most thrilling detective dramas yet presented on the audible screen, will be finally presented at The Regent Theatre, New Plymouth, to-night. Adolphe Menjou, Mayo Methot and Skeets Gallagher head a clever cast. There is a full supporting programme. “THE MILLIONAIRE” TO-MORROW. “The Millionaire,” the highly successful Warner production -starring Mr. George Arliss, will play a return season at The Regent Theatre to-morrow, Thursday and Friday nights. Mr. Arliss, as the millionaire James Alden, first engages the sympathy of his audience, who see him suffering from the strain of an active life, handicapped by ill-health at a time when he should be enjoying life to the fullest Doctor’s well-meant advice to rest does not seem the solution, but now life comes to him when he acquires an interest in a petrol - station, his partner being a young man. The partnership _is almost immediately threatened with bankruptcy, but the old fighting instinct is aroused in the millionaire, who, without drawing on his resources, turns failure into brilliant success. The audience laughs with Mr. Arliss in his shrewd little dodges to outwit a very watchful wife and man-servant and engage surreptitiously in his little business scheme. Mr. Arliss achieves a personal triumph -in this his first modern role.

JOHN BROWNLEE. TO-NIGHT’S CONCERT. To-night at the Empire Theatre, New Plymouth, Taranaki music lovers will have -an opportunity of hearing a wonderful concert, for the world-famous young baritone, Mr. John Brownlee, _ is one of the greatest male singers to visit New Zealand. Auckland papers have been lavish in their praises of the John Brownlee concerts, for the baritone has brought two fine supporting artists with him—Miss Rita Miller, soprano, and Mr. Raymond Lambert, pianist. Mr. Brownlee has prepared a very fine programme, and his items will include operatic duets with Miss Rita Miller, as well as a great variety of solo numbers. Among the latter will be The Prologue from I Pagliacci,” the Serenade from “Don Giovanni,” the old English songs ‘ Come, Let’s be Merry” and “The Pretty Creature”; a modern group comprising “Sea Fever,” “Five Eyes” and “If I Were King,” and Stock’s stirring setting of “Route Marchin’.” For his supplementary numbers Mr. Brownlee will give as many request items as possible, and he asks that requests for numbers should be left at Collier's. Miss Rita Miller, the soprano, will be heard in the Polonaise from “Mignon,” and in “Songs My Mother Taught Me” and “A Persian Song of Spring.” The brilliant pianist, Mr. Raymond Lambert, in addition to playing the accompaniments, will also give two groups of solos, among which will be “Toccata (Debussy), “Ritual Fire Dance” (Manuel de Falla). “Nocturne in F Sharp Major (Chopin) and “Valse Brillante in A Flat (Chopin). The box plan for this great concert is at Collier’s, where students’ block concessions and day sale tickets at 4s, 3s and 2s are now on sale. Mr. Brownlee will give an entirely different programme at his Hawera concert to-morrow night. INGLEWOOD TALKIES. “SIDE SHOW.” It is news worth heeding that Winnie Lightner, tomboy of the talkies, and Charles Butterworth, meekest and most solemn funnyman living, are co-featured in “Side Show,” the Warner Bros, picture which comes to the Inglewood town hall to-morrow. Not that Miss Lightners work in ‘Side Show” is all clowning, for this film gives her her first chance to be serious. She plays the part of assistant to the owner of the “world’s greatest circus,” hires help and fires help, and on occasion doubles for hula dancer, cannibal oi' bearded lady. But the serious part of the business appears when her pretty sister comes to spend a vacation with the show, and while on the lot alienates the affections of Joe the barker whom Winnie wants herself. There will be no pictures on Friday this week but “The Blue Danube wiL be screened on Thursday and Satui - day.