ENTERTAINMENTS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 8, 7 December 1926, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS.

“THE UNFAIR SEX.” AT THE OPERA HOUSE TO-NIGHT. From London via Sydney comes Joseph Cunningham’s Now Englisii Comedy Company to open its Palmerston North season to-night at the Opera House with Eric Hudson’s fashionable London farce, “The Unfair Sex,” that ran for two years at the Savoy Theatre, London, playing daily matinees with a separate company. “London theatre-goers are the hardest in the world to satisfy; in fact, I have seen many productions that would have been big successes elsewhere slip into oblivion after a few nights,” comments an English critic. This demand for only the best has made the way of the playwright a hazardous one, for if ho is to win the favour of his audienoes, he has to give them' nothing 'but the best. With thoso remarks in mind one can easily gauge tho repertoire of Joseph Cunningham’s company, which includes such famous successes as “The Unfair Sex,” “The Sport of Kings,” “Outward Bound” and “Eliza Comes to Stay,” perhaps four of the most potable successes of the London stage during the-past three years. Thus, in selecting “The Unfair Sex” to be staged tonight no mean compliment is being paid to its author. Tho company to interpret this play includes the distinguished London comedy actress Miss Zilla Bateman, from the principal West End London theatres, starring in association with Miss Henrietta Cavendish, Miss Sylvia Clifton, Miss Beryl Barraclough, Miss Vera St. John and Messrs Joseph Cunnigham, Campbell Copelin, Frank Bradley, Reginald Newton. Charles McCullum, Claud Carter and Jack Phillips. “ELIZA COMES TO STAY.” ‘‘Eliza Comes to Stay,” the second offering by the company, is full of subtle satire, and clever dialoguo and has a tilt at the proneness of society to judge by appearances. The story deals with horror of a young bachelor, when he discovers that a girl, well described as a perfect fright, has been willed on to him and is coming to stay. After a week the bacholor can “stick it” no longer, and decides to go abroad. Eliza then undergoes a decided change for the better, and when her guardian returns from abroad, he decides that the best thing to do is to marry Eliza, who now calls hersolf Dorothy. The box plans aro at the Opera House. PALACE. “RECKLESS ROMANCE.” The scenario writers of the Christie Comedy 7 Company' recorded many' bits of highgrade humour during the filming of “Reckless Romance,” a new feature-length farce comedy, npw playing at the' Palace Theatre. It so happened that there were four comedy units working on the lot when the feature had reached its midway point in production. Walter Hiers and Bobby Vernon, each with his two-reel comedy unit, were filming comedies on adjacent sets. Nearby were two Christie comedy units, one headed by Neal Burns and the other by Jimmie Adams. Engaged in making “Reckless Romance” were the well-known comedians, T. Roy Barnes, Harry Myers and Jack Duffy. During the noon hour all the above-mentioned comedians woydd rush through their lunches in order to gather for a “get-together” before the one o’clock bell was rung. The scenario writers, however, -would cat no lunch because they were afraid that they might miss a few of the “smart cracks” that emanated from tho funny man. With such comedians as Barnes, Myers, Duffy, Hiers, Vernon, Burns and Adams going at top speed every noon for .three or four weeks, the Christie scenario writers claim to have recorded enough funny “stuff” tio keep the world laughing for a year. Like squirrels gathering and hoarding nuts, these writers feel assured that they’ have stored away enough squirrel food to last through a hard winter. KOSY. “MONTE CARLO” AND “LAUGHING AT DANGER.” Sparkling with whimsical humour, replete with hearty laughs and distinguished by the excellent work of the strong cast, “Monte Carlo” is undeniably ono of the finest and most entertaining tight comedies Palmerston North audiences have been privileged to see. In tho leading roles aro Lew Cody and Gertrude Olmsted, supported by Zasu Pitts, Roy D’Arcy, Karl Dane. Arthur Hoyt and Trixie Friganza. This impressive array of brilliant comecl■ians exacts the utmost from the abundant humorous possibilities of the story. Lew Cody gives an excellent performance, and proves beyond doubt his sterling ability and versatility. As the title implies, much of the action of the picture is staged • in Monte Carlo, the world’s most famous gambling resort. In that romantic spot Fate brings together a penniless wanderer posing ns a prince, and three girls whose success in a popularity contest, has given them a hbliday in “tho playground of tho world.” Their subsequent adventures aro the basis of a film packed with incident and interest. One scene is a fashion pageant and style show surpassing in magnificence and splendour anything of this nature ever before attempted on the screen. The evolution of milady’s dress, from the earliest period down to the present day, is depicted by exquisite creations filmed in tcchnicolour, with the most beautifullyformed girls in the motion picture colony acting as models. Richard Talmadge lays further claim to the title of “stunt king” in “Laughing at Danger” and its numerous thrills aro getting the nerves of capacity audience? ntingle. Supporting Talmadge is Eva Novak as leading lady. The supporting programme includes “Her Hunted Hero” (comedy), Pathe News and views and Goldwyn’s snapshots of screen celebrities. DE LUXE. “LET’S GET MARRIED.” Adapted from “Tho Man From Mexico,” “Let’s Get Married,” Richard Dix’s latest farce, will conclude its local season this evening at the Do Luxe Theatre. Ono emphasises the truth of the old saying, “It’ll all come out in the wash,” but not in a manner one might expect. Billy Dexter had known tho proverb for years and wanted to see how true it was. But he really wasn’t taking much of a chance, for he was temporarily located in gaol and, strange as it may seem, ho wanted very much to get out. So, taking a running jump, he landed in tho laundry chute, slid down and arrived at the bottom in a stato of coma. Tho 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 tho prison gates Billy emerged free and was soon on his way home. This proves without a doubt the truth of tho saying that “It’ll come out in tho wash.” J. C. WILLIAMSON’S COMPANY. “THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD.” In “The Yeomen of the Guard,” which is to be staged here at the Opera House on Saturday night next, the J. C. Williamson, Ltd., Gilbert and Sullivan Company will appear in an opera in which they have scored their best triumphs in Australia and New Zealand. Musically, the “Yeomen” reaches a very high level — it is faultless in tho beauty of its orchestration, its exquisite melodies, and its concerted numbers. Tho comedy of the libretto serves to throw into a more sombre relief the underlying tragedy of the plot—the unrequited love of the poor jester, who dies broken-hearted, but with a smil,e and quip on his lips. : ‘The Yeomen of the Guard” is strikingly English in many ways Jack Point (Charles Walenn) is a worthy kinsman of tho best of the Shakespearean clowns, and his intentionally crude dances with Elsie Maynard are well in the spirit of folk dance. The libretto contains magy clear indications of Gilbert’s close knowledge of poetic and dramatic tradition in England; and in number after number the music of Sullivan is delightfully ■ English. The great collaborators were always individual, and in the true sense original, but they knew the value of an understanding of the art

of tho past and of its principles. Some of the orchestral phases of ‘The Yeomen of the Guard” reach tho heights or grand opera. Tho haunting melodies and rich flavour of high romanco and old world picturesqueness have been faithfully preserved in this opera, and combine to make tho production the most memorable of the Gilbert and Sullivan series. Tho box plans will bo opened at the Opera Hr use on Thursday morning next at nine o’clock.