ENTERTAINMENTS: STAGE, PICTURES, MUSIC

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12612, 24 November 1926, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENTS: STAGE, PICTURES, MUSIC

AT HIS MAJESTY’S HECTOR ST. CLAIR’S “STOP PRESS," FARCICAL REVUE Hector St. Clair’s new revue, “Stop Press,” still maintains the standard set. by him in his previous successes. There was a large audience at His Majesty’s Theatre last night to witness this clever farce. Hector St. Clair was in his happiest vein, and had the house in roars of laughter all the time. ■» In “The Harassed Comedian,” he convulsed the audience with his clever, yet ridiculous work. Other very amusing sketches in which he excelled himself were, “Taken by Surprise,” “Matrimony." and “Painless j Extraction.” The whole show abounded in bright numbers, both instrumental and vocal. Mr St. Clair, with his violin, gave a really good turn. There is no doubt about it. he is a very clever and versatile actor. Hylton Osborne and Marilyn McGill helped things along considerably with their delightful voices, and Mr Osborne with his playing on a tenor banjo. The Three Rodney Girls were, as usual, excellent, and Leslie Pearce made a great hit with his song. “I’ll Take Her Back.” Dot Cresswell and Ray McLean gave a dance entitled “Stepping Out.” In the vaudeville half Bertini and Byrne were heard in further selections from their musical repertoire. The Carthy Brothers were just, as popula as ever, especially the comedian whose songs with the banjo leave so little to the imagination. Lorna Lance and Co., the clever juvenile musicians, presented a first-rate programme. Little Leslie: played “The Stars and Stripes” march on his drums like a drummer of many years’ experience. A pair of newcomers were Clyde and Yvette, two smart and clever novelty dancers. Clyde is also a really good whistler. During the turn he gave a wonderful imitation of a steel guitar. Yvette is a dainty dancer who knows just what the audience wants. Mr Wilfred Kohn’s orchestra provides an excellent musical programme. THEATRE “HIS SECRETARY.” Norma Shearer and Lew Cody are featured in the leading roles of “Hiß Secretary,” the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture now .showing at the King’s Theatre. The director, Hobart Henley, has treated a modern version of the Ugly Duckling fable with sophistication and subtlety, and has made one of the year’s most engaging light comedies from a story that depicts the romance of a business girl. The combination of Hobart Henley as director and Norma Shearer as star, with Lew Cody in the leading male role, is proving irresistible. There is an excellent supporting programme, with delightful incidental music by the King’s Select Orchestra. theatre*deluxe “THE MIDNIGHT SDN.” ' “The Midnight Sun,” a picture remarkable for the dramatic strength of the story, for the richness and colour of its players, is now the attraction at the De Luxe Theatre. It is a Universal’s most recent Super-Jewel, and is a worthy successor to the company’s other big productions. It was directed by Dimitri Buchowetzki, noted Russian playwright, and presented with four ‘ featured players. The picture is a spectacular and dramatic story of St, Petersburg during the reign of the last Czar. The story centres around a dancing girl, who through the influence of a grand duke and of Russia’s financial king, brings herself from the ranks or the Imperial Russian Ballet to the position of its premiere ballerina. Playing one against die other, the girl losee her heart to a young officer. Laura, la Plante, Pat O’Malley, Raymond .Dane, and George Siegmann are the featured players. A news and comedy’ are to be seen in support, with appropriate orchestral music. “BEVERLY OF GRAUSTARK” ■ COMMENCING NEST FRIDAY. From the novel of George Barr McCutcheon, “Beverly of Graustark,” the world-famed story, will commence screening at the De Luxe Theatre on Friday next, with a matinee on Saturday at 2.30. Marion Davies, heroine of many romantic roles, is playing one unlike any in her career. A notable cast surrounds the popular star, with Antonio Moreno in the leading male role. • The production is produced on a lavish scale, some remarkable settings depicting European castles and other elaborate details. Gorgeous costumes and uniforms lend colour to the •story. Charming Marion Davies never had a more appealing role than in this picture. She is; made to take the disguise of a boyish Prince, and patrons are whirled along the road of hilarious adventure, thrilling action, and tender romance. The supporting programme will include latest gazette and a sparkling comedy, whilst the music to be rendered by the Orchestra De Luxe will be all that can be desired.- The box plans are now open at the Bristol Piano Co., Aitken’s Book Arcade, or. ring theatre, ’phone 23-080. PARAMOUNT THEATRE “THE WILDERNESS WOMAN.” Aileen' Pringle, Lowell Sherman and Chester Conklin carry off all the acting honours in “The Wilderness Woman,” now at the Paramount Theatre. As the Alaskan miner’s daughter, uncouth and unversed in the ways of the world or even of modern society, who comes into violent contact with the conventions in New York City, Miss Pringle presents a figure at once amusing and appealing. Lowell Sherman apepars in the unconventional rolo of the hero, while others who appear in the cast are Henry Vibart and Robert Cain. “The Wilderness Woman”

was originally published in the “Saturday Evening Post.” It was adapted to the screen by Paul Bern and Paul Schofield. ’ The supporting bill consists of a gazette, a scenic, and a comedy. The Paramount orchestra is heard in many tuneful numbers. FILM NOVELTIES COMING Mr Maurice Ralph returned from Australia per the Maunganui, at Auckland, on Tuesday. Mr Ralph brings with him the authentic film of the . Dempsey-Tunney championship fight. This film is nearly 5000 feet, and is credited with being the best acted fight film ever screened. Mr Ralph lias also secured several other 1 novelty films, one of which. “The I Stein.ich Scientific Film," is causing a sensation around Sydney at the present time.

“ELIZA COMES TO STAY” LIGHT HEARTED COMEDY.

“Eliza Comes to Stay” is the new play at the Grand Opera House, and amusing it is. Miss Zillah Bateman, who scored such a triumph in “The Unfair Sex,” is Eliza, and her characterisation of the part will stay in the memory. When Sandy Verrall promised his lifelong friend that he would cherish and care for his daughter, he pictured a golden haired child with blue eyes aud a trusting soul. But with Eliza arrived also disillusionment. She wasn’t a child; and besides, her aunt bad taught her that if she wore the worst of clothes she would be perfectly safe, but if she wore fine clothes then danger. “I’m safe now, but I think it would be nice to be dangerous just once,” was her theory. Fine clothes and careful tuition effected an inconceivable transformation, and Eliza (or Dorothy as she was then called) blossomed out into the most beautiful of women. Just how dangerous she was could he realised only by Verrall himself —the man who had promised to cherish' the little golden haired child, for whom he had a teddy bear and a rooking horse. The consequences are of laughable sort, and at the close of the play the audience is fully satisfied that Eliza is in its memory—to stay. In the role of Eliza Miss Bateman performed splendidly. She possesses imagination and charm, and can wear her pretty clothes no less well than her unpretty ones. She has a sense of the needs of comedy, too. and this made her early acting particularly successful. Frank Bradley could not have been better placed than in the part of Montague Jordan, upon whom fell the initial tribulations caused by the unceremonious entrance of the fair Eliza. Campbell Copelin, as Verrall, carried the responsibility of Eliza on his shoulders well. Lady Pennybrook—prim, and early Victorian, but ,a matchmaker for all that—was portrayed by Miss Henrietta Cavendish in a very pleasing manner. Miss Sylvia Clifton had the part of Vera, Lawrence, an actress, whose sole ambition is embraced by the two words, “clothes” and “money,” and Norman Carter played Alexander Stoop Verrall nicely. Other parte were: Herbert the valet, played by Moncrieff McCallnm, and Sirs Allaway the nurse, by Miss Beryl Barraclough. “Eliza Comes to Stay’ is chock full of philosophy, is replete with laughs, and is not without its moral. It will he played for the remainder of the week. NEW PWNCESSTHEATRE “BEHIND THE FRONT.” Wallace Beery and Raymond Hatton are misfit privates in the Paramount bombshell of laughter, ‘‘Behind the Front,” now at . the New Princess Theatre. Inspection was'sure tp find one of them minus something, and this particular day Beery had forgotten a bayonet. So Ray tried to"make up the deficiency just as the general got abreast of them, and instead of Beery it was the general who received the wrong end of the bayonet in the wrong place. “Behind the Front’ is one long scream of laughter, a picture that brings to the screen, the many humors of the war. Mary Brian is the heroine. .. The second feature on the bilL is “Lets <3et Married,” starring Richard JDix and Lois Wilson. This is one 'of Dix’s best productions. Another is “The Life of Jack Hobbs, ,, the idol of British sportsmen the world over, in which glimpses of the famous cricketer at Home and in the field are introduced. The supporting programme includes a gazette and serial. Further entries for the children’s beauty contest are to be seen. empresslheatre “THE SEA BEAST” ON FRIDAY. “The Sea. Beast,” the Warner picture that marks John Barrymore’s return to the screen, is described as “an epic of the golden age of Amerioan seafaring adventure.” It deals with the 1840 whalers. Barrymore appears as Allah Ceeley, the New England sailor who falls n love with a missionary’s daughter whom he meets on a voyage in Java. His brother, Derek, burns with jealous hate at the success of Ahab as a lover, and when the brothers are off' on a hunt for an enormous white whale, known as Moby ’Dick, his chance for vengeance comes. Out on a little boat, Ahab is the first to plunge the harpoon into the whale. He is glowing with pride of victory when Derek pushes him overboard into the churning waters. . i Ahab’s leg is amputated as a result of the sea beast’s bite. Crippled and apparently deserted by the girl he loves, Ahab scours the seas, a prey to the tormenting demons of revenge and despair. Caring nothing for life, lie lives amid sudden death and everpresent danger. But in the end, Ahab’s story is the story of the unconquerable soul. Barrymore, who toyed so beautifully through the pretty romancings of “Beau Brummel,” and with such blood-curdling power through the horrors of “Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde,” is said in “The Sea Beast” to have at last found a picture that gives full sweep to the multitudinous powers that have given him his position as the foremost American actor of screen or stage. The picture was adapted to the screen by Bess Meredyth from Herman Melville’s novel, ‘‘Moby Diok.” The direction was by Millard Webb. BACKHAUS’S TOUR .Mr and Mrs E. J. Gravestock gave a farewell luncheon at Menzies to Mr Maurice Ralph before leaving Melbourne for New Zealand. Mr and Mrs Backhaus were amongst the guests, and Mr Backhaus took the opportunity of presenting Mr Ralph with ahandsome pair of gold sleeve links inlaid with enamel, as a memento of his 1926 Australian and New Zealand tour. Mr Maurice Ralph, who did the publicity for the Backhaus Australian tour, tlie latest of E. J. Gravestock’s big attractions, returned by the Maunganui. via Auckland, last Tuesday. Mr Ralph reports that Backhaus has bud the greatest tour of any artist of Tecent years. 60 concerts in all being given. Tn every town visited he was accorded the most wonderful reception. Mr E. J. Gravestock announces the return of Backhaus in 1929. threo .years hence.