ENTERTAINMENTS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 46, Issue 14144, 16 June 1920, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS.

PARAMOUNT THEATRE. “A HEART IN PAWN.” The fascination which Japanese acting has for the average theatrefoer is difficult to explain, but there is no doubt that it is there, as witness the. popularity of the productions starring Sessile Havakawa, the favourite tragedian of the silent drama, who makes a welcome appearance in the new film feature, “A Heart in Pawn.” Hero lie hits a strong part in the role of Toyama, an ambitious Japanese, youth who desires to go to America to study, but has no hope of obtaining j'iiiidts on account of the <Jrunken habits of his father. His betrothed, Sada, secretly raises the money by working as a geisha girl, and presents it to him as a legacy from her fa! her. Toyama goes off to America, and while there hears thal Sada has been executed for lUHing a man who had made advances to her. She was subsequently reprieved. but this news did not reach him. lie then marries a Japanese half-caste he meets at the University, and later goes hack to Japan with his bride! The climax is tragic, and provides Sessue Hayakawa with a magnificent opportuiiitv for the display of his groat talent. A further episode of “Wolves of Kultur” and several other films are also on the new line.

COSY THEATRE. “THIS HERO STUFF.” Fancy calling' fi lioro a coward and seeing him gloat over the epithet! That 's just what William Russell does in "This Hero Stuff,'’ in which .he is a hatthe-scarred veteran of the Great War, who has earned the right to wear three ribbons fpr bravery on his man Iv bosom. The admiration that greets him on every hand is too much for his retiring nature, so he proceeds to paint hi nisei f a coward for the benefit of the public. This is successful, until the right girl conies along, when he finds it doesn’t sound so nice from her lips. Then he has to build up again the castle of reputation that has fallen to the ground —and does it in a series of smashing deeds of daring that soon win back the plaudits of the multitude —and the girl —which is really all that matters. It is good comedy throughout, with plenty of action, and is really a scathing burlesque on heroworship. which must be so unpleasant to its recipients. A man is never a hero to his own wife, as Wiliam Russell finds out in “This Hero Stuff”; he has been dubbed “hero” ad nauseam, and in desperation does a tew stunts that earn him the title of .coward, although he is really and truly quite deserving of the sobriquet he so dislikes. He doesn’t mind the “coward’’ at all; in fact, fairly revels in it, as it removes the unpleasant and misguided attentions of the crowds, until the one girl hands him the lemon with the tag “coward’ attached. Then he wakes up and decides that the hero stuff is perhaps preferable, and wins back the name he has lost, knowing that the girl as wife will never call him “hero.” “The Lightning Raider” and other good films will also be shown.

GERTRUDE JOHNSON CONCERT. AT OPERA HOUSE. The enterprise of the modern Australasian entrepreneur usually expends itself upon the exploiting of imported talent, and the result is that the local artist is too often overlooked. The fact that in Australia and New Zealand there are singers and musicians equal .in all respects to the best who have come here from abroad, has, however, impressed Mr Victor Beck, the wel-known director of numerous highclass entertainments which have toured this country. He has organised a concert tour of the Dominion, under the management of Mr G. S. Garland, of Auckland, by some of the finest artists in the musical world on this side of the globe. They are Miss Gertrude Johnson, the phenomenal young operatic soprano and priina donna of Melbourne, Mr Horace Hunt, the brilliant Auckland pianist, musician and composer, and Mr Charlie Russell, the celebrated Australian flautist. Early this year Miss Johnson was in the Dominion as priina donna in the J. C. Williamson Grand Opera Company. She was' a triumphant success throughout New Zealand, as she had previously been in Australia. Opera goers will remember the furore she created in her two principal roles, “Lucia dc Lnmmermoor” and “ Rigoletto. ’ ’ In reviewing her work in the former opera, a Wellington musical critic said: “Miss Gertrude Johnson was cast for the name part. She was a revelation. Than that of Lucia it is difficult to name a much more exacting role in o-rand opera. Yet Miss Johnson was singularlv successful in it The plan will be open at the Bristol on Friday.