AMUSEMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 February 1923, Page 1

AMUSEMENTS.

“KISMET” .MONDAY. “Kismet” starring the inimitable character actor, Otis Skinner, will open at the Princess Theatre on Alois day. This is reputed to he the Greatest picture of the decade. The story of “Kismet” in the historic old city of Bagdad. calls for settings of unusual magnitude and pieturesquencss. The scenes were literally transplanted to Hollywood. The expense incurred in presenting perfection of detail was enormous, but nothing was stinted, with the result that the audience goes hand in hand with Air Skinner through a real lire Turkish atmosphere. It is almost impossible to paint with words a picture of the beauty and artistry of this setting, which is pioduced in unique splendour and stands out as the supreme achievement. f( is dazzling in its colouring, bizarre in design. ami awe-inspirriag in its easiness. Never in all the history of motion picture production has there been a photoplay produced on such a large scale and of such magnitude as the screen version of “Kismet” in which Otis Skinner makes his dehut as a Jilm star. In keeping with Ibis wonderplny patrons will ho offered an elaborate prologue and a special programme. There will lie no advance in prices for this attraction.

CHAUTAUQUA. opexlkg next Wednesday The second lecturer in the Chautauqua. programme is Air Drew Pearson, lie will display an illustrated travelogue and give a lecture, “Sidelights and Snapshots of the North Pacific," on the second afternoon of the season. Drew Pearson is an American newspaper man who represented a group id American papers at the Washington Conference, and then went to the Ear East to sec how Japan was carrying out the treaties she signed at Washington. In order to get the facts, he travelled through most of Japan, and laud il up in. North Snghclicn—that island which is the present sore spot between Russia and Japan. Then he crossed ov. r la the mainland of Asia, and

■ chugged along on the Amur River .steamboat about- 1200 miles through j the heart of Eastern Siberia. There ! he interviewed tin chief of the Bnl--1 shevisl army ami navy. The latter invited him to go with the army on its i victorious march to Yladivostock. Pearson dei-linod and took a detour through Main Ini' !:. Racing behind tin- lines o! R>- AVhitc lon os, he reached Yladivos--1 oct- Jay r-hnad of the Red Cointin!:'. -. . Pe.ll -.00 letonied lo Japan ! and ma.de a study of its labour and : p'-acc movements, lie talked with So zuki and Kagciva. the lighting labour leaders of Japan; with Uznki. the oxAlsyor of Tokyo and Sliimada who had tho nerve lo stand up in the Diet and advocate a reduction of the may one year before the Washington Conference; with I’ri-mi'-r Kato \"ic.--.Min-ister of Foreign affairs. Viscount Kanekn and many others. Drew I'earson will bring to Hokitika an illustrated ! lecture which vividly portrays tlio

struggle of the Japanese labour class to

overcome the traditions of feudalism, .and the industrial revolution through which Japan is passing. On the second evening of the local season for the first time in New Zealand Chautauqua presents a dramatic company. The value of the drama in developing artistic perceptions and as a means of conveying useful education has long been recognised and by its introduction to the Chautauqua programme,

| it is hoped to add greatly to their value and to their variety. Ihr play f chosen lor the coming season is an Eng- ! lisli eoiucdv by Hubert Henry Davies entitled “The .Mollusc.” Air Davies went to the animal kingdom to get a name for his comedy, and a definition of the besetting weakness , f the principal character in it- —Mrs Baxter. In the .Molluse he found an animal of a kindred nature- hence “The Alollusc. which sets forth in comical .situations that the indolence of the die rich Ik> eomes a. disease of such a character that they use font, to resist the effects of friendly efforts to cure them. To-night ill Brockichursts, Air Aldridge will he in at tendance for the sale of season tickets for adults, students and school children. Copies of the programme for the local season may also lie obtained.