MAJESTIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1029, 21 July 1930, Page 15

MAJESTIC

“THE LOVES OF ROBERT BURNS” The excellent cast of British Dominions’ new all-talking and singing operetta, ’ The Loves of Robert Burns,” which has just commenced a run at the Majestic Theatre, is headed by Mr. Joseph Hislop, regarded as England's greatest tenor, and the supporting players include the two Australian girls, Eve Gray and Dorothy Seacombe, Jean Caddell, C. V. France, Neil Kenyon and others of Empire fame. ‘ The Loves of Robert Burns” is not merely a biography, but a brilliant concoction of powerful drama and all that is lovely in the inspiring poems and lyrics of the most famous of Scottish poets and writers. The picture is a joint production of the British Dominions Corporation and the Gramophone Company, the combination responsible for such hits as “Splinters” and “Rookery Nook.” Entertaining talkie shorts complete the programme. Casting a motion picture is not what it used to be. A casting director must bo up on the music, singing, dancing and speaking ability of the players as well as their photographic and dramatic qualities now that talking pictures have captivated tho centre of the entertainment world. Such has been the experience of Joe Marks, veteran casting director for Warner Bros. Many of the cast of “So Long, Letty,” the Warner Bros.* and Vitaphone singing, talking, dancing special directed by Lloyd Bacon and coming shortly to the Majestic Theatre, underwent singing and dancing as well -as voice and screen tests for the picture. Tho players in this Vitaphone comedy of dissatisfied husbands and gay wives include Charlotte Greenwood (star of the production). Grant Withers, Patsy Ruth Miller, Hallam Cooley, Bert Roach, Harry Gribbon, Claude Gillingwater, Helen Foster and Marion Byron.