QUEEN’S THEATRE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17230, 22 December 1923, Page 3 (Supplement)

QUEEN’S THEATRE.

“THE SAGE BUSH TRAIL, ” AND “GIPSY PASSION.” Roy Stewart and Marjorie Daw give a perfect interpretation of their respective roies in “The Sage Bush Trail,” which commences at the Queen’s on Monday. It is a western, drama of a sheriff who feared no man, but hesitated at the sight of a woman, particularly when the latter was young, good-looking and the local school teacher into the bargain. As Larry Reid, the hero determines to clean up the town, and is on a fair way to do it when Jose Fagaro, a Mexican bandit, who is bent on making a raid, but, being afraid of the sheriff, schemes to hare it appear that a tender-foot was the one who fired a shot to kill the sheriff. The latter chases his supposed assailant, who takes refuge in ( the cabin of the school mistress. On i the sheriff arriving on the scene, the girl denies that she is hiding anybody, I and permits the sheriff to search the • place. He, piquod and jealous at her j demeanour, rides off, after which the girl releases the young suspect. When the Mexican is caught, and the tenderfoot proves that tho bandit is really the man who cause*! tho trouble, the breach between the sheriff and the girl is healed up, particularly when it comgs out that the young fellow was really the brother of tho girl, and tho latter, fearing that, the sheriff, in his haste, might kill the boy without explanation, hid him until the excitement cooled down. “Gipsy Passion” is the second big feature. The tale is briefly that of two gipsies, Romany Kate and Miarka. Miarka, the granddaughter, is an orphan. S/ince her birth they have lived on the bounty of Count de la Roque, who is interested in gipsy lore. His adopted nephew, Ivor, returns from college and loves Miarka. So does Luke, the gamekeeper. Tho cards have foretold to , Kate that the chief of all gipsies will , come, and will marry Miarka, and she 1 watches Miarka. The count steals I Kate's gipsy writings, and Luke, knowing where they are hidden, gives i Kate the key and she steals her own j papers at night. Luke then steals money and fires the chateau. The blame falls on Kate, and she is arrested. Luke attempts to abduct Miarka, who is alone with her trained bear, but the bear kilLs him. Before his death he clears Kate. Kate and j Miarka make the pilgrimage to the gipsy shrine near the sea. The count and Ivor follow, and it is here that the final scenes in this stirring drama are unfolded. All to the accompaniment of perfect music, a Sunshine comedy and a Fox News will complete the programme.