Round the Shows

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 442, 25 August 1928, Page 16

Round the Shows

MORE NOTIONS

BRIGHT SHOW AT ST. JAMES

| A third set of bright Notions was | well received by an enthusiastic audience at St. James last evening. The League turned lightly from sketch to song, from dancing to dialogue, and maintained the high standard of its first and second weeks throughout. “From the moment the curtain rises you immediately become a member of the league,” says the programme. This means joining the company of a band of mirth-makers who really delight in their work. The League shows excellent taste in enjoying its own jokes, and the witty improvisations of Syd Beck threatened to hang up the show so convLilsed with mirth were his fel-low-comedians. Mr. Beck’s clever nonsense was thoroughly appreciated by the audience, and his culminating triumph, “Rhubarb,” was the comedy success of the evening. Mr. Mike Connors and Miss Queenie Paul, producer and ballet mistress of the League, presented a little pleasing j comedy and a great deal of melody, j “Here Am I, Broken-hearted,” was | their most popular number, though “At | Sundown,” sung by Miss Paul to the I accompaniment of Linn Smith’s band, j ran it a good second. These two also appeared in numerous sketches, and generally gave the good all-round display one naturally expects from the Directors of the League. Mr. Earnie Paulasto. though some- I what lugubrious in appearance, is by j no means a gloomy person. His j team-work with ’Orrie was all that | could be desired. In dancing with J Mr. Fred Paulasto, however, the two most pleased the audience, and their novelty turn, “The Body in the Bag,” one of the hits of the evening. Linn Smith’s band was in its usual good form, and, after running through several of the modern hits, turned to its classical repertoire. In the “Tannhauser Medley,” Mr. James Coates showed how pleasing a saxaphone could be in his interpretation of “Star of Eve.” Gerald Connelly was responsible for more amusing antics with the tuba, and Tut Coltman also presented pleasing solo work. Mr. Les Pearce was well received in some popular sentimental songs. “Somewhere South of Shanghai” being his best effort. Miss Valerie Rougal and Mr. Bert Rayne danced together brightly and skilfully, Miss Leila Andrews, Miss Phyllis Baker and Miss Gladys Shaw worked hard and successfully in their turns. “The Exquisite Six” tripped in and out of the show with bewildering changes of costume, and showed how well trained they were as a ballet. The settings were particularly good. “Tulip Time in Holland” was a really excellent effort.

“FLEETWING”

DARING ARABIAN STORY “Fleetwing,” a daring story of Araby soon to be released in New Zealand, tears aside the veil that has for so long hidden the intimate life story of the Bedouins. In this absorbing drama, the romance of two lovers is vividly depicted on the silver screen. They "find themselves handicapped by tribal traditions which forbid their marriage. How they overcome this obstacle is the basis of a highly emotional drama. Magnificent scenes taken amid the vast expanse of the Mojave desert have given Director Hillyer unusual opportunities for superb scenic effects. Barry Norton, “the mother’s boy,” of “What Price Glory,” plays the role of the young sheik; Dorothy Janis that of the harem girl, and Ben Bard the role of the villainous sheik.

RIALTO AND REGENT, EPSOM

REGINALD DENNY STORY Reginald Denny’s latest story, “On Your toes,” will be shown at the Rialto and Regent (Epsom) Theatres, this evening. The story commences when Jack Sullivan, a fight manager, is insulted by the world’s lieav-weight champion, “Punch” Mello, and vows to find a comer to take the title away from the champion. He goes to Virginia, with his daughter, Mary, to look up Elliott Beresford, the son of the former champion, Young Evans. He finds Elliott effeminate, and is warned not to tell him of his father’s profession by Elliott’s grandmother. Mary and Elliott are attracted to each other and when Elliott opens a dancing school in New York, which he runs on an allowance from his grandmother, Mary shames him into getting a man’s job. “Life’s CircLis,” a dramatic story of circus performers, will also be shown. The story tells of two brothers who hate one another, but who forget their differences in pity and love for a girl who each evening is forced to perform a dangerous circus act. Mary Johnson is the leading player.