ENTERTAINMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 November 1926, Page 11

ENTERTAINMENTS.

EVERYBODY’S THEATRE. “KIKI”—A PICTURE OF LOVELINESS Much has already been written about “Kiki,” Norma Talmadge’s first comedy for First National, which com-1 meneed at Everybody’s Theatre last night, but it is necessary to see the picture before an adequate conception of its extreme loveliness and charm can be got. It is the famous Belaseo stage sucSess on the screen, the story of the waif of the Paris streets whose ambition is to become a theatrical star and marry the opera manager, which person is delightfully played by Ronald Colman. But the manager is betrothed to the leading lady, and Kiki sets out to win him from her. Her methods were, perhaps, so crude as to be the height of sophistication. She wheedles her way into the chorus, and on the opening night engages in fisticuffs with the star, being finally punched into the orchestral well by that lady. Throughout “Kiki” is composed of frothy morsels, bits of delicious comedy and moments of tender pity mingling to form an almost perfect picture. Lavishly mounted and superbly acted, “Kiki” should prove the most popular of* all Norma Talmadge’s productions. “Kiki” is finely supported by short films and is accompanied by delightful musical selections with an orchestral entr’acte, “On the Riviera.” THE PEOPLE’S THEATRE. AN ARTISTIC PRODUCTION. Family night programme at The people’s Theatre cousins of a fine range of entertaining pictures. The latest Pathe Gazette and an Interest are followed by a comedy of the popular Richmount series, “Out and In.” The chief picture is “The Sporting Chance,” a Tiffany production of singular originality. The story centres round the activities of the turf, and goes with a happy swing that is not entirely devoid of deep dramatic interest. Little flashes of comedy balance finely with these deeper parts and, taken in all, this picture is .as fresh and pleasing as the most critical could wish. Lou Tellegen, Geo. Fawcett and Dorothy Phillips play the leading rqjes. This is the last showing of this interesting programme, the change which commences at the matinee to-morrow being headed by the William Fox six-reel feature comedy, “A Trip to Chinatown.” FULLERS VAUDEVILLE. s OPERA HOUSE TO-NIGHT. To-night, at the Opera House, the first company under the direction of John Fuller and Sons will appear at this theatre. In years gone by the Fullers catered well for local theatre goers and in sending along the combined companies of Irvings Midgets and Chefalo and Palermo they are offering their most expensive importations. The New Zealand Herald of recent date thus refers to the attraction under notice: “Lt would not be unfair to artists who have recently appeared at the Opera House to say that this week’s programme is one of the most entertaining that Auckland theatre-goers have ever seen. By their novelty alone the various items are placed in a class of their own, for it is seldom such a combination of interesting spectacles is witnessed in one evening. Irvings Midgets, small in stature, but large in their capacity for dispensing amusement, again present a plethora of songs, dances, ensembles, and humourous interludes, all of which prove that good things often come in small measures, as the tiny, but engaging conductor, Willie Rolle, informs his audience by way of introduction. Willie Rolle—it would be almost impossible to regard him as Mr. Rolle, despite his well-cut dinner-jacket—is the forerunner of good things. The parade of the wooden soldiers by the company midgets, in quaint costumes of scarlet and gold, was exceptionally well carried out. - . . . The performance of the mystifying Chefalo kept the audience in constant wonder, whether he was engaged in producing ducks, doves, pigeons or human beings from some unexpected source. Chefalo has a disconcerting practice of doing the expected, and completing it with the unexpected, until one marvels that tables or cases entirely dissembled could hold so much. When he does set out to elucidate some mystery his critics are more astounded than ever.” The company can only appear here for two nights, with a special matinee at 2.30 o’clock to-morrow afternoon.