ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 115, 13 February 1928, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS

REGENT THEATRE. Alax, Moritz, and Akka, three most marvellous monkeys, present a specialty act at the Regent Theatre. These monkeys appear t.o get as much fun out of their act as do the ineuoers of the audience to whom they are playing. They have their set tricks to do, and they also have a host of unrehearsed ones winch keep the onlookers in shrieks ol laughter. Never for a moment are they still. Bicycle tricks, musical tricks, tumbling tricks, aerial feats, und a Host of others are all performed. These monkeys are the nearest thing to leal human beings as one could wish to see. Beauty as well as comedy adorns the railway story, “Tell It To Sweeney,” which heads the film bill. Chester Conklin and George Bancroft make their debut as a Paramount comedy team in this highly enlivening vehicle. Doris Hill has the leading feminine, role, while the handsome Jack Luden, who is one of Paramount’s new Western stars", is the clever juvenile. There are good" supporting items, and excellent music by the Regent orchestra. KWONG SING WADS. “Nothing that has been said about the Kwong Sing Waits is exaggerated.” That is how Air. Harry P. .Muller, American representative for J. C. Williamson, Ltd., endorses the preliminary reports of the orcat Chinese troupe of wonder-workers, due to commence their Wellington season at the Regent Theatre on February 22, immediately following the season of Alax, Moritz, and Akka. The .'eats of magic are particularly described as intriguing and bewildering. An idea of the success of these marvels in Australia can be gained from the fact that although it is several months since the Regent Theatre endeavoured to obtain them lor New Zealand it is only recently that they were able to till in dates for New Zealand, and only by sacrificing engagements in the Commonwealth. HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. The Joe Brennan and Cyril Northcote’s Revue Co., which commenced its Wellington season for the first time at. His Alajesty’s Theatre on Saturday, should prove exceedingly popular. Joe Brennan is a very versatile performer. In ‘ Happy and Snappy,” the title ot this week's bits and pieces offering, •he acted the fool iu almost everything )'o the delight ot the large audience present. His “Oh, Charlie, Take It Away, was a clever piece of character work which .went well. Cyril Northcote, who is described as “the heavy-weight” comedian, was perhaps not so outstanding a success. George Correlli; who has a beautiful tenor voice, sang “O Sole Alio and “When Autumn Leaves Are railing. He was given a great reception and recalled time and again. Mr. Correlh, whose voice is far above that of the ordinary revue artist, sings also in Italian, and in duets, “Coiue to the Fair and “That Night in Araby,” with Miss Ida Vanda, who also sings “In a Little Spanish Town” and “Blue Skies.” Miss Vanda also performs' on the saxaphone. Ida Newton sang “A Grand and Glorious Feeling,” ami helped to brighten some of the sketches. Dell Barnes and Peggy Sharp provided the most refreshing turn of all by doing and singing the ‘‘Blackbottom.” These two girls were outstanding, and would be likely to acquit themselves with credit in the soubrette numbers. “Their Blackbottom was insigiently encored. With Gus Dawson, a delightful dancer, -Miss Barnes also supplied a novelty song and dance. G. B. Desmond (Dismal Desmond) did an eccentric dance, and told a few funny jokes. His dancing act was a feature of the show. “A Flapper’s Aversion of History,” “The Finding of Moses in the Builrushes,” “Paul Revere’s lamous Hide,” “The Police Station,” “The Test,” “A Wireless Tangle,” “Dinner tor Three,” and “Araby” were some of the sketches offered. In “Araby,” the action of which takes place in the harem of a sliiek, Joe Brennan was responsible for raising great laughter. As the sliiek he spoke of Petone, Lower Hutt and Trentham, causing much mirth by the introduction of local colour. The ballet, known as “the six cabaret kittens,” were responsible for some first-class dancing witli which “Happy and Snappy” excels. Miss Alui;iel Wilton, the young Wellington girl whose dancing with the Gayle Wyer Revue last week was much admired, is also in the show. She does a very clever toe dance, and time and again on Saturday had to respond to the audience’s call for more. The show will be repeated every evening this week. There will be a change of programme at the matinee on Saturday afternoon. “ROSE MARIE.” “Rose Alarie,” the popular musical comedy, continues to be an outstanding attraction, and again on Saturday night the performance was given to a crowded audience at the Grand Opera House. The staging and frocking are much above the average and the piece abounds in tuneful melodies. It is a captivating romance of the Canadian Rockies. The clever dialogue, brilliant dressing, and solo and ballet dancing are appealing features. The Totem Pole dance is magnificent. Alany haunting numbers occur in the production, chief of which are “Rose Alarie” and (lie “Indian Love Call.” Aliss Harriet Bennett makes a charming Rose Alarie, and her acting never fails to please.. Others prominent in the cast are Reginald Dandy, Frederick Bentley, Noel Allan Yvonne Banvard, Stephanie Deste, Alabel Lambeth, Junies Hughes, George Bryant and Lou Vernon. “Rose Alarie ’ is 'played nightly.

KING’S THEATRE. In “Spring Fever," the main feature at the King’s Theatre, the principal character is a shipping clerk named Kelly, who forgets liis goli long enough to work for a ship-owner, who is also an ardent golfer. The boss goes off his game, and Kelly collies to his rescue and teaches him a few things. In return, Kelly is introduced to a fashionable, golf club, where lie soon establishes himself as a champion; and a i;ecord breaker. He becomes a great favourite with the girls, and after the tournament decides to marry an heiress and play golf for the remainder of his days in preference to returning to his office and working as a shipping clerk. His plans are somewhat upset when he is informed that Ins wife is a pauper; so to make good, he turns a golf professional, and competes in a match in which there is a large sum at stake. William Haines takes the part of Kellv. and Joan Crawford is seen in the leading feminine role. The supports include a News, a New Zealand scenic, and a comedy. The orchestra plays many tuneful numbers. DE LUXE THEATRE. Victor Hugo’s immortal masterpiece, “Les Miserables," is the current attrao fion at the Do Luxe'Theatre. The story concerns Jean Valjean, who is sentenced to the galleys for five years for the theft of bread. Grim prison scenes in Toulon act as a foil to the regeneration of the convict Ly the kindly and charitable bishop. Dramatic in the extreme are the scenes during the Revolution of 1830. Throughout the picture the acting is of the highest order. M. Gabriel Golin rising to great heights as the convict. Javert, the prefect of police, the convict’s life-long enemy, is perfectly portrayed by M. Jean Toulout. ‘ Superb acting is revenled by Mme.' Sandra Milowanoff as Cosette, and all the other characters are in extraordinarily capable hands. The scenes are on a scale seldom attempted on tlie screen and are worthy of the great story. The music portion of Hie programme was in keeping with tile feature. The orchestra is heard in a grand selection from Bizet’s opera, “Carmen,” and Mr. Emanuel Aarons is popular with his numbers on the IVurlitzer organ, which include “Siow River” (Myer) and “The Waters of M innetonka."

PARAM OU N T T FIE ATR E. The ever-popnlar Richard Barthelniess is scoring a great hit at the Paramount Theatre in “Tho Patent Leather Kid," his latest film. “The Patent Leather Kid” is a boxe- who owes his nickname to his sleek black hair. He tails in love with “The Golden Dancer" (Molly O’Dav). War is declared, and America joins the Allies with nation-wide enthusiasm. Because he lines not volunteer the dancer spurns ’’The Kid" and goes to France as a nurse. “IJie Kid” is included hi the draft with some of his boxing associates, including Mobile Molasses, a negro, who imparts the important amusing clement to the story. Tho war scenes, showing the overwhelming advance of the

in their sector, but with great losses, are most realistic. “The Kid” is wounded aud, paralysed on one side, watches the march past of the troops after victory. As a prelude to the story, Mr. Colin Crane has arranged an athletic and dancing display, introducing a ballet of pupils of the Minnie Everett School of Dancing. A Topical Budget is included in the programme. The orchestra under the direction of Mr. L, D. Austin supplies appropriate music. EMPRESS THEATRE. “Resurrection,” the screen version ot Tolsty’s famous novel, is now ,in its second week at the Empress Theatre. Rod La Rocque is the star of “Resurrection,” playing the role of the Prince who sinned and sorrowed. Dolores del Rio is Katusha Maslova, the peasant ward of his two maiden aunts, the girl whose love is defiled and sullied. Aliss Del Rio is afforded her greatest screen opportunity to date, and she makes the most of it, and gives a marvellous performances. There is tae despoliation ot the Prince’s pure love for the peasant maid, the evil companionship, the mad carousing of the Prince at St. Petersburg, and the Prince on the jury that tries Katusha Maslova, the girl he himself has betrayed. Good supports are also shown, and appropriate music is supplied by the orchestra. QUEEN’S THEATRE. “Firemen, Save My Child” is the title of the picture heading the programme at the Queen’s Theatre. Raymond Hatton and Wallace Beery are the featured artists. Joining the fire brigade quite unintentionally, the two find themselves in great demand by the chief’s daughter, who thinks nothing of calling out the brigade in order to provide dancing nartners for her friends. Their escapades on these outings are no less hectic than their doings at the station, where the captain marks the comrades down as the butt of his had temper. _An alarm is given from the fire chief’s apartments, but he himself will not allow the brigade to answer the call, believing it is another of his daughter’s nranks. It is, however, “the real thing,” and only with difficulty is tho daughter rescued. “Nevada.” a Zane Grey story, featuring Garr Cooper and Thelma Todd, is also shown.