AMUSEMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 12 June 1926, Page 10

AMUSEMENTS.

“LOVERS IN QUARANTINE.”—AT THE GRAND. Bebc Daniels, in one of the funniest comedy dramas, is the treat promised in the Paramount Picture, “Lovers in Quarantine.” ill it Bebe is a young society Miss, who elopes with her sister's fiancee, only the young man does not know it. Plow did that happen? .IPs tlio .simplest thing .in the world, as you will see at the Grand Theatre to-day. Diana Gordon (Bebe Daniels), an unkempt and mischievous hoyden, nurses a secret adoration for her sister Pamela's absentee lover, Anthony Blunt. Blunt explores African jungles when he should be at home paying court to his fiancee. Diana doesn’t approvo of her sister’s tactics, especially since Pamela has overlooked her engagement to Tony, and is planning to many Mackintosh Josephs. Blunt, following on the heels of his letter, which'announces his imminent return to claim Pamela as his bride, is disconcerted to find himstlf being welcomed instead by Diana. When. Mack is out of the way, Pamela rapturously welcomes her returned explorer, arousing the ire of Diana. Tony urges Pamela to sail with him:- the next night. Not daring to tell of her impending’ marriage, Pamela agrees, and, overheard by Diana, who out of revenge drags in Mack, presenting, him to Tony as Pamela’s husband-to-be. Later Pamela soothes the indignant Tony by promising to elope with him. Diaiia locks her sister into a closet, and usurps her place on board ship. Tony comes on board with a minister, only to have the ship’s doctor order Diana to be confined to her cabin without food. While on a foray for food, Diana unexpectedly is confronted by Blunt, who is shocked to discover that lie has eloped with the insufferable youngster. His sneering denunciation leads Diana to evolve a plan to humiliate him. With Pamela’s elaborate trousseau, Diana transfers herself into tho most captivating young woman on the boat. Hoad over heels in love with her, he pleads with Diana to marry him tho moment tho boat docks. But she laughs at him, reminding him that .sho hasn’t forgoten he once termed her a “gawky little srioopd’ Just as they decide to got married, Pamela, arrives, and upsets plans bv insisting that Tony go through with the delayed ceremony. Refusing to lot Blunt slip out of her fingers again, Diana puts over a stunt that eliminates her sister, and makes every tiling as she wishes it between herself and the explorer.

FULLERS THIS EVENING. . “HIS PEOPLE.”. No production in the picture world has created such a sensation for years as Universal's beautiful 9-reel superlcaturo, “His People,” which will be screened in Timaru for two nights only, commencing this evening, at the Theatre. Royal. Rabbi Cominsky is the lather of two sons, Morris and : Sammy. His paternal affection turns to Morris because the boy is ambitious, iand studies to become a lawyer. Ho dislikes Sammy On account of tho lad’s disinclination for study. The father l : learns that Sammy has become a prizefighter under a different name, and he disowns the son and denies him tho house. In reality the boy turned to ; pugilism as a means of helping his parents. Morris, on the other hand, is ashamed of his parents, and when lie 1 succeeds in the law, he proposes marriage to liis employer’s daughter, and claims that he is an orphan. However, he still makes demands for money : upon his unsuspecting father, and the ! old man, during one of his attempts I to get money for Morris, succumbs to exposure in a blinding snowstorm. Ho 1 feels that he is dying, and calls for his Morris to give him his dying ’ blessing. Morris does not heed his father’s call, but Sammy, the prizelighter, learns of his father’s serious illness. Sammy poses as his brother 1 lor the benediction, taking advantage of his father’s eyesight being dimmed iby illness, and tho happiness experij enced by the apparent visit of Morris helps the father to recover. As ho 'sits, happily convalescing, ho learns of j Morris’s claim that ho is an orphan. I Accordingly, he sets forth for the home iof Morris’s bride-to-be, and at the | engagement dinner, Morris publicly ’denies his father. Broken, the old man leaves for homo. In the subway stajtion lie runs into his wife and Mamie, who had just returned from a prize ! fight in which Sammy had been tho | winner over the champion. Mamie ’learns of Morris’s actions and tolls 1 Sammy. Burning with indignation, Sammy dashps to the homo of Morris’s ■ fiancee. Ho enters tho dining-room, : and before tho startled guests he denounces his perfidious brother. Arriving at his father’s house, he leads his i brother into tho room where the rabbi sits grieving. Realisation of what ho had done comes to Morris, and lie begs [ hi’, father’s forgiveness. A soul-stirring ending that replaces a tear with hearty laughter, sends the audience home from one of tho greatest character studies ever seen on the screen. An Our Gang comedy, “The Champeens,” the ‘Rathe Gazette,” and an episode of “Samson of the Circus” will also 'bo shoivn. Tho entertainment will conclude at 10.30, and seats should be booked early. “The Chcchahcos” will ibe screened finally this afternoon.

“RIP VAN WINKLE.” After a wonderfully successful season, this clever company will bid farewell to Timaru next Monday night at the Theatre Itoyal. On tho following Saturday tin; company will finish up tho season by staging , “Rip Van Winkle” at the fine new' Aoraugi Hall at Fairlio next Monday night. Considerable interest is being aroused over a change in tho cast. Owing to a family bereavement, Miss Kathleen Young is unable to play, so that her under-study, Miss C. .Mclntosh, will fill the important part of “Katrina.” This young lady made such a hit in the comparatively small 3rd act part of “Alice” that her re-appearance in the more exacting part will be eagerly looked forward to. In the 3rd act, Miss Flamank will play Miss Mclntosh’s part of “Alice,” in addition to her admirable work as “Gretclicn” in acts 1. and 11. Another change has also to be made through Mr Cecil Wood’s illness. Mr Hector McClatchy, his under-study, will play the fine comedy part of “Kiiickerboker,” in which Mr Wood did so well, whilst the part of “Max Schneider,” in tho 3rd act, will be jilayed by Mr J. L. Forrier, in place of Mr McClatchy. The rest of the company arc all in splendid form, and playing with ease and confidence. The change in tho cast has, of course, entailed extra work and rehearsals, but tho “Rip Van Winkle” Company is such a. happy family that all concerned have cheerfully faced the situation, though regretting the unavoidable absence of nvo such favourites as Miss Young and Mr Wood. As the Mayor's Coal and Blanket Fund will benefit by the performance on Monday night, tiie public should respond by giving “Rip” a big house. 'The box plan is at the Bristol, and on Monday, Mrs Mason lias kindly consented to organiso a band of ladies to help by selling tickets.

GERALDINE. . The opening of “Abraham Lincoln” • at the Municipal Theatre, recalls that ’ tho martyr President was a believer in dreams. Towards the close of the Civil War the weary President had a , terrible dream that upset both Mrs 1 Lincoln and himself for several days, i One night he seemed to be aroused 1 irom his sleep by tho voices of many people in mourning and lamentation. , lie descended the stairs to tho east . room, and there, in the middle of it, j Mood a black catafalque upon which j rested a corpse in grave clothes. Tho j President asked of the attendant: i “Who is dead in the AVhitc House?” ‘ “Tho President,” replied tho man. This is tho last recorded dream of i President Lincoln, and there is cvidenco that lie- accepted it as a premonition . of tho future. The first episode of : a thrilling now serial will also be 'screened, and to-night’s performance I will also bo further enhanced by the J engagement of an augmented orchestra.