The Shows the Thing

NZ Truth, Issue 1153, 5 January 1928, Page 2

The Shows the Thing

tiiiiiiimiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHUiiiiii'.iiii Fullers' Latest "UfELL, can you find anything bet- " ter?" Thus "Billy" Burton, general manager of Fullers' in New Zealand, after he. had conducted "N.Z. Truth" over the palatial New Opera House, Chriatchurch, which opened with CJeorge Wallace and his revue company on Boxing Day. It Avas a red letter day for Christchurch' patrons of the firm. For many years vaudeville "fans" had to be content with the old ramshackle building that did service as a theatre in Tuara Street. But the firm have altered all that. In less than four months the whole of the old building has been transformed from a barn to 6ne of the most up-to-date — and certainly the most comfortable — on the Fuller circuit. "Billy" Burton is intensely proud of the new place and beamed on "Truth" as he showed the new theatre in all its beauty and modernity. Burton came down to the Cathedral City to give an eye to the opening arrangements; under his skilled and artistic eye everything was in applepie order on Boxing Day, when the firm opened to capacity business. Ray Fuller, the genial and joculai*, will wear the white shirt" of managership. # # # Esther's Moods MUSIC played an important part in . Esther Ralston'e new Paramount picture^ "Figures Don't Lie." { "~ The" Dlohde screert"*star ; admits -.that' she is a person of moods and that music can do more than anything 1 else to shape those moods. Consequently, Frank Churchill and Art Jell, the musicians on her set, composed several airs which were used during the production. The songs had no names. They were simply numbered for each of Miss Ralston's moods. The picture was directed by Edward Sutherland and Richard Arlen and Ford Sterling are in the cast.

miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiimiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMi Pola's New Film ANE of the most strikingly beautiful winter scenes ever filmed for the motion picture screen appears in "Barbed Wire" Paramount's powerful story of emotional conflicts, in which Pola Negri is starred. Practically all the action is laid on and around a Normandy farm and an adjacent prison camp for German soldiers. One scene was made during the early hours of the morning when the atmosphere was so chilled that the breath of the great emotional actress congealed on a window pane as she gazed through it at the Christmas festival in the prison camp across the road. Snow covers the ground, the trees shimmer with frost and icicles hang from the eves of the rambling old Normandy house. The story is an adaptation of Hall Caine's well-known novel, "The Woman of Knockaloe." Clive Brook plays opposite Miss Negri, while Clyde Cook an Australian has an important role. * • • Revellers Again THE REVELLERS' recent visit to * London gave 1 special interest to their record, "The Birth of tb> Blues"— generally regarded as' the of the season*,^ — -vjh-rV-— -r^V- \ \i This fine vocal quintet &as ;a. genius for this class of work and their rendering is brilliant. ; Among the dance records are, two of exceptional interest. One is a Paul Whiteman record of "The (Birth of the Blues" and the other is a iJack Hylton record — introducing an 1 organ — of "Shalimar" and "I'm Locking f °r a Four-leaf Clover." j •-■..'■ There are many more in an admirable list. 1

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiniiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiii: Alfred O'Shea MO tenor has developed more rapidly of recent years than the Australian, Alfred O'Shea. One might say no one has more deserved to, for his training has been long, arduous and painstaking. Six years in Italy and a further period in Paris have rounded off his voice and developed in him . certain qualities that no other tenor can claim in such degree. His use of mezza voce is matchless and ho reveals a marvellous breath control, when is the best feature of modern Italian teaching. His enunciation is splendid and no fault could be found with his pronunciation of Italian or French. As a i-esult of his training, he returned to Australia with a European reputation that has since grown considerably and in his own country there is no more popular singer. The last few years have found him playing principal roles opposite Dame Nellie Melba and Toti del Monti. But two of his recent records will speak more for him than any words can. * * * An Excellent Sample "nANNY BOY"— "Songs My Mother U Taught Me." Sung' by Eileen Castles, soprano. (Columbia O740). We should hear more of Miss Castles in the near future. I-ler recordings, of which this- is an excellent -sajnple, fully, justify the reputation she is making for herself in Australia. She . sings with a definite insistence on the line of melody, and her breath-control is exceptionaly good. With time her range should improve, especially in the lower register. But, even as she is, she has the power to make these two famous songs most attractive. With Dvorak's famous "Songs My Mother Taught Me," she is particularly effective.

iiiiiiiiniiiiiiniiiiiiiiiniininiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnuuiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiniiin "The Flag Lieutenant" THE management of the Regent Theatre, Wellington, is making special arrangements for the premiere screening of the great British picture, "The Flag Lieutenant" to-morrow (Friday). This picture, which is being screened by special arrangement with; Paramount Pictures, has been produced with the wholehearted support of the Navy. For once the British Navy has cast aside tradition, and has assisted in the civilian production of a picture. True, it is a thrilling tale of the Navy, a romance that tells of a young officer's sacrifice, so that his friend might get promotion, and backed by the Navy and their valuable nelp, "The Flag Lieutenant-' is one of the most pretentious of screen offerings. Hence the management, on the lookout for special attractions for their patrons, are proud to be able to announce such a production. •In this British picture are Henry Edwards and Dorothy Seacombe, an Australian actress. # * # Two Fine Marches DEGAL G20066 "The Liberator" **■ (march) and "The Flag of Freedom" (March). / Perhaps this record might be headed: 'How a Band Should Play," for certainly it demonstrates how stirring a ifcnarch can .really sound. ■ .•■: , i .... ' 'I'here' is a rousing, Soiisa-like vitality about both of these that gets right into the blood. May we recommend it to Salvation Army bandsmen and bandmasters in New Zealand. It should inspire them to liven up our streets to better purpose. In every feature the playing is flawless — volume is tremendous, the instruments play as one man and there is an irresistible swing about both marches. This record should interest everybody, j