FREE LANCINGS

Observer, Volume XL, Issue 8, 25 October 1919, Page 6

FREE LANCINGS

(By Pbompteb.3

BARRY LUPINO is on at Fuller's, and the big audiences are taking notice. Mr. Lupino is a celebrity who exacts the merry ha! ha! from the woodenest face, and although he is known best as a masculine voice, surrounded with a feminine skirt, and roofed with a bonnet, his versatility is so great that he can induce cachinations without these sartorial femininities. Mr. Lupino is still in the heydey of his triumph as a dancer—sparkling, spectacular, vivacious. He has the necessary gag, ancient, modern, and unidentifiable, necessary to make an audience rock with mirth. Walter George's Sunshine Players have a bright musical comedy, "In Venice," during which the whole strength of his excellent little company is used in song, mirth, and dance. He depends more on art than on the crude suggestion that is sometimes used by artists knowing their audiences to extort the occasional cackle. The musical comedy is well dressed—and so are the players. Campbell and Mayo, the "pot pourrists," have an exquisite collection of now artistries, which leave the audiences gasping for more—quite accomplished people these. Carr and Manly are people who, with consummate ease, lift half-tons about and smile. Wharf labourers view them with ill-tco'n-cealed envy, for the exhibition of strength and a willingness to use it are novelties in these days of stress. Either could get a job as a moving crane. Appropriate music by the fine Fuller orchestra rounds off a delightful programme.

J. and N. Tait's new dramatic company, headed by Miss Emelie Polini, will commence the season of first-class drama at His Majesty's Theatre, next Saturday night, when that fascinating drama "De Luxe Annie," will be presented for the first time in Auckland. "De Luxe Annie" opens quaintly in a Pullman Car, with a glaring landscape shooting by most naturally, and in the compartment, Doctor Niblo, dwelling prosily on the popular miscMMkception of what ordinary people call coincidence, begins to relate the story of "De Luxe Annie," then the curtain descends, and the play—which is his story— commences. It relates the story of Annie, a clever "crook" and her confederate, Jimmy Fitzpatrick, who make a rich harvest by means of a clever confidence trick. Annie sets out in this or that town a wealthy and susceptible old gentleman, who succumbs to her feminine lure, and, when conpromised—enter Jimmy as the detective, employed allegedly by Annie's husband to obtain pabulum for a suit. Of course, the wealthy susceptible, afraid of such publicity, pays up, and the unscrupulous pair decamp.' But Annie tires of the business. Cupid has taken a hand, and as he must be served, Jimmy is being given his conge when Nemesis turns up in Cromn, a detective, who exposes them both in a very clever scene, in which mystery is piled on mystery until the relationship of all parties* becomes delightfully mixed. Kendal, Annie's lover goes bail for Annie, when Jimmy Fitzpatrick becomes alive to the fact that he is in the police "frame-up" and they both decamp swiftly for pastures new. for Annie's dream of love and the hotter life being shattered at a blow. The victim in the next case, is Cyrus Munroe. and in his hardware store, Annie plies her nefarious trade up to the point where Jimmy enters as

a bogus detective, and the decoyed duck, hands over 5,000 dollars hush money. Jimmy is handcuffed, arid the situation looks black indeed, when Annio pretends to take a dose of carbolic acid. Cronin, the detective, rushes to her assistance and as he stoops over her she throws heir arms around the detective, when Jimmy promptly brains him with his handcuffs, and' both escape on ice skates over the frozen river. It would be telling too much to describe the other exciting and thrilling experiences of Annie. The Box Plan is open at Wildman "and Arey's whore seats can be booked for the first six performances.

The Princess Theatre has a Douglas Fairbanks' photo yarn — "Arizona"—and it sure wires one clear away to the Alkali Plains, where the chapparero chases the mesquite bush and the greaser chases the wary bacienda on the stoop of the ranch piazza—yes. Waal, Douglas Fairbanks, of Fairbanksville, smiles clar through thisyer photogram, and exudes himself around

the chapparal in a truly exuberant way. Ef you kin think out anything that Dug. Fairbanks kaint do, and doesn't do in this most a-mazing galloping sun-picture, jest dot it down. Besides Dug's smile and adventures there are other screenographics to wile away a pleasant hour or two.

At the Tivoli Theatre on Saturday next, October 25th, the Artcraft Corporation will present the beautiful and gifted actress Elsie Ferguson, in a stirring play, which ranks amongst her greatest success, entitled. "His Parisian Wife." Everyone will remember Elsie Ferguson's triumph in "Rose of the World." In "His Parisian Wife" she again has a role of an intensely emotional character, and once more proves herself to be an actress of more than usual ability. The scenes are laid in Boston, New York, and Paris, and the atmosphere of the gay city is vividly reproduced. The story is one of keen dramatic interest, the conclusion being always in doubt. Elsie Ferguson shows some of the latest Parisian gowns—and also how to wear them. She is supported by David Powel: who has the interesting record of acting opposite nearly all the leading stars from Mary Pickford down.

The National Theatre will show on Saturday the Fox picture play, "On the Jump," with George Walsh in the lead. This typically American play shows the leading actor as an American reporter of superhuman genius, who, after an interview with President Wilson ; joins up the Army, but stays "right to home" to sell stock in the Liberty Loan and help the Doughboys in the Dugouts—yes, sir 1 He sells a hundred million dollars' worth, and there are other things in this play you'll be charmed to see. The other big people in the play are James Marcus, Henry Clive, Frances Burnham, and Ralph Faulkner. There

is another Fox wonder, too, " The Danger Zone," in which celebrity, Madlaine Traverse, who won fame in the Fox play, "The Caillaux Case," is the leading, woman. Miss Traverse has been on the stage and in the pictures since childhood. © © © The Strand Theatre proprietary has secured for next Saturday and the ensuing week, "His Debt," featuring Sessue Hayakawa, who gives a pleasing and unusual portrayal of the proprietor of a house of chance, and is noticeably successful in depicting the various moods common to the particular type which he represents. Jane Novak, in the feminine lead, is also worthy of special comment for her attractive work. The picture is rich in artistic settings ; and the action gains speed and suspense as it progresses. It's a drama containing enough of adventure and melodrama, and sufficient of the romantic element to please anyone. © © ® At the Queen's Theatre that active and fascinating actress, Dorothy Phillips, is seen in "Destiny," which tells the story of people who ache for money and the power boodle gives them. The story sermonises to the extent of showing that if yon get power and money you ultimately fall into a rut of misery, if not into the hands of the police. It warns you in a series of exquisite tableaux "to avoid being rich and wicked, and to keep yourself humble and poor all your life as your only chance of Heaven. Since seeing the picture I have decided to distribute £3,000,000 among deserving pressagents, and to go to an Old Men s Home. Miss Phillips is unusually fine in this, most fascinating photo sermon.