ENTERTAINMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17133, 21 June 1927, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

JACK LUMSDAINE AT STRAND.. iifL . POPULAR “WHISPERING BARITOWB' 1 It was interesting to meet Jack Lumsdaine “in the flesh” at the Strand Theatre last night, for has he not, as “The Radio Rascal,” been heard many times over the air from Australia, and is he not well known as a composer of popular melodies and recording artist? Immediately he appeared Air Lumsdaine won the friendship of the audience, and as his act continued the enthusiasm grew, culminating in an ovation such as is rarely accorded a performer in Hamilton. Gifte'd pianist, pleasing singer, and gay raconteur, Mr Lumsdaine added to his other gifts a very likeable per- t sonality. Seating himself at the piand, ! Mr Lumsdaine sang to his own aecom- . paniment, in “Whispering Baritone** style, “Mary Lou,” a lilting little num- I her that pleased the audience immensely. He then told some very funny stories. “Thinking,” an appealing bit of sentiment with a sweet melody, was delivered with great sympathy. Then followed one of Mr Lumsdaine’s ewn compositions, “Thermogene,” an amusing and clever burlesque on tho love ballad. Enthusiastically recalled, the entertainer showed how a song hit “Don’t Bring Lulu,” might be sung as opera. The audience still clamoured for more, and Mr Lumsdaine responded with “Bye-bye Blackbird,” delightfully rendered. Even then the audience waa' not satisfied, and the popular “Radio Rascal" had to bow his acknowledgments many times. i The picture portion of the programme included “The Temptress, ** starring Greta Garbo and Antonio Moreno, and “An Affair of the Follies,” with popular. Billie Dove, Lewis Stone and Lloyd Hughes. Jack Lumsdaine will appear again at the Strand Theatre to-night. ’* BEAU GESTE.” A GREAT PICTURE* The eagerly-awaited “Beau Geste ** commenced a season at the Theatre Royal last night. Much had been hpard of the picture; everywhere it had been acclaimed as one of the masterpieces of the screen. Hamilton picture-lovers therefore expected something, out of tho ordinary, and it may be said at once that they were not disappointed. “ Beau Geste ” is indeed a great picture —great in conception, great in presentation, and enacted by a great cast. The atmosphere of the Sahara with its shifting, sliding sand hills, the trek of the legion forces across the steaming desert lands with the sweltering legionaries tramping in a march that seems endless. These scenes are so faithful that the hot fetid breath of the desert seems to rise to you in the theatre. Through it all is a romance, a mystery and a iheme of brother love that makes one throb with the realism and life of it. “Beau Geste” is a story of the French Foreign Legion, that famous band, a heterogeneous mass of humanity, in whose ranks swarm adventurers, heroes, criminals and romancers. That is the setting. Into this atmosphere copies the love , of three brothers, a love thai borders almost on idblatry, with a mystery about, a stolen jewel. Director Brenon has breathed Ihe spirit of adventure and romance, mystery and action into the • thrilling tale as told" by P. G. When. Ronald Golman, Neil Hamilton, Ralph Forbes, Alice Joyce, Mary Brian, Norman Trevor, Noah Beery, William Powell and Victor McLaglen are the stars in the cast. Prior to the screening of the picture an atmospheric prologue was presented. In a military setting and garbed as one of the Foreign Legion, Mr Albert Petri sang “Adieu Marie, and “The Trumpeter.” Mr Petri has an excellent voice, and by his singing succeeded in suggesting "the correct atmosphere'for the picture which was to follow-. “Beau Geste” will be repeated to* night.

FRANKTON THEATRE. Ten thousand persons, one of the largest “mob” scenes ever used for a cinema comedy, were gathered for tho filming of a sequence in Bebe Daniels’ current Paramount starring vehicle, “Stranded in Paris,” which heads the programme at the Frankton Theatre. In the second picture a desperate battle with bull whips is one of tin sensation spectacles.