ENTERTAINMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume 120, Issue 19984, 7 September 1936, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS.

CURRENT PROGRAMMES.

ROXY THEATRE. “A Tale of Two Cities’ - takes its place among the immortal works of the screen. Ronald Colman has never had a role which gave him such opportunity for the quiet humour, the high drama and the poignancy he expresses : so well. As Sydney Carton, whimsical. | sardonic, brilliant wastrel, he reaches the peak of his artistic career. The 1 story tells of the joys and sorrows, the adventures and the trial of a little group of people, English and French, , who are caught in the maelstrom of i the French Revolution of 1789. Speci- ' ilcally it tells of the strange love of j Carlton and Lucie Manette (played by j Elizabeth Allen), a love that was doomed to frustration in life, yet which ; Iranscended death in its sublime majesty. REGENT THEATRE. "The Unguarded Hour’’ tells a dramatic story in a fashion that holds I-he Interest of the audience throughout. Franchot Tone is well cast as a brilliant young barrister. When lie is in the midst of a case in which lie is denouncing the accused because his story does not ring true lie finds himself in an exactly parallel set of instances, and he thus finds that circumstantial evidence is not always conclusive. Because of her desire to save him, his beautiful wife (played by Loretta Young) becomes implicated in such a manner that to tell the truth would bring about his ruin, and the story works up to an exciting climax. The popular Lewis Stone makes a convincing head of Scotland Yard, while much of the humour is provided by Roland Young. A news special showing the revolver incident when the King was inspecting the Guards and an amusing Laurel and Hardy comedy, “Thicker Than Water,” are entertaining supports. OIVIC THEATRE. Likeable Jack Buchanan is seen at his best in "Gome Uut of the Pantry," a delightful comedy. He jis seen as a penniless peer i who, finding himself stranded in New York, is obliged to take a job as a footman in a Fifth Avenue household. There he falls in love with his employer's pretty niece (Fay Wray), and after sundry adventures, which keep the audience in hilarious mood, lie persuades her to share his title. Packed with surprises, comedy and music, the film is very entertaining. Mr Buchanan and Miss Wray are convincing in the romantic leads, and Kate Cutler, Ronald Squire, James Garew and others help in the iuuniaking. One of the most diverting scenes in the picture is staged

“below-stairs” when Jack Buchanan reads the tea-cup fortunes of his “fellow-servants” and sings the hit of the show, “Everything Stops for Tea.”

THEATRE ROYAL. "The Three Wise Guys” combines romance, humour and thrills very convincingly. It tells of a spendthrift son and a daughter of the underworld , who find redemption through love, in spite of the machinations of “The Three Wise Guys.” Robert Young is cast as the railroad executive’s son who finds himself cut off from an allowance when he decided to reform and marry the girl he loves. Betty Furness is the girl who runs into trouble when she steers the straight and narrow path. Bruce Cabot is seen as “Blackie,” a young gangster with a dual personality; Thurston Hall plays the father; Donald Meek is his frightened secretary; Raymond Walburn is “Doc,” as crooked as he is philosophical; Herman Bing is the witle-ss philanthropist; and Harvey Stephens the escaped convict who has become an important industrialist. Much of the action takes place on a speeding passenger train. BTATE THEATRE. “The Singing Kid” is a colourful production with the glittering background of New York show life, with beautiful chorus and dancing girls, and 50 coloured beauties from Harlem, mostly members of the “Blackbirds,” “The Cotton Club Revue,” and other shows. The big specialty numbers include “I Love to sing-a,” in which Al Jolson is featured with the Yacht Club Roys; and “Save Me, Sister,” in which Jolson and Win! Shaw appear in blackface, singing a tuneful air to the syncopation of Cab Calloway and liis hand. "Boulder Dam” is an exciting and romantic drama. It tells of a

shirker who finds himself through love. The cast includes Patricia Ellis, Lyle Talbot and Ross Alexander. There are scenes showing the wrecking of a runaway dynamite car and the saving of a man hanging from a boom hundreds of feet above the riverbed — an actual happening.

MME. LA MERI, DANCER. A rare treat, unique in the theatrical history of Hamilton, is in store for all who go to the Theatre Royal to-night, when Mme. La Meri, the world-famous Spanish-American dancer, will give her only dance concert here. Tonight’s programme will Include “The White Peacock," her most celebrated dance; "Humoresque,” a comic dance with masks; "Ravel’s Bolero,” which the Wellington Dominion described as “a great thrill”; “Shawl Dance,” a magnificent dance in which Mine. La Meri uses several of her shawls, which are valued at more than £500; a group of Spanish castanette dances, and a splendid group of dances from the Orient. These will Include the Japanese "Geisha Dance of Spring,”

"Lasyanatana,” a bright Hindu dance which tells of the adventures of a young girl in her garden, and other brilliant dances never seen in New Zealand prior lo Mme. La Meri’s visit. In all 15 dances will be given, each in a different costume, and with unique Marbling effects. Signorina Laura Ni..: 1 . . will assist Mme. La Meri In atxviul dances. The musical side of

the programme will be in the hands of Maestro Mario Salerno, brilliant young pianist. The other members of the trio will play between the dances. The performance will commence at 8.15, and patrons are advised to be early, as it Is probable that “The White Peacock” will be the opening dance.