HEUGHAN, THE ACTOR

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 705, 3 July 1929, Page 14

HEUGHAN, THE ACTOR

WHAT AMATEURS COULD LEARN Amateur acting has reached a very high srtandard during recent years. Gone are the days when amateur actors and actresses were content to “go on” for a particular part, forgetting the fact that technique and a certain finesse were as necessary to them as to their professional brothers and sisters. Throughout the English-speaking world there are hundreds of excellent amateur dramatic clubs, and New Zealand has many doing good work. What is the reason for this decided improvement? Simply because amateur producers and players alike have been willing to acquire more knowledge and to learn the technique of the art of acting. They have learned by watching very closely the methods adopted by professionals who know their business.

If there is one crying fault that must be rectified in amateur acting it is in the use of the hands. To have to watch a player whose hand movements are ungainly and grotesque is sufficient to bore the most ardent supporter of an A.D.C. to distraction. Presumably local amateurs are still anxious to carry out that excellent maxim, “Live and learn”; they will require to acquire more practical knowledge to enable them to play those “fat” parts they sincerely hope will be given them in the future. No better advice can be given these enthusiastic Thespians than to beg of them to take the opportunity of seeing Heughan -when he makes his appearance here at the Town Hall on Thursday, July 11. They will learn more during a Heughan programme than they would from a library of handbooks on acting. To see Heughan use his hands is a revelation. “NOT QUITE DECENT” AT LYRIC The main attraction at the Lyric Theatre this evening, entitled “Not Quite Decent,” finds Louise Dresser again the “mother,” but an entirely different mother than she was in “Mother Knows Best.” This time both mother and daughter are of the stage, the mother finishing her career and the daughter just star - ing. Miss Dresser, as Mame Jarrow. is an entertainer in a speakeasy, ©* which she is half owner. The daughter, Linda, played by Miss Collyer. i s just starting a theatrical career with an ambition to follow in the footstepof the mother whom she believes idead. “Very Confidential” is the title* of the second attraction. This is an amusing comedy-drama of a little salesgirl in a sporting goods store who falls in love with a famous footballer. Mad--Bellamy is the star.

SUBURBAN THEATRES At the Prince Edward Theatre thieve ning the films are to be “The Weeding March,” Erich von Stroheim beautiful and spectacular production of pre-war Vienna, and “Kitty” <Estel!° Brody and John Stuart). Eve Beatley’s Orchestra will provide ‘he mu'The Grey Lynn Cinem; s showir u ' “My Official Wife” (Irer Rich Clyde Brook), also “G~ ■' lay” (Ann:Ondra). At the Parish Hall, Devonport the pictures are “Girls Gone Wild” (Sue Carol and Nick Stuart) and “The Mi - night Limited.” Richard Arlen is to play the TCA' 9 lead opposite Clara Bow in h<=r netpicture. “Dangerous Curves.”