“THE CHARM SCHOOL”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 423, 3 August 1928, Page 14

“THE CHARM SCHOOL”

ST. CUTHBERT’S OLD GIRLS “The Charm School,’* a comedy in three acts by Alice Duer Miller and Robert Milton, was presented at the Town Hall last evening by St. Cuthbert’s Old Girls’ Association in aid of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children. Cast: —• Elise Freda Gaudin Miss Curtis Kathleen Leighton Miss Hayes Helen Seabrook Sally Lowrie McGregor Muriel Flora Robertson Ethel Linda De Renzy Alix Linley Le Quesne Madge Maida Mclndoe Lilian .. Violet Bennetto Mary Mary Beattie Celia Marjorie Suter Peter Bevens J. N. Gordon Homer Johns ; .. G. F. Moody George Boyd Geoffrey Peacock David Mackenzie W. E. Lindsay Jim Bradbury A. R. D. Fairburh Tim Bradbury L. Grieve The play was produced by Mrs. Turner and stage-managed by Mr. Crowther, and will be repeated again this evening. Peter Bevens (J. N. Gordon), a young man with ideas of his own regarding the opposite sex, finds himself, by the sudden death of an aunt, the possessor of a boarding school for girls, which lie decides to run on his own lines. The girls should be taught to be charming. Before he can translate his theories into action, Mr. Homer Johns (G. F. Moody) turns up unexpectedly and informs Peter that he has a mortgage on the school for more than the property is worth. Peter gains the consent of Mr. Johns, and together with four young and attractive men friends, takes over the school for charm. Outstanding performances were given by Mr. Gordon as Peter Bevens, Mr. Moody as the hard-hearted mortgagee, Miss Kathleen Leighton as Miss Curtis, the ultra-nervous school secretary, and Miss Freda Gaudin as Elise. Mention must also be made of the performances of Mr. W. E. Lindsay, Miss Helen Seabrook, Mr. Geoffrey Peacock, Mr. L. Grieve and Mr. A. R. D. Fairburn; also of Miss Linley Le Quesne as Alix, the little French girl, whose acting was extremely realistic. Excellent music was provided durin& the evening by Mrs. Stringer's orchestra. RIALTO AND REGENT, EPSOM “THE BIG NOISE” An amusing satire on American sensational newspapers and political campaigns is “The Big Noise,” which will be shown this evening at the Rialto and Regent (Epsom) Theatres. The inimitable Chester Conklin is in the leading role, tha.t of a poor insignificant guard on the underground railway whose slight accident is magnified by the Press for political reasons, much to the consternation of his wife. His neighbours, too, join in the heroworship, but when the election campaign is over the little guard is foraailyntaskd haS t 0 S ° back to hls marked contrast is provided by the second feature, “The Nervous Wreck” whn««° ry ° f 1 a young invalid, most of whose complaints are entirely imagWe7t to dfe rCh A r°/ a qUiet spot West to die. After providing fun for W ? os l S « he sudden *y finds himself the central figure of a highway robWh£h a follo h w numer ° us exciting- events Uinch follow cure him of all his ills Harrison Ford and Phyllis Haw flu the pnmcpal parts. Marjorie Beebe is to be featured a 3 a comedienne in "The Farmer’s Daughter.” a forthcoming Fox production.