ENTERTAINMENTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 247, 30 July 1937, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS.

t ST. JAMES THEATRE. Ii Dancing, romance and a fast-moving . story with the screen’s finest music „ have always been features of the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers starring pictures ® for R-K-0 Radio. In their newest t offering, “Swing Time,” at the St. " James Theatre to-night, to-morrow and i on Monday, these qualities have been enhanced by an even larger percentage of comedy than any of their former pictures contained. The story deals with a complicated romance between Astaire, as a. happy-go-lucky roamer, and Miss Rogers, as an instructress in a dancing academy. Blore is the owner of the academy, and Miss Broderick is another of his teachers, and the quintette of principals make “Swing Time” easily the funniest of all the AstaireRogers hits. Betty Furness and Georges Metaxa, also featured, are , romantic foils to a hectic courtship enacted by the stars. With its charming music by Jerome Kern, who wrote the tunes of “Roberta” and its hilarious screen play by Howard Lindsay and Allan Scott, “Swing Time” promises to eclipse its predecessors in popularity. George Stevens directed . this Pandro S. Berman production. MAJESTIC" THEATRE. The climax in Universal’s “The Mighty Treve,” which shows at the Majestic Theatre to-morrow and on Monday, centres on the accusation against a dog, charging him with being a killer. This sequence has its parallel in a similar actual happening featured in front-page news stories a few months ago. That animal was tried in court, found guilty, condemned to death and finally reprieved. In “The Mighty Treve” the dog, accused of sheep killing, is about to be executed when new evidence turns the animal into a hero, rather than a villain. The human viewpoint of the story is enacted by Noah Beery, jun., Barbara Read, Alma Kruger, Samuel S. Hinds and Hobart. Cavanaugh. The dog is played by “Tufty.” The story is based on Albert Payson Terhune’s novel. A second big picture on the programme will l)e “Wanted: Jane Turner,” which features Lee Tracy and Gloria Stuart, MAORI CONCERT PARTY. An entertainment was given in St. Andrew’s Hall last evening by a Maori concert party under the leadership of Mr Ari Pitama. The programme was educational as well as entertaining, the significance of each item being explained by Mr Pitama. Songs and dances were given by the women members of the company,, four tap dances by Mr Pitama’s daughter, and there were also hakas and poi dances, all in traditional Maori vein. The party sang the welcome song composed in honour of the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage). DANCE RECITAL. i Half the proceeds of the dance recital to be given by the pupils of Miss Gladys Rushell on August 11 will go to the . Ashburton Silver Band. This recital 1 attracted considerable interest last . vear, and is being awaited eagerly again this year. All manner of dances will be mi the programme, in which Miss Billie Addis will feature. An action chorus will be given by the pupils of Miss Lorna. Acton, numbering 25. 1