Round The Shows

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 355, 16 May 1928, Page 17

Round The Shows

EVANS-GANGE SEASON

SECOND CONCERT At the Town Hall last evening, Miss Amy Evans and. Mr. Fraser Gange, with the valuable assistance ot their pianiste, Miss Enid Conley, again delighted a very large and critical audience with their fine singing. As the beautiful and artisticallygowned cantatrice stepped forward to sing her initial number, Verdi’s great scena, “Ritorna Vincitor,” from “Aida,” quite a murmur of admiration, and great applause, greeted her. The famous excerpt was sung with much dramatic intensity and vivid vocal colouring, and a. true conception of the ideas it contains. A great contrast was submitted as an encore in Handel’s “Come Unto Him,” which was devotionally sung, but a little more legato and more use of pure head tone would have enhanced the beauty of some of the phrases; the final phrase was exquisite in its purity of tone.

In Schumann’s “Stille Thraeneu,” Miss Evans was not at her best. Her intonation was not always perfect—due possibly to the disparity of pitch between the high voice part and the low-set piano accompaniment, which gives little support. Brahms’s “Boschaft” went well and conveyed the proper message. A welcome extra was added in Max Reger’s lovely little “Wiegenlied,” which Miss Evans sang with supreme artistry. A bracket of more popular numbers “Do Not Go My Love,” “Homing” and “Just For To-day,” completed Miss Evans’s programme items. The first was not completely satisfying in its performance, faulty pitch and unsteady rhythm rather marred its success, but in “Homing” and “Just For To-day” there was nothing left to be desired — the latter was particularly well sung.

Extras contributed were “Cornin’ Through the Rye,” given with grace and arch effect, and Lane Wilson’s melodious old song “Before You Came,” which received an interesting interpretation, distinguished by a fine breadth of style. Miss Evans and Mr. Gange were heard to advantage in the interesting duet, “Still as the Night” (Goetz), written in a free canonic sidiom, adding as an encore “Trot Here and There,” which pleased immensely. Mr. Fraser Gange was in particularly good voice. His performance of the exacting “Eri Ni” (Verdi), was very fine, especially the cantabile movement. He sang Frederick Keel’s “Three Saltivater Ballads” to perfection. The hornpipe and gay effect in the first, the reflective character and quiet lilt of the second, and the patter and point of the third, were wonderfully well suggested. “Summertime on Bredon” (Peel) was notable for fine phrasing and beautiful tone. Especially lovely were the veiled notes at the words “And stole out imbeknown.” Mr. Gange’s use of “mezza-voce” is rather infrequent, though it was used again to great advantage at the close of “Achil by the Sea.” Extras included a noble rendering of Handel’s “Hear Me Ye Winds and Waves,” in which the final low notes were most effective. “Duna,” a pleasing little song, Cowen’s “Border Ballad,” in which the rhythm might have been kept more strictly, and a realistic performance of “Mandalay,” completed Mr. Gange’s contributions to the programme. Miss Enid Conley accomplished her share of the programme with much credit. Her accompaniments sometimes lack “bite” and character, but her solos were very satisfactory. York Bowen’s “Scherzo” and Grainger’s “Country Gardens” were welcome items and were well played. It is a pleasure to know that two extra concerts are to be given on Friday and Saturday by these distinguished artists, S.K.P.

NEW REGENT

“BEAU SABREUR” A rousing colourful melodrama of the French Foreign Legion, with wild adventure and delightful romance in the face of almost certain death, is the background of “Beau Sabreur,” which is still attracting large audiences to the New Regent Theatre. “Beau Sabreur” is a companion picture to “Beau Geste,” and is also from the same pen—that of Captain P. C. Wren. A very strong cast has been assembled to portray the story headed by Gary Cooper, who is Major de Beaujolais, a dashing young French officer on secret service in the Sahara. At Zagnig, the major receives instructions from his uncle, General de Beaujolais, to go to the Great Oasis, miles away, and bargain for a treaty with the powerful Sheik El Hamel, who is there with his grand vizier. The Great Oasis is attacked by Becque, a traitor to France, and a thrilling battle takes place. While out in the desert Major de Beaujolais comes into contact with Mary Vanbrugh, an American journalist, and on several occasions rescues her from the fierce Arab tribes.

The part of Mary Vanbrugh is played by Evelyn Brent, and Becque, the desert leader, by William Powell. Maurice Guttridge and his orchestra play as an overture “Orpheus” (Offenbach), and Leslie V. Harvey on the Wurlitzer plays “Barcarole,” from “The Tales of Hoffman,” and “The Blue Room.” “The Way of All Flesh,” the picture that fuses the greatest acting talent of the Continent, will be shown at the New Regent Theatre, commencing on Friday. Declared the most convincingly human story ever transferred to the screen “The Way of All Flesh” is the first American-made starring vehicle of Emil Jannings, international screen idol. Belle Bennett, famous for her “Stella Dallas” portrayal, plays Jannings’s wife with a sympathetic understanding that is declared inspirational. Phyllis Haver, epitomisation of blonde loveliness, is the other woman.

MAJESTIC

“THE BLOOD SHIP” A delightfully varied programme, composed of pictorial, musical, stage, and topical attractions is being presented at the Majestic Theatre. From the opening bars of the introductory march, everything moves with great speed. A very bright spot in the pictorial programme is “The Battle of the Century,” co-starring those minstrels of mirth, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. It contains a screamingly funny burlesque of the recent TunneyDempsey fight. The excellent Majestic Magazine is composed of news from the Motherland, and the most notable scenes included are those of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales winning the Welsh Guards’ steeplechase, and taking all the fences with hardly a shift from his saddle: scenes of a wreck on the Cornish coast; an industrial fair at Birmingham; the Eton College steeplechase; and launching H.M.S. Sussex.

Other attractions are an amusing Aesop fable cartoon, “Sharpshooters,” and a New Zealand scenic of Christchurch, “the cathedral city,” showing scenes on the River Avon, the busy thoroughfares, and the Bridge of Remembrance. Mr. J. Whiteford-Waugh and his Majestic orchestra render a special musical score for the picture, and feature Wagner’s spirited “The Flying Dutchman” as the overture. Preceding the screening of the photoplay is a very effective and pleasing prologue, presented by the renowned Majestic Quartette, who render a number of sea chanties.

The principal pictorial attraction, “The Blood Ship,” has captured all the vivid romance of the sea, when windjammers were in their glory. Hobart Bosworth is starred with Jacquelin Logan and Richard Arlen. It is one of the most satisfying films that has been seen for some time. Real action, perfect characterisation, and wonderful photography make this an outstanding production. The story, with its background of elemental passions run riot, holds the interest from the very start. .

Friday will be an eventful day in the history of the Majestic Theatre, and Auckland, for then for the first time picture-goers will learn all the intimate details of “The Private Life of Helen of Troy.” “The Private Life of Helen of Troy,” as did John Erskine’s novel on which it is based, takes the mythology of ancient Greece as its foundation, with particular, attention paid to the abduction of Helen by Paris, and the Trojan war, with its famous wooden horse, which followed the elopement. It has comedy in generous quantities. It is satirical, sly, subtle, broad, humorous, whimsical, and daring by turns. It is richly costumed, and displays sis breathtaking in their magnitude, and striking in their originality of design and pictorial effect.

DIXIELAND CABARET

TWO BANDS TO-NIGHT A special attraction is offered at the Dixieland Cabaret to-night by the engagement of the R.M.S. Tamaroa band, by special permission of Captain Hartman. This band is an all-star versatile combination and will be heard in some of the latest dance hits direct from London. Clyde Howley’s Internationals wiT* also play and dancing will take place from S p.m. to 12 p.m.

“STUDENT PRINCE” AND “MADAME POMPADOUR”

BOX PLANS NOW FILLING An opera season commences at His Majesty’s Theatre on Wednesday next, when J. C. Williamson’s Royal Comic Opera Company presents for the first time in the Dominion “The Student Prince,” which will be followed by “Madame Pompadour.” The company, principals, chorus, and orchestra appear here exactly as in Melbourne, where they created a furore for over 20 weeks. One Melbourne critic says: “ ‘The Student Prince,’ after a successful 16 weeks’ run at His Majesty’s, continues to attract crowded houses, for the members of J. C. Williamson’s Royal Comip Opera Company are afforded ample scope for their powers of entertaining - . The play, which is founded on the romantic play, ‘Old Heidelberg,’ tells of the story of King Copheria and the beggar maid, and in its unfolding reveals fully the talent of Beppie de Vries and the supporting members of the company. Miss De Vries in the role of Kathie, the waitress who loves a prince, is happily cast, the part allowing her play for a vivacious personality, and great dramatic opportunities, in addition to a musical score which shows to advantage her singularly beautiful voice. James Liddy, as Prince Karl, is a picturesque figure. Arthur Stigant, as Lutz, the principal comedy character, provides most of the laughs of the piece, assisted by Vera Spoull Gretchen. Adele Crane. Hedley Hall, Leslie Holland, and the famous chorus. The 40 singing students also assist in the success of the play.” There were gay times in Paris when the eighteenth century was young, and the Marquese de Pompadour reigned at Versailles. The brilliancy, the gay dressing, the mirth and the music, are reproduced in the company’s second exquisite opera, “Madame Pompadour.” She was a patron of art, and a friend of letters. She made beauty a cult, and under her influence the splendid days of Versailles were more splendid than ever. The preferential box plans for the season are now open at Lewis Eady’s, Ltd.

RIALTO AND REGENT, EPSOM

“A NIGHT OF LOVE” “The Night of Love,” starring Ronald Col man and Vilma Banky, is now being shown at the Rialto and Regent, Epsom, Theatres. The story tells of a Spanish gipsy prince, who, when a young man, was robbed of his bride by a duke. Years later, the duke is about to take unto himself a bride, the beautiful Princess Marie, niece of the King of France. After the wedding ceremony, the couple retire to their bedroom and find awaiting them Montero, a bandit. Montero reveals himself as the for-, mer gipsy prince and declares that in revenge he will serve the duke in the same fashion as he himself was served years before. Montero’s bandit followers storm the castle and hold back the Spanish grandees while Montero himself escapes, taking with him the bride and bridegroom. In the gipsy camp, the duke is branded with the mark of his shame and returned to his followers while the bride leaps from the heights of the bandit stronghold rather than give herself to the man she hates. The second feature is “Just Another Blonde,” starring Jack Mulhall and Dorothy MackailL.