West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Saturday 23 June 1934, page 13


PRINCE OF WALES THEATRE.

Australian Musical Comedy.

Typically Australian in subject and treatment, 'The Hayseeds,' a Cinesound musieai comedy, began a season at the Prince of Wales -Theatre yesterday. The nrin

cipai supporting picture was 'Shot in the Dark,' a murder mystery drama.. The story of ''The Hayseeds' opens when Dad finds a party ? of ? hikers on his pastures arid rages at them for disturbing his flocks. His anger, however, sooncools, and he strikes ur- a friendship with one of them, 'Pa' Townleigh. Soon afterwards, Mary Townleigh, his daughter, is lost, and Dad organises a' party which unsuccessfully searches for- h^r. Limping from a fall, Mary reaches the hut of a young Englishman, Manners, who billets her for the night, and next morning takes her back to Dad's farm, where the TownJcjgos have been provided with quarters. Ihe Townleigh family then return to Sydney, having invited the Hayseeds to visit them there. ..This visit is made soon after, when .Joe Hayseed, after farcical scenes, has married the local belle, and the groom, and bride are accompanied on their honeymoon to Sydney by the whole family. The Hayseeds experience numerous difficulties in connexion with the traffic and hustle of the city, and the experiences' there of the. 'country bumps' provide. many opportunities for broad comedy. A dramatic touch is introduced when Manners ' is suspected of embezzlementi but his name is finally cleared and he marries Mary. In the meantime, Dad has become short of money and has been forced to make arrangement^ to walk oft the farm, but; at the eleventh hour the news arrives that he has won first prize in a State lottery. Cecil Kellaway, as Dad Hayseed, fills the main role of the film, while, the romantic interest is provided by Shirley Dale— who came to Australia to play for J. C. Williamson—and Arthur Clarke. Tal Ordell and Molly Raynor are cast as Joe Hayseed and .his wife, respectively, and Kenneth:: Brampton takes the role of 'Ta' Townleigh. Others in the catet are Katie Towers- (Mum Hayseed), Phyllis Steadman, Sam . Tolhurst. Frances Ogilvie and Les Wharton. while juvenile parts are taken by Brian Kellaway and Roma Arrowsmith. ? ? ? ? ? . ? The unravelling of the mystery surrounding the murder of a wealthy but fear-crazed man forms, the substance of the plot of 'Shot in the Dark,' and the elucidation is made more difficult by the fact that five relatives believe that they were responsible for his death. The mystery is finally cleared up by a trap set by the vicar— an amateur detective. The principal .roles are slaved by O. B. Clarence and Dorothy Boyd. Australian and overseas newsreels completed- the programme. ? :