AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 238, 8 October 1928, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

MARGARET BANNERMAN. at His Majesty's Theatre tha ■11 Limited, management ■will present Miss Margaret Bannerman and Anthony Prineep'a company in Somwset Maugham's famous comedy "Our Betters," which has created a sensation wherever it has been staged, particularly is London, where Miss Bannerman delighted playgoers in it for over two years. In "Our Betters" Somerset Maugham deals with the American colony in aristocratic London. He traces its origin, snobbery (snobbery, he says, is all right; veneration for great position and historic names is one form of romance). The Americans marry for title. Our peerage marry them for money. And he proceeds to chow us a group of those who have attained their heart's desire. Here, it is said, Mr. Maugham's outlook is apparent, lijs hardness, his brilliance, his brutality. It is said that Miss Margaret Bannerman w ipagnificent as Pearl. The cast of "Our Betters includes: Ellis Irving, Louis Goodrich, G. Kay Souper, Geoffrey Millar, Frederick Hughes, Pirie Bush, Mini Kerry Kelly, Miss Cicely Jonas, Mub Dorothy Dunckley and Arthur Cornell. The scenery, which was painted by the late Joseph Harker, is a feature of the production and so are the magnificent frocks. Three performances only can be staged of "Our Betters and it will be followed by two of "Sexes and Sevens" and two of "Diplomacy." TOWN HALL CONCERTS. Weber's famous overture to "Oberon," excerpts from Wolf-Ferrai's opera Jewel* of the Madonna," RossiniRespight's "La Boutique Fantasque," Haydn-Woods' "A Southern Rhapsody," Martin is '"Evensong" and Chambers* '■Reminiscences of the Plantation," were the principal instrumental pieces played by the Municipal Band at its concert on Saturday evening in the Town Hall. These items, all widely different in style, were admirably performed. The brasses secured a pleasing _ tone, and the wood-winda obtained a nice quality of sound. In the big ensemble work the musicians were very satisfying, whilst in the quieter movements the music was delicately shaded and phrased. Mr. Christopher Smith directed, and had his company under complete command. Instrumental solos were tastefully performed by Messrs. Bowes and H. C. McLennan, and vocal items were effectively sung by Mr. Stan Pritchard, Mr. Whittaker acting as pianist. In the Town Hall last night Mr. Maughan Barnett gave the usual Sunday evening organ recital, when he was heard in successful performances of Wolstenholme's "Overture in F," Bach's "Prelude and Fugue in G," Wagner's "Prize Song," Vierne's "Westminster Chimes," SchuAve Mana, ,r<< Minuets" by Mozart and Beethoven, and Guilmanfs ~ "Grama Choeur."

"UNCLE TOM'S CABIN."

The widely heralded £400,000 Universal super-production of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" has at last been scheduled to show here and will open at the Plaza, Tivoli and -Everybody s Theatres on Thursday. The gigantic feature was close to two veari in production and over 5000 people'were used in making it. Every financial, tech* meal, and physical resource of the tremendous Universal organisation was employed in making this one of the greatest photodrama ever brought to the screen. Harry Pollard directed the super-motion picture and an all-star cast was selected to nlay the featured roles. The cast include® Margarita Fischer, Arthur Edmund Oarew, John Roche, Gertrude Aster. Lucnen Littlefield, George SiegmannMona Kay, Virginia Grey, Eulalie Jensen J. (xordon Russell, Aileen Manning, Jack Mower Vivien Oakland, and others. The film will be accompanied at each of the three theatres by a splendid atmospheric prologue and full supports.