ENTERTAINMENTS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 6, 4 December 1926, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS.

KOSY, “MY OLD DUTCH”—FAMOUS ROMANCE. “My Old Dutch,” a 40 years’ liove story, now at tho Kosy Theatre, is a spectacular and picturesque story laid about London and coster life. The costers with their quaint button-trimmed clothes are seen with their odd festivals and queer customs; Pat O’Malley and May McAvoy play a coster boy and girl who marry, and their undying love over a space of 40 years forms the underlying note in the story. A remarkable fight, staged with bare knuckles as in the • days before John L. Sullivan, is one of the thrills. Arr exciting race, battles and other incidents cram the picture. Among tho artists seen in the picture are Edgar Kennedy, noted as a “heavy” character actor, Goorgo Siegmann, of “Merry-Go-Round” fame,' Jane Winton, beauty of tho Follies and Ben Ali Haggin spectacles, Agnes Steele, former British music hall star, Patsy O’Byrne and others. Neal Hart, a now screen star in western pictures, makes his first appearance in “The. Devil’s Bowl,” the supporting feature to “My Old Dutch,” and a thrilling drama of the Mexican border. The supporting items are interesting and entertaining, including tho beginning of a new serial, “Tho Ace lof Spades,” starring William Desmond and Mary McAllister in an adventure story based on historical facts—tho opening of tho State of Oklahoma for free land to home seekers in 1889. PALACE. THE UNDERWORLD IN “THE DAY OF FAITH.” Every great motion picture director, no matter how many successes are chalked to his credit, no matter how versatile ho may be, has a flair for some certain phase of the cinematic art. Griffith and Flynn tend toward poignant romance, Rex Ingram and Marshall Neilan favour the exotic, while Maurice Tourneur and Seastrom, the great Swedish director, find their best expression in tho spiritual. Tod Browning, Goldwyn director, is noted for his moulding of underworld dramas. While his genius has found notable expression in photoplays like “Tho Virgin of Stamboul,” “Drifting” and “Under Two Flags,it is tho story touching on crime and criminals that he most favours. The basis of drama is emotion, and emotion fills tho lives of the people of the underworld. Their lives, fraught with constant danger, shrouded with mystery, make their stolen joys the more poignant, their tragedies the more gripping, Browning believes. In “The Day of Faith,” which Browning directed at tho Goldwyn studios and which screens to-night at tho Palace Theatre, the locale of the story is in the underworld where tho high-lights of life flash brilliantly. That Browning is right in his contention that no walk of life is So filled with drama as the Underworld is testified to by the increasing popularity of his screen productions. DE LUXE. RICHARD DIX IN “LET’S GET MARRIED.” “It’ll all come out in tho wash.” Billy Dexter had known the proverb for years and wanted to see how true it was. But he really wasn’t taking much of a chance, for lie' was temporarily located in gaol and, strange as it may seem, he wanted very much to get out. So, taking a running jump, he landed in the laundry chute, slid down and arrived at the bottom in a state of coma. The laundry man on his daily rounds picked him up, lying as he was, hidden in a bunch of sheets, put him in a basket and placed that in his waggon. Once outside the prison gates Billy emerged free and was soon on his way home. This proves without a doubt the truth of the saying that “It’ll come out in the wash.” That is a description of one of tho many riotously funny episodes in Richard Dix’s latest farce, “Let’s Get Married,” which is to. bo shown at tho Do Luxe tio-night. This enjoyable comedy was adapted from the famous story, “The Man FYom Mexico.” J. C. WILLIAMSON’S COMPANY.. “THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD.” Play-goers are delighted to know that arrangements have been made by the J. C. Williamson, Ltd., management for a return visit hero of their famous Gilbert and Sullivan Comic Opera Company on Saturday night next when they will present tho exquisite old English comic opera, “The Yeomen of tho Guard,” which is probably tho most popular in tho repertoire of the beloved collaborators. Tho “Yeomon” proved the most successful opera staged during tho recent Melbourne season, while in Now Zealand it has attracted the largest audiences wherever it has been staged. Every revival of “Tho Yeomen of tho Guard” strengthens the impression that it will outlive all the other works of Gilbert and Sullivan, which are carried along with gay and frothy nonsense, with pointed wit and happy hearted melody.” The “Yeomen of tho Guard” gives us something that none of tho others possess. Pathos and humour are admirably blended in an effective plot. Gilbert is muoh moro human than ever he is elsewhere, and his softer mood has brought out the very best in Sullivan. Tho work approaches more nearly to genuine romantic opera, particularly in tho power and poignancy of the finales to each act. And among tho _ characters there is one, that of Jack Point, whoso subtlety of drawing occupies a place apart from Gilbert’s other creations. The box plans will bo opened at tho Opera House on Thursday morning next at 9 o’clock. A queue will be formed at 8 a.m. ENGLISH COMEDY COMPANY.

IN FASHIONABLE FARCE. “The Unfair Sex,’.’ Eric Hudson's threeact farce comedy, is to bo produced at tho Opera Houso on Tuesday next, with one of London’s, big star actresses, Miss Zilla Bateman, in a favourito parb and supported by a distinguished company who have simply carried all beforo them in Sydney and during their season in Wellington recently, whero tho company opened their New Zealand tour. “The Unfair Sex” was ono of tho big London successes when produced thero recently. It put up a record by having boon produced twico daily at tho Savoy Theatre, London, with two separate companies for two years. Briefly, tho plot is as follows: In an unguarded moment Geoffrey Trevor, a married. man, kisses his wife’s guest, Joan Delisse, and on the samo morning his uncle catches Trevor’s wife Diana in tho arms of Harvey Fane, a writer of romantic fiction. . Tho meddlesome undo hints at tho incident and the husband jumps to the conclusion that his own delinquency is being referred to, whereupon ho gives himself away. Tho undo then contrives that both husband and wifo shall think thoir lapse known to each other, and the game of cross purposes thus set in motion lead to some screamingly funny situations, that aro some of tho cleverest seen in modern farce for many years. “ELIZA COMES TO STAY.” “Eliza Comes to Stay,” H. Y. Esmond’s farcical comedy, will bo the second production. It will bo remembered that this comedy was first produced in London some years ago, and it was acclaimed the greatest laughing success since “Charley’s Aunt.” Its famo as an unusual success spread to New York and Paris, where it repeated its achievements, and in Sydney and Melbourne it hold the public over tho period of its engagement. The box plans for both productions aro now on view at the Opera House.