MOSCOVITCH ON THURSDAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 390, 26 June 1928, Page 15

MOSCOVITCH ON THURSDAY

IN “THE SILENT HOUSE” Beginning on Thursday next at His Majesty’s Theatre, J. C. Williamson announces the return of the popular actor, Maurice Moscoviteh, and the brilliant dramatic company supporting him, in the first presentation here of the new thriller, “The Silent House,” the latest London dramatic success by John G. Brandon and George Pickett. Maurice Moscoviteh recently scored -two big successes with “The Ringer” and “The Terror,” but this new play is said to fairly outdo both for thrills, sensation, mystery and laughter. Billed as “a joyous melodrama,” the play while containing all the elements of drama has a vein of comedy running all through it. The story is an Oriental one, beginning with the stealing in China from a tempi© of a most remarkable ruby. “The Star of the East.” This is traced to England and is located in the Orient of London, Aldgate, but where? is the problem of the play. Chinese cunning and scheming are used in many ways and provide thrill after thrill. Hidden panels, sliding doors, Chinese torture chambers, mysterious and uncanny happenings, and at the same time plenty of merriment. The description of the play as “a joyous melodrama” should convince playgoers that it is “something different.” Maurice Moscoviteh appears in an entirely new role as Dr. Chang-fu, a Chinese mandarin, round whom most of the happenings of the play take place. Nat Madison as Hofang, also plays a Chinese role. It is an irresistibly likeable character, for although he is a little yellow fiend, he supplies many of the morals of the play. A newcomer with the company is Roger Barry, who appears as Captain Phillip Barty, a breezy captain with a whiff of the sea and a big fund of humour. The hero of the play is Reginald Newson as Captain George Wainsfo.rd. The lady in the case is Bertha Riccardo in the role of T’Mala, a dark-eyed, dark-haired siren of the East. Other prominent people in the cast are Patric Curwen as Jacob Herrington, Ashton Jarry as Peroda, Guy Hastings as Hwang, George Blunt as Benson, and Richard Webster as Mateo. The box plans for the season opened yesterday at Lewds Eady, Ltd., and judging by the big booking of seats a big welcome awaits the company here.