ENTERTAINMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20784, 19 April 1939, Page 12

ENTERTAINMENTS

CURRENT PROGRAMMES BTANLEY McKAY’S NEW GAIETIES To-night at the Theatre Royal. Hamilton, Stanley McKay’s new Gaieties company of international vaudeville ! and revue stars is to give its initial ! 1939 production. Life Begins at 8.“! The season is for four nights and two j matinees, an entirely new revue being | presented each night. Mr McKay has; the privilege of presentin' fhe greatest j juggler in the world. George Hurd, i who has appeared before Royalty at | Windsor Castle and the Alhambra ; Theatre. London. The new comedians j are Stan Foley. Australia’s most ver- i satile funmaker. and Alec McKinnon. ! the clever little dancing Scotchman, who. in the many up-to-the-minute sketches, have the assistance of Max Reddy. Dolly Donoughoe. and Stella

I.amond, the falentpd personality girl. That, well-known English performer, Nellie Kolle. male impersonator, is one of the long list of speciality artists. Others are Assam, Pekoe. Souchon, and Congo, crazy acrobatic clowns; Snowy Towers, mimic of screen stars; Scotty and Dolly. Australia's premier dancing duo; Stella Collier, soprano; Barry Boss, baritone; and the San Remos Brothers, matchless handbalancers. The Gaieties beauty ballet. May Brooke's orchestra, beautiful dressing and the latest in staging, are features of each revue. Seats may be reserved. ROXY THEATRE Joe E. Brown reaches new heights of hilarity in “Fit For a King." Supported by Helen Mack, Paul Kelly, Harry Davenport. Russell Hicks, Halliwell Hobbes, John Qualen, Donald Briggs and a large cast of other famiiiar players, the popular comedian has another exciting and mirth-provoking day as a foreign news correspondent who covers the story of a political plot in a mythical European kingdom. Kelly appears as Brown's rival, the correspondent for a competitive service. and until Joe. learns Ihe tricks he is continually beaten by his more experienced contemporary. What happens to human nature, when men and women are cut off from all contact with civilisation without a minute's warning and lost on an uncharted island? That is Ihe question answered in dramatic terms in "Sinners In Paradise,” the speelacular film of elemental conflict, with Madge Evans, John Boles and Bruce Cabul in the principal roles. STATE THEATRE “Down the Stretch” Is an exciting racing story, with Mickey Rooney, Patricia Ellis and Dennis Moore in the leading roles. The story is built around a hoy who is unable to get a job wilh any stable because his father, a famous jockey, had thrown i, race, but is finally taken under tlie wing of a woman owner of a famous Kentucky racing stable. Even then he is given no opportunity to ride because of (he prejudices of the trainer. He has made friends with a colt considered bad. but pleads in vain to race it. But when the horse depended on to win the Derby has been injured, a chance is taken on the youthful jockey and the horse as the last chance. The two win. upholding the traditions of the stables for which they run. “The Case of Ihe Bla<*k Cat” is a mystery thriller, with Ricardo Cortez in the role of the famous lawyer-de-tective. Perry Mason, and June Travis as Della Street, his secretary. THEATRE Witty dialogue and amusing situations make Say It In French” a delightful comedy. The story commences when Richard Carrington (Ray Milland'. returns from a golf tournament in Paris with a charming French bride, Julie Olympe Bradna . On his arrival his father announces that his shipping business is on the verge of ruin and the only way in which it can be saved is for the son to become engaged to a carefree heiress and thus w.n the support of the girl's wealthy grandfather. Julie takes a position as housemaid in her mother-in-law's household while her distressed husband attempts to make love to the heiress. Carrington goes with the girl to Hollywood to secure her grandfather’s support and. while he is away, he sends* a telegram which is misinterpreted as meaning that hp has eloped with the heiress. Julie imagines that he has deserted her and immediately makes plans to return to Europe. Her husband returns to discover that Julie has gone, but by commandeering a midfret motor-car he reaches ihe wharf after an exciting journey through the streets. , CIVIC THEATRE “The Drum” brings back the popular Indian boy Sabu in a colourful drama, won a host of admirers in his first film, “ Elephant Boy,” and by his work in “The Drum” he is likely to become efen more lirnily entrenched in the affections of filmgoers. “The Drum” is a thrilling picture, one of the finest yet produced by British industry. its colossal production, the immensity of its scenic situations in technicolour and its gripping tale of the Indian North-West Frontier holds the audience spellbound. “The Drum” is a glowing tribute to the unknown heroes and keepers of the King's peace in the forgotten outposts of the Empire and makes every heart beat faster, is supported by an excellent cast. A supporting news reel shows Defaulter beating Spear Chief, also scenes Y>f the Sydney Royal Show and the I Ngaruawahia Regatta.

VIENNA BOYS’ CHOIR

| The- celebrated Vienna Mozart Boys' ’ i Choir is drawing large audiences in . | Auckland. Two performances are lo be - given in Hamilton in the Theatre : Royal on Monday, April 24, at 2.30 and 8 p.m. Comprising twenty sopranos and altos from the Maria hilt’ Basilica Choir in Vienna, a 300-year-r old institution noted for its association with Josef Haydn, this choir will . j present programmes of operettas in i > costume, sacred and secular works by I | tiie great Viennese composers from 3 Mozart to Johann Strauss, and folk I pongs of all countries. The conductor

will be the eminent musician, Dr. Georg Gruber, who has specially trained the boys for their foreign tour. That this is the finest of the Viennese Boys’ Choirs within living memory is the opinion of no less an authority than Arthur Toscanini, who last year engaged three of the choristers as soloists for the famous Mozart Festival at Salzburg. Box plans were opened to-day.