"THE SHOW BOAT"—GRAND ENTERTAINMENT—GAIETY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 205, 30 September 1929, Page 2

"THE SHOW BOAT"—GRAND ENTERTAINMENT—GAIETY.

For months now those hauiitixig, deiigntiui meiodies, "Gle Alan itiver," ••uan't iieip j-roving tiiub Aian o' .Mine," and. "\vliy jJo l J_,ovc lout" ua\e been liearci iii JNapier aud liave pruved among tire luost succesMui tuai uave beeu. lioerated to ttie music-lov-uig public for many days. Siiow Boat oecame a by-word witii all and tliere was a geueral rejoicmg wlieu it was announced some weeKs ago tliat tlie stui>endous production was to be presented .to tue iSaprer pubiic per medium ot tbe Gaiety de Luxe tauiing picture theatre. I1 or many months tiie teeming nuilions that are 111 Anierxca ravecl abbut bbow lioat and liailed it as tbe greatest production evey made. Ln its scage torm it took the cities by Dtorm, and in its talkie iorm it has continued its triumpbaiit progress wherevei exhibited. U11 Saturday night the pronused entertainment was realised, a liouse "that was packed long before the programme commenced bemg thorougbiy delighted beyond anticipation with wliat tbey saw and heard. Uccupymg the whole evcniug in Ds presentation Sliow Boat proved a. trulv great production and lield the audience enthralled, there not being a single inoment of dullness throughout tlie 16 l'eels whicii constituted the filin. Oue of the greatest tavourites ot tbe silent screen was Laura La Plante, and she is one of the few who have, witli tlie advent of the talkie, remained to charm her many admirers. Her voice, heard for the first time in Show Boat, proved a reveiation and delight and it is certain that^the bright star which is L'aura's in the firmamerit of screen favouritism will remain uncliallenged, and if anvthing be enhanced by the advent of the talkie production. Jn Show Boat Laura took the role of the star performer on- the 6bow boat a travelling theatre which toured the Mississippi. Playing opposite her was Joseph Schildkraut, who gave a notable pertormanee as the gentleman gambler ivho turned show boat actor because of his love for the star. While an actor, however, he never lost his love for the gaming table and uiuch trouble arose from this weakness. The mother of Magnolia Hawks (Laura La Plaute) was played magniiicently by Emily Fitzroy, while little Jane La Veriie. as Magnolia when she was a ehild, and Kim, Magnolia's ciiild, gave a wonderful performance. Other outstanding characters in the production were Otis Harlan, as Captain Andy Hawks, the owner of the show boat., and Alma Reubens, as Julie, an actress. Almost the entire action of tlie picture was screened on the boat, the ever changing vista afforded by the travels of the boat providing delightful scenic effects. It was an enthralling presentation from start to finish and was rendered all the more delightful by the vocal items. It was a story of very great human appeal, yet wiithal. there were many humorous touches which raised spontaneous laughter from the audience. The musical score was impressive, with negro songs and specially composed tunes by Jerome Ivern. The Show Boat is at the Gaiety for an extended season of six night performances and six matinees, so that all should have and take the opportunity of witnessing and hearing this stupendops production.