MAJESTIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 163, 30 September 1927, Page 15

MAJESTIC

EMPIRE WEEK The Majestic Theatre enjoys a reputation of being famous for offering the public attractive innovations in its magnificent weekly entertainments. It inaugurated “Laughter Week,’* “Birthday Week,” “Variety Week” and “Girl Week,” during which special programmes were shown. Now comes one which will far eclipse any former efforts —“Empire Week,” a tribute to Britain’s great triumph—the Schneider Cup victory. A pageant of Empire has been arranged and to give it a worthy and fitting musical accompaniment, there will be the Majestic’s New Orchestra, the Auckland Artillery Band and the Scottish Pipers. The Majestic’s New Orchestra will play as its overture “The Sicilian Vespers” (Verdi). Other gems included in the incidental music played are “The Mazurka” (Lehar), “The Demon” (Rubinstein), “Three Mask .Dances” (Wood), “Nocturne and Prelude” (Chopin) and “Berceuse” (Greig). The main feature of the pictorial programme is “Lady Windermere’s Pan,” one of the most brilliant of English plays, written by the famous Oscar Wilde. Lubitsch has handled the delicate task of giving the screen all the sparkle that Wilde’s famous play has had for drama lovers. The direction of “Lady Windermere’s Fan” is even superior to his previous screen successes. Irene Rich, Ronald Colman (by arrangement with Samuel Goldwyn), May McAvoy and Bert Lytell play the leading roles in this dramatic story of a charming woman’s numerous indiscretions and magnificent sacrifice for her daughter. To Lubitsch will go the praise of all picture fans for the miracle he has wrought with Irene Rich. Gone is the wistful, long suffering and deserted wife. A gorgeously gowned, sophisticated and strikingly beautiful woman of the world is in her place. Miss Rich’s characterisation of Mrs. Erlynne is the most stirring of her career. The cast is uniformly excellent, looking every inch of the English aristocracy they play and carrying along the story with their natural talent intensified by the direction of Lubitsch. “Lady Windermere’s Fan” is an artistic as well as a dramatic treat, a picture that should be seen. The supporting programme includes the popular Majestic News and Eve’s Review and the latest Lupino Lane comedy, showing London’s leading comedian, in “The Fighting Dude,” a boxing laughter hit.