AMUSEMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 September 1929, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

THE ALLAN WILKIE COMPANY;

“THE MERCHANT OF VENICE.”

TO-NIGHT’S PERFORMANCE

There is every indication that a crowded house will assemble at the Princess Theatre to-night to witness the production by the'~Sllan Wilkie Shakespearean Company of that mos ( t popular, of all the great dramtist’s plays “The Merchant of Venice.” No better selection for a single performance could have been made than this stirring drama centring round the enigmatical figure of Shylock, at once a pathetic and repellant portrait, now enlisting our sympathy in the harsh treatment meted out to him by hie persecutors, now. alienating it by the fierce lust for vengeance which drives him to seek Antonio’s life. Who, thax • has seen it, can forget that great dramatic climax of the famous trial scene, when Portia, tricked out in the guise of an advocate, at tlie eleventh hour ' interposes between Shylock ' and the" satisfaction of his insensate hatred, the very weapon on which lie has relied ? Mr Wilkie is stated to attain the pinnacle of his art-wherf, asi-Shylock, “lie staggers from the court, beaten and broken, yet with..the unconquerable pride of his historic race sustaining him in the moment of misery and defeat. Mr Alexander Marsh will play Bassarrio, the gallant for whose sake the merchant Antonio (Mr ' John Cairns) jeopardises'his for\une and his life. Mr Milton Sands will be the dusky Prince of Morocco,. -Mr ; Arthur Kearie, has an excellent vehicle for his talent for ,comedy in the role-of Lanceloti Gobbo, while the audience will welcome in Miss Hunter-Watts the most distinguished Shakespearean actress of the present day as Portia, delightful ..in wit, eminently sane in judgment, beautiful to look upon—in a word, the most charming and womanly Qft.aU Shakespeare’s heroines.

EVERYBODY? PICTURES. 1 ; .'v “THE SPY”—TUESDAY. The wonderful U.F.A. Special “The Spy.” will he shown in Hokitika for one night only on Tuesday. The leading: character is played by Rudolph Kteih-Rogge remembered by Australian audiences when he played in “Metropolis. r Vi:'"4n-:. : this. picture- he played the oity,'.'<iriveh stark mad by a burning desire for revenge. The latest Lang production . onoe -more -offers him. .. a .

wonderful field for his specific art, the imjjcnetrable mystery of the make-up. Long before there was any thought of Lon Chaney, Klein-Rogge surprised the world’s audiences by his chameleonlike facilities. Quick as lightning he changes from the dark character of the tyrant who walks over human lives as if they were mere dust on the road, from the ingenious plotter with nerves of steel, to the successful benevolent business man, thence to a* “faithful” secret service ageftt, and finally to an utterly ridiculous clown on the vaudeville change. So clever is his makeup, so wonderful, is he flexibility of his style of acting, that the audience does not before the very last scene of this picture l>ecome aware of the fact tiiat behind the funny,' and at times ugly, make-up of the clown, hides the biggest crook and the worst criminal ever seen in our modern age. The incidental score for this fine production will be played by Miss'-Giese and her orchestra. Prices Circle 2s, stalls Is Gd. Wednesday: The Great British Picture' “Hindi© Wakes.”