PUPPETS AT PLAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 541, 19 December 1928, Page 17

PUPPETS AT PLAY

NOVELTY AT NEW REGENT Dancing puppets, acting puppfets, puppets grave and gay, bold and timid, fat and thin. A strange tribe of little, fascinating people has camped in the Regent Theatre. Last evening its members paraded for the first time before a delighted Auckland audience. It may be said at once that this new J. C. Williamson importation is one of the most remarkable acts of its kind seen in Auckland. To describe it as a puppet show would be an injustice, for this completely equipped and wonderfully varied show is an entire transformation of the old-style doll entertainment. To begin with, there is a flavour of mystery and uncanny magic about the whole business. Schistl’s “Wonderettes” make their bow in the most ingenious circumstances and proceed to carry out their programme in a fashion that, to use a trite, but suitable expression, is almost human. The little actors are whisked about their special stage and changed into giants, dwarfs, clowns, and dragons with amazing celerity, and there is comedy a-plenty from first to last. Carriages become transformed into airplanes and fly away after circling the" stage gracefully; a live pig scrambles from a huge egg laid by a huge rooster .... A quaint Christmas touch is provided by the appearance of Santa Claus, who encounters dragons on his merry journey. The show is introduced refreshingly and goes with a swing throughout. It should not be missed by children from eight to eighty, for it has the clean fresh touch that is so greatly to be desired in holiday entertainment. Back through the years of American history to the perilous ’thirties, when venturous spirits were struggling to pacify the distrustful Red man and make America’s fertile hinterland safe for the hardy pioneers—this is the period chosen by Paramount for the production of Fred Thompson’s latest picture. The popular Western star takes the title role in a thrilling tale of romance and adventure dealing with the romantic figure of Kit Carson, fighter, yet primarily peacemaker.

Illuminating glimpses of the operations of the dreaded "Ku Klux Klan” in the Southern States of America are given in the supporting picture, “The Mating Call,” from the book by Rex Beach.

Interesting news budgets and pleasing music played by the Regent’s operatic orchestra - complete an excellent programme. An entirely new programme will be presented at the New Regent tomorrow, headed by two big pictures. One of these will be Emil Jannings’s latest picture, “The Street of Sin,” a powerful drama of the transition of a brutal gang leader of the London slums to a godly man through the power of love. Fay Wray and Olga Baclanova have the leading supporting roles.

The second picture to-morrow is a fascinating romance of college youth entitled “Varsity,” in which Charles Rogers has his first starring role.