ENTERTAINMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17242, 29 October 1927, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

“THE GHOST TRAIN.”

A THRILLING COMEDY. “The Ghost Train,” staged at the Theatre Royal last night before a large audience, strikes a new note. It is a fascinating mixture of mystery, sensation, and comedy, and at the finish there is a sudden twist that provides in entertaining fashion a very material explanation of Ihe apparently mysterious happenings. A special feature is the realism of the effects. The steady downpour of the rain, the howling of the wind, the approach, rushing past, and disappearance of the ghost train, are uncannily real. , Last night’s audience found the play “something different,” and enjoyed it thoroughly. Miss Betty Ross-Clarke, as Julia Price, the apparently mad girl who bursts in on the nervous passengers marooned at a country railway station, did exceptionally good work. The madness was cleverly simulated, and as the slangy “ crook ’’ of the final scenes she was equally convincing. Miss Laura Smithson was very amusing as a passenger with a parrot, her tipsy scene being particularly well done. Mr Basil Radford was “priceless” as the silly ass who proved to be not quite as big a fool as he appeared. Mr Hugh Wright provided some dramatic moments as the stationmaster, though at times his speech was difficult to follow. Mr Mayne Lynton’s dominant personality was well suited to the role of Richard Winthrop. Mr Roger Barry was likeable and convincing as Charles_ Murdoch, and it was a pity he did notget better support from the girl who played “ opposite ” him. Other roles were well filled by Miss Mary Rigby, Messrs Leslie Palmer, Edgar Warwick, and Reginald Roberts. The members of the company left this morning-for Auckland.

STRAND AND FRANKTON THEATRES “Tillie the Toiler,” an exceptionally amusing' comedy, based on the famous Russ Westover comic cartoon series, with Marion Davies in the title role, delighted a large audience last night. Hobart Henley, director of “A Slave of Fashion," “His Secretary,” “The Auction Block,” and many' other screen hits, directed this new Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture with a cast that includes Matt Moore, Harry Crocker, George Fawcett,' George K. Arthur, Bert Roach, Claire McDowell and others.. Cathedral Canyon and other beauty spots of California are shown in Fox Films latest Western thriller, “Outlaws of Red River,” in which Tom Mix has the stellar role of the Falcon, a Texas Ranger, who has made it his life’s task to find his foster-sister, abducted bj bandits in childhood. THEATRE ROYAL. To-night will be presented a Bower’s star production, entitled “The Heart of the Yukon.” This is listed as one of Paramount's biggest features of its - class brought into the Dominion. f On Monday', the much-looked-for- ~ ward-to super-attraction, “Old Iron- j sides,” will make its first appearance, j In this picture James Cruze I brought together, a number of great players. Esther Ralston is the dainty K heroine and Charles Farrell the youthful hero. Wallace Beery and George Bancroft are a couple of old salts, while others are Johnny Walker and Charles Hill Mailes. It is a throbbing story of the sea. RUSSELL-WOOD RECITAL. , % To-night, at the Town Hall, Mr. W. Russell-Wood and a number of his pupils will appear in a costume and dramatic recital, and a great variety of elocutionary and dramatic work will be given. There will be Shakespearean recitals in character, child interludes, songs, dances and a number of one-act plays both grave and gay. Mr Russell-Wood will perform W. E. Henley’s magnificent “Matri Dilectissimae,” and will be accompanied on violin and piano. WILKIE SHAKESPEAREAN CO. \ * The spectacular drama, “Henry VIII, will be produced for the first time in Hamilton at the Theatre Royal on ■ Thursday by Mr Allan Wilkie and his newly-organised Shakespearean Company. Bluff King Hal, deep in his matrimonial troubles; Cardinal Wolsey, supremelpolitician, but marching to his inevitable fall; Queen Katherine, bravely fighting for throne and husband, and all the less important but none the less absorbingly interesting characters of the great play, will hold the stage for the first time in Hamilton. The splen- , did costumes used in the production arc the same as dressed Sir Herbert Tree’s production of “Henry VIII." at Ilis Majesty's Theatre, London, and it should he noted that this management was famous for its lavish expenditure on the costumier’s art. Mr Wilkie has also endeavoured lo bring into prominence the spirit of the period of the play by the introduction of dances and song, and will take full advantage of the help of good music to make the evening’s entertainment as enjoyable as possible. Mr Wilkie's short season of two nights only will conclude with a performance of the greatest play of all time, “Hamlet,” on Friday. The box plans are open. “WHERE SATAN’S SEAT IS.” A lecture in the Strand Theatre, Hamilton, on the above subject is to he delivered by Mr E. P. Clark, ffi Melbourne, who some months ago lectured in The lecture wil) deal with a large number of questions

arising out of his subject., and which ' cause much speculation in the minds of many. Attention is direeled lo lho adverlisomenl appearing in Ibis issue J V’ fur tin; lime and (dace of lecture. Scale are free and lliet't' Mill b<3 IJQ colleuttoa.