SIR HARRY LAUDER.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 130, 2 June 1923, Page 3

SIR HARRY LAUDER.

COMEDIAN'S GREAT RECEPTION. The fact that the ovation received by Sir Harry Lauder on his first appearance in His Majesty's Theatre last night was hardly a circumstance on the ovation which came at the end of his turn, when he had to give the orchestra the cue to strike up the National Anthem in order to get away from his enthusiastic admirers, was an indication that Auckland's tribute to the personality and artistry of Scotland's greatest comedian will probably be a greater one now than it was to Harry Lauder nine years ago. The artistic manner in which the dry, pawky wit of the Scots was enshrined in* life-like characters, and ihe Scottish lilt and swing and sentiment of the Lauder songs, aroused the highest pitch of enthusiasm, completely winning over the audience. World-wide as the Lauder songs and monologues have become in their favour through the medium of the gramophone, they were shown up as pale and sickly imitations when the man himself appeared on the boards and, ill quite a new repertoire, added the winning power and colour of his pungent personality to the quip, lilt and music. The reception last night, when the Gov-ernor-General, Lady Jellicoe and party -were among the audience, foreshadowed the probability that Auckland is going t > like and appreciate Harry Lauder even better this time than they did on the occasion of his last visit, despite the fact that his songs were then a'; the height of their favour. It is hard to conceive a more tellin.- comedy study than that given in his second song "Doughie, the Baker," in which his monologue faithfully delineates a living character with whoru every dweller in Scottish communities is familiar, and the rich, natural humour and i shrewd human philosophy flowing from Scottie's frank domestic confessions is not only vastly entertaining, but is true to fife. In quite a different study Harry Lauder caught the fancy of the house by delineating the spirit of the bluejacket when he swung on to the catchy sentimental song "There is Somebody Waiting I for Mc," and again he went back to a different, and more pronounced Scottish study in the reminiscences of a hardbitten auld Scot who recalls, witi real Doric unction, the days "When I Was Twenty-One." A lilting air "Ohi-o" brought forth one of—thoso characteristic studies of a love-smitten Jockie boy ln which the infectious Lauder chuckle has I its sway with the audience, and then he | had toes tapping and voices humming in unison with the lilt of "Roaming in the ! Gloaming." Having fully captured the i house, lie soon had them singing with ' him in the choruses, including one of his i latest, "The New Zealand Girls are Good I Enough for Mc," and after an unaecomIpanied ballad and a homily on the philosophy of being merry, he swung the ! audience into joining him in "Singing is [the Thing," and a reluctant good-night. The supporting vaudeville company i 3 lin itself an excellent entertainment, and ' I makes the first part of the programme 1 '.appear a short one. "On the Jazz Farm™ J is a series of songs and absurdities by ! Phyllis and Giles, working to a screaming musical and farce climax. As a '■ ball bouncer and juggler, Kavanagh puts lon a very fine turn with a touch of r I humour throughout as a foil to the worm derful dexterity of the performer. Tom n Payne and Vera Billiard provided conn versational and dance burlesques quite '■ out of the ordinary, while Ventura dis- •- played a phantasmagoria of colours in a a series of colour studies and pictures - ranging from the indescribably gorgeous to most delicate and beautiful tintiugs. j Two songs were contributed by Qucenie ; Fenton. a sweet soprano, and Daphne i Ferguson appeared in Highland dances. . One of the features of the programme is ; the strong and capable .orchestra. Sir Harry Lauder and company will , appear every evening until the end of , next week," and will put on special matinees.