"THE NEW ALLADIN."

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 136, 10 June 1926, Page 11

"THE NEW ALLADIN."

A BRIGHT PANTOMIME. Half-a-dozen times or more most of us have seen Aladdin enter the darksome i depths of the magic cave to the accom- | paniment of spooky music, and thunder j caused by the rattling of a sheet of tin off j the stage. When we saw him as children [we were duly impressed, and sat a little 'closer to mother. We were afraid the i goblins down there amonj the jewel? a* j l.isr a- cauliflowers might <r n t Aladdin. ;This is the only -pirit in which to ?o :to a pantomime. I'erhaps last ninht's I big audiencp ar Hi* Majesty's found lit hard to adjust itself to juvenile value* ' iliirinn the first half-hour of the initial 1 presentation of "The New Aladdin:" ! There was no applause to speak of till Cutie. the extra-life-size cat. ambled on to mid-=ta2P to make friends with the dame. Mr. Rriiee Clreen. This comical cat appealed to popular fancy, and the applause which broke out when his little bit of nonsense was finished must have been aratifving to Mr. William A. Hassan, the player inside the velvet skin I Thereafter tlip audience sat up an. , , bpsran to manifest =ian s of pnjorment of what was. all thini= eonside red. a thoroughly good pantomime, well up to I the Williamson standard. Tho two a^ts. I presented in 17 scenes, were full of tun and colour. Most of the laughter wa> provoked by tlic Widow Twankey. an unorthodox- damp, whose apparel ranged from the antiquated garments of a stage washerwoman to floral seororette and silks and satins. Mr. Bruce Clreen was as funny in a bonnet or a torpie as in a tiara of diamonds. He sot his laughs by thf things ho said and did. rather than hv his appearance. Mr. Gu? Bluett, as Wishee. Aladdin's pal. romped through both acts in a pair of airy shorts and a loose blouse, pulling up his socks every few minutes. Never for a moment di , ' he vary his stylo, which is that of an overgrown schoolboy full of pranks and idiotic saying*. While ho was on the stage action never flagged, and in his more hilarious moments with the damp he provoked broadsides of merriment. M;ss Floie Allan, whom we all know -o well, was her hriffht appealing self in the role of Aladdin. She has a bi? part, and i» on the nearly all the time, but her vivacity is apparently drawn from an inexhaustible supply. Tn "Ukulele Lady" Miss Allan registered the success of th- , evening, there a spirited demand for an encore, '■•be was assisted by 1 full chorus in Hawaiian costume, of the girls playing ukuleles. Mr. Dave Loffman. as the Emperor of China, had the voice and hearing necessary for the part, and his song "Seminoln" pleased everyone. He was supported by a ballet in Chinese garb, and when the girl* produced artistically coloured fans, and whispered the chorus, one of the prettiest effects of the evening was produced Two specialties are introduced with much effect. The first is an electrical novelty, entitled the "F.I Radiants.' , in which'dolls and a variety of weird animals and birds, each illuminated from within, move silently and mysteriously about the stage before a black background. Though something of the same kind has been seen here previously, the novelty was appreciated. The second item was provided by 12 shapely members of the chorus, dressed in scanty scarlet costumes. They climbed up canvas ropes and hung suspended from loop*, performing acrobatic feats. The effect was spectacular to a degree, and the hard-working combination merited the applause which signalised the conclusion of their much rehearsed act. The company is, a strong one. and from curtain to curtain the action does not lag for a moment, which is a factor that goes to contribute to the success of "The New Aladdin." The 17 scenes are all excellently mounted, the Magic Cave. the Flying Palace, and the interior of Aladdin's Palace being remarkable for their beauty. No expense has been spared in frocking the ladies of the chorus, and the result is a variety of colourful ensembles as picturesque as anything that has been presented locally for some time. "The Xew Aladdin" will be ' presented nightly throughout the week, and at the usual matinees.