ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1933, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS

“MADAME BUTTERFLY.”

THE TRAGEDY OF CHO-CHO-SAN.

Splendid photography and superb acting characterised the picturised presentation of “Madame Butterfly” at _ the New Plymouth Opera House last night. Though the story deviates somewhat from that of the opera, it has the music of the opera and, more, it has the advantage of Oriental backgrounds so realistic that Tor them alone the picture is worth while.

There are the scenes in the Geisha house, in the quaintly beautiful. Japanese gardens, in the temple with its giant Buddha, in the Japanese house of “the honourable B. F. Pinkerton, ‘the whole works’”. And it is among this realism that Miss Sylvia Sydney gives a most life-like portrayal of the daughter of the Samurai. As Cho-Cho-San Miss Sydney merges herself with the East with a success that is startling. The almond shape of her eyes, the complexion of her small features, the high coiffure, the quaint refinements of Nippon, all help ’to create an atmosphere through which it is extremely difficult to identify the assumed nationality from the true. It is around Miss Sydney’s Cho-Cho-San that the play is built. Orphaned of her father, she enters a Geisha house to meet a rich suitor of her own rank. But instead she meets Lieutenant Pinkerton, of the United States Navy. They marry according to the Japanese custom and the officer, living for to-day, is enchanted by all the tendernesses, humble services and naive remarks of his little wife. Then comes the sad time of parting and he returns to the United States, leaving a promise that he will come back “when the robin nests.” But the robin nests four times before he returns, with an American wife. The delight of Cho-Cho-San when the warships arrive and her patient waiting for her “honourable husband,” are preludes .to heartstirring scenes that gives full scope to Miss Sydney’s histrionic skill. With surpassing art she works upon the sympathies of her audience and-leads .them on to the powerful climax. ■ - - “Madame Butterfly” and its fine bracket of supports, including British and American News pictures, will be screened to-night and to-morrow.