Round The Shows

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 464, 20 September 1928, Page 16

Round The Shows

THE PLAZA AND TIVOLI

“DANCING VIENNA” “Dancing Vienna” is the new picture to be shown at the Plaza and Tivoli Theatres this evening. “Dancing Vienna” is a delightful romance of the European stage that has as its basis the contrast between jazz and waltz time as applied to the modern audience. Lya Mara typifies the Viennese sentiment of the waltz while Ben Lyon, one of the leading American actors, presents the case for jazz. Throughout the film dancing is well to the fore. Lya Mara excels in this direction, as she commenced her artistic career as a student of ballet and first appeared on the stage when she was only seven years old. Since then she has worked her way up to prima ballerina. The story of the “Dancing Vienna” hinges on the-sudden rise to fame of a European operatic star. She is the daughter of a one-time famous stage star, Mizzi, and seeks to follow in her mother’s footsteps. She meets an American youth who is jazz mad, and he converts her to jazz, and it is by this method of entertaining that Fritzi, as she is known, leaps to fame and marries the American youth in spite of the protestation of his rich father. Lya Mara is in the role of Fritzi, with Ben Lyon as Johnnie Konzaga, the American youth. Others of the cast include Kurt Gerron, who appeared to advantage in “Life’s Circus,” Alfred Abel, Arnold Korff and Olga Engel. The second attraction, entitled “Call of the Heart,” stars the wonder dog of the screen, “Dynamite,” in a wonderful picture. An authentic film showing various phases of the 29th International Eucharistic Congress in Sydney will also be presented this evening. BRITANNIA SHOWS “WINGS” “Wings,” the epic of the war in the air, will be shown at the Britannia Theatre this evening. But “Wings” is more than an air story, and rpore than a war story. In it the “cavalry of the clouds” are something more than touches of graphic scenery—they are a living story. With the great adventure of the war in the sky as the background, “Wings” is the story of two boys, Charles Rogers and Richard Arlen, and a girl, Clara Bow. They all come from the same little town “back home.” The maelstrom of war engulfs them all, the boys as aviators, and the girl as an ambulance driver.

An authentic film of the twenty-ninth International Eucharistic Congress in Sydney will also be shown.

“THE ROUND TABLE”

CONCERT CHAMBER WEDNESDAY “The Round Table,” a tragic-comedy by Lennox Robinson, will be presented by Auckland Little Theatre Society at the Concert Chamber on Wednesday, September 26, and the three following nights. The cast will be: Mrs. Drennan Ethel Rae De Courcey Drennan . . . Roberts Tole Daisy Drennan .... Lowrie McGregor Bee Drennan .... Margot Finlayson Jonty Drennan .... Fred McCallum Chris Pegum Fryer Raisher Mrs. Pegum . Susan Moncrieff McCallun Miss Pegum Ethel Schmiii Miss Williams Peggy Hove;. Phillip Flahive . . . H. McKail Geddes Fan Franks Nance Redstone Tom Breen Allan Hart A Woman Constance Clark A Man Rex Yates. This brilliant play was originally produced by the Abbey Players in Dublin, where its success equalled that of “The White Headed Boy,” by the same author. It is claimed by many that Lennox Robinson is outstanding among Irish dramatists today. The central figure in “The Round Table” is Daisy Drennan. The author deals with the dual personality of the girl. The part is a big one and calls for a considerable amount of ability, and Mr. Kenneth Brampton, %he society’s producer, tried many ‘ladies in the part before he finally decided to give it to Lowrie McGregor. Supporters of the Little Theatre may look forward with confidence to witnessing an excellent performance by this young lady. “SOMEHOW GOOD” AT ROYAL Fay Compton, claimed by many to be England’s greatest actress, has lent her genius to the screen. The best success she has achieved so far is that arising from her performance in “Somehow Good,” the adaptation of William de Morgan’s famous novel, which will be shown at the Royal Theatre, Kingsland, this evening. In -his amazingly fine film Miss Compton depicts a difficult role with attractive sincerity. The poignant drama mounts from strength to strength, until it culminates in a scene which for emotional Intensity has never yet been equalled in ayn film. Stewart Rome, another talented actor, gives an excellent portrayal as the ex-Indian Army officer who unknowingly falls in love’with the woman he once divorced.

“The Poor Nut,” a comedy of a university boy with an “inferiority complex,” will also be shown. Jack Mulhall is the star.

STRAND

“RAMONA” TO-MORROW ‘•Sunrise,” the perfect photoplay, has its final screening at the Strand Theatre this evening, for to-morrow another photoplay, which f6r sheer beauty alone will be outstanding, will be screened. This film is “Ramona,” a tale of love, tender, impassioned, thrilling and glorious, with Dolores Del Rio in the title role. This daring, unusual story is laid in the early days of j California under the colourful regime of I Spanish Dons, when the Missions were in flower, and before the pioneer Redmen and Spaniards were driven from their landed kingdoms by invading whites. Ramona was the adopted daughter of Senora Moreno, proud and haughty ' widow —a religious fanatic who ruled her vast rancho in feudal grandeur. From girlhood she loved the Senora’s son, Felipe, and he in turn loved Ramona. Mr. Birrell O’Malley, the popular Auckland tenor, will be the soloist in the enchanting prologue which precedes the film. A novelty on the programme will be the song “Ramona,” sung by Dolores Del Rio. The record was made by the famous Mexican star on the completion of .Helen Hunt Jackson’s famous Indian love story. An interesting Strand Magazine, an Interest Film, and a merry Our Gang comedy, “It's a Bear,” are on the programme. A special musical programme has been arranged by Eve Bentley for her Strand Symphony Orchestra. A medley of popular airs will be featured as the overture. PRINCE EDWARD PICTURES AND MUSIC An exceptionally strong programme will be presented at the Prince Edward Theatre this evening, including two big pictures and the appearance of Fred Mayfield’s Cowboy Band. This band plays every type of music equally well, and every player is a talented musician. During the course of their programme they play no less than 37 different instruments. Mary Bickford’s great story, “My Best Girl,” will also be shown this evening.

LYRIC AND EMBASSY

ARGUS AND PICTURES A comedy-drama of a man who fell in love, although he didn’t want to, entitled “Don’t Marry,” will be shown at the Lyric and Embassy Theatres this evening. Lois Moran and Neil Hamilton have the leading roles. “Don’t Marry” is the story of Priscilla Bowen (Lois Moran), who is a very modern young miss living with her staid aunt, a puritanical spinster. Quite unexpectedly Priscilla falls in love with Henry Willoughby, a puritanical bachelor, who believes modern women are a sin and abomination. He will have nothing to do with Priscilla, so she decides to pose as her own cousin. The deception works completely and their engagement is announced. Then Priscilla is remorseful over the methods she used. With Henry’s father she plans to have the two families spend a vacation at a fashionable summer resort, where he will see the ridicule his blushing fiancee evokes. While at the resort Priscilla contrives to make herself as ridiculous as possible and then change quickly into her modern sell; as the cousin. Henry, in a daze, finds himself failing in love with whom he supposes is the cousin of his fiancee. “Under the Black Eagle,” an exciting and dramatic story, will also bo shown. “Argus,” the boy whose remarkable powers have astounded Aucklanders, will appear at both these theatres this evening. With his father he will give a demonstration of thought reading, and description of hidden articles.

GRAND

TWO COMEDIES TO-MORROW The big double-feature programme at the Grand Theatre, showing Douglas Fairbanks in “The Gaucho,” and “The Patsy,” will be presented for the last time this evening. Commencing to-morrow two enjoyable comedies, one "Chicken a la King,” and the other Harold Lloyd in “Girl Shy,” will be shown. As soon as Jean Hersholt and Edward Sloman finish with “The Girl on the Barge" they will start production of “The Bragger.” This is art original screen story by Benjamin Kutler, for which the continuity was written by Charles Kenyon.