AT THE EMPIRE.

Waipa Post, Volume 48, Issue 3483, 23 June 1934, Page 12

AT THE EMPIRE.

AGAIN TO-NIGHT AND MONDAY. "BRITANNIA OF BILLINGSGATE." Adapted from the successlul West End play by Christine Jope-Sla'de and Sewell Stokes, " Britannia of Billingsgate," which was screened at the Empire Theatre last night, might be described as a satirical comedy extravaganza. It is a simple, effective story developed with close attention to character preseiwation. No producer realises m)ofcje acutely than GaumontBritish the importance of setting reasonable bounds to extravaganza. The story is of the reactions of the Boltion family of Billingsgate, when Mrs Bolton is suddenly snatched from the smok© and grease of her fish and chips shop to star in a film. Although rapid-fire comedy is the predominating element of this excellent screen play, there are moments of drama. The. opening scenes, depicting the strenuous activities of Billingsgate fish market are novel and finely presented, while the atmosphere of the fish and chip shop is convincingly conveyed. Hilarious comedy fairly floods a filmi location trip, under the guidance of an explosive foreign director and thejije is an especially delicious scene in which Bolton nearly wrecks a sound truck by fiddling with the "knobs." The famous Lea Bridge speedway is included in the production and among the international rider's who race and stunt, for these scenes, are Ron Johnson, Tom Farndoh, Gus Kuhn, Arthur Warwick, Colin Watson. Here again Bolton distinguishes himself by performing an unrehearsed nightmare ride that ir. one of the funniest things Gordon Harker has ever done.