ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 December 1921, Page 7

ENTERTAINMENTS.

EVERYBODY’S. BLANCHE SWEET IN “FIGHTING CRESSY” i ‘‘Fighting Creasy,” in which Blanche Sweet is starripg p,t Everybody’s Theatre reflects the spirit of the author. It is Bret Harte. It is pleasing and filled with color, characterisation and humor. The backgrounds are beautiful, and the atmosphere of pioneer days is delightfully presented. The scen£ of the action is laid in California. Blanche Sweet is seen as the fighting daughter of a fighting Kentuckian, who is a pioneer in the new country. Cressy is involved in a fight with the Harrisons over some land. City land-grabbers try to get possession of it, but Cressy settles the situation by driving them off with a gun and by marrying one of the Harrisons and claiming the land as their joint property. Above all that is entertaining and beautiful in the picture is the work of Blanche Sweet as “Fighting Cressy.” The bill includes gazette, tworeel comedy, and “The Lost City.” The matinee to-day commences at 2 p.m. CHAS. RAY MONDAY AN& TUESDAY; -- x - 1 '- Gluwhs -Ray.-in...“Nin.ete.en_.. and Phyllis,” will be produced at Everybody’s on Monday and Tuesday next. This is Mr. Ray’s third release sinca becoming an independent Star and producer, and in view of the remarkable success which attended his initial independent productions., keenest interest is being manifested in. this latest production. “Nineteen and Phyllis” is from an original story, and is one of the very best vehicles yet provided for the young star. In this most recent production Ray again makes something of a departure from his customary “rube” role, this time appearing in the part of a sifiall towii dnndy wearing- up-to-the-minute mail order house raiment. The production is perhaps mqst fittingly described as a comedy of youth, for in it Ray appears as a nineteen-year-old lad aqd opposite him in the leading feminine role is demure Clara Horton, who is herself only sixteen years ‘Old. The photoplay is replete with amusing situations, and one of these strangely enough, has to do with Mr. Ray’s capture of a burglar. The finished pro 4 duction, according to all reports and indications, is one of the best-Ray films evfer offered to the public. The bdx plans are now at Collier’S.

THE PEOPLE’S. “THE AMAZING WOMAN.” Who sets the moral code? By what right has one man to lay down a law that others must follow? Has any one the right to do evil that good may come ? These are the problems that are set forth in “The Amazing Woman,” the feature’cdrtrmencih’g at the-Peopled to-day at 2 p.m. This gripping drama of human emotions has the splendid art of- Ruth Clifford, a screen start pi the first magnitude, “i'he Amazing Womarf” is no ordinary story. It is totally unlike any other photodrama produced in many years. It is chock full of suspense. Nothing in the early part of the picture gives any suggestion of how it is going to end. The story is just as baffling as the woman that is the heroine of the tale. The settings are rich. ißWiant.. The locale of the play is laid in New York and suburbs. It depictsu life as it really is among the rich, who lead the idle life. The ; bill includes gazettes and “The Branded Four.” 5 TOM MI& IS 1 ' ••■EtANbS &FF?’ Tom Mix, his trusty “sik,”' hrs. lariat and fils farftous horse will be the feature attraction at the People’s Theatre commencing fiekt Tuesday in “Hands Off,” which report says is one of the breeziest action pictures that this William Fox western star has appeared in. It is a story of Texas from a novel by William McLeod Ilaine and was directed by George' E. Marshall. From the time Mix tosses his hat intb the picture while watching a duel between two tarantulas on the, Texae s'arids tihtil the final fadeout, the picture is packed with speedy drama. Mix takes the part of a roving cowpuricher who drops into the fighting frontier of Tascosa in time to become up in a number of stirring adventures, including a gang fight, a bank robbery, an attempted lynching, a murder and a stampede of wild horses —quite enough- to keep even him busy. Pauline Curley, though only sixteen •years old, M?x ? s leading and has a very charming part in Ramona, a ranchman's daughter-;

©PECIAL TRAIN TO ELTHAM. J. C. WILLIAMSON’S “LILAC DOMINO.” A special, trpin will leave' New Plymouth on Wednesday, December 14, for Eltham at 6 p.m.. to convey patrons who wish to.witness the performance' of “'J?he...JJ.iae Domino” at the Toy Vii Hall, Eltharn, and' will return immediately after the performance, the train will stop at all stations cn route both’ways. It is not surprising that “Tfio Lilac Domino” had it run of three' years in London. It is one of the best musieaf plays produced sirice' the war, Play goers will welcome it in a return to the higher standard which preceded"the era of frivolous rag-time tunes allied with farcical librettos which were largely tfie outcome of post-war hysteria. They will note in this work, moreover, improvements -on- the higher standard referred to, ( ‘The Lilac Domino” is replete with ■sW'pria'es*. Opening, scenes M revelry and ' Inconsequential, albeit clever,’ humor lead skilfully up to a climax' in the second act which develops into dramatic opera of a high class, both as regards music and situation. The finale to this act is a fine achievement on the part of the composer, not content with one recurring tficm'e, repeats most of the airs that have ;gone before in a vocal ensemble which, has a most stirring effect-. The whole score is madfi UR of haunting melodoos, written m varying but always • invigorating tempos/ The music has a lifting effect; jt rouses the listener out of himself, and though much of it. is sheep tunefulness, much more of it is operatic. TlfeYe is a duet jiist before the finale iri .the second act which is a genu 4-ri-hly scored and difficult in its complexities, another toward the of the first get which is scarcely less beautiful, aivl through the entire work runs the enqi?ing air fpom which the piece is n,auy?dWe.}l sung- and ipaguiffcejfttliy staged, “The Lilac Dowrq/ a as presented by' thel’ff. 0. Wiffiamsun Opera Company at giri Majesty’s Theatre, Auckland, to - crowded audiences, has made a pro-’ poukeed hit, Seats may bo reserved at I parhanX Eltham, The prices being 9s, §s Strid ?d 3 including tax.

“MESSIAH” CONOHST. Early application should be made for seats for the New Plymouth Choral Society’s “Messiah” concert, which takes place at the Empire Theatre on Wednesday ifext. The box phm is bow’Open. The choir’s programme will include some of the best known choruses from Handel’s great oratorio, and some that are not so well known, and. the public may rely on them all being presented in a thoroughly efficient manner.- Among these selected. will be the ineogjpaxgblri. “Hallelujah,” “Worthy is the Lamb,” “Behold the Lamb of God,” and several others. In addition, the choir will also sing, in deference to a number of special requests, the choral ballad, “England, My England,” which w&s so jyell at the society’s concert. Miss Natalina McCallum (soprano), who comes with a good reputation as a soloist, will be the assisting artist for this concert. Her engagement to sing “The Messiah” solos at Auckland this month hor, a. gpoA rqaeption here. Some favorite local soloists will also appear on the programme, which should prove attractive and enjoyable. J- PUPILS.’A students’ song and pianoforte recital is being arranged by Mr. Arnold fjtuMJOtiCiJ vuho j&.jSflX[»kn'own on the concert platform in New Plymouth. Reci.tals_of this nature are always looked forward to as affording ah' oppoTtUrilty of hearing new talent. A representative programme is. being, arranged of vocal* and piano-forte items of a high standard. Several of the students, although not having previously been heard in this town, arp well known performers in other centres-;