"MIDNIGHT FROLICS"

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 289, 6 December 1928, Page 16

"MIDNIGHT FROLICS"

MR. DA WE AND FRIENDS RETURN. A good variety show at reasonable prices is a sure draw in Auckland. Last night His Majesty's Theatre was full to welcome back the "Midnight Frolice" augmented by several new hande since Jast here. With Mr. Clem Dawe a-t the head of the bill, and with a finger, or at least a nose in most of the mischief, there wae plenty of laughter during the twenty-two "frolics" into which the programme wae divided. It wae a thoroughly up-to-date show, with no waits between the items, but not too much of that American hustle and noiee which ie eo objectionable to many people wo don't come from the States, but is so beloved of some stage managers. There ie a large jazz band, and, though it w.ie well received right through the evening, the most pronounced encores wore for quite old favourites written when music meant melody. The show is well put on, the changes from frolic to frolic being made with the help of curtains and drop scenes, and the manipulation of the lights. Much of the evening w devoted to potted plays. Not quite so eubt e as the sort of thing the originator ol the name—Pcllwsier— used to put On, but et.ll always with a laugh at the end. J he almost invariable topic was conjugal *inv fh , atetl with the bl^ht ri 'PtKwh™ h eo ,. char^-^ri«ti C of modern tinii-e when the divorce courts are working overtime Mr. Clem Dawe was genera y the illegal end o f the eternal rfangle n these domestic comedies, and whether u the Ipd«cr or the fr.end of the huebnml he jne intense.v funny, a goo«l thing of te kind was 'Atmospherics," i n which tie C)!vin" C t W t°h SUPP ?, Sed t0 b ° « \ fi ' ? n il ', malgiu the wuvt-U-ngtlw ot Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane stations the harassed listener pot a most diverting mixture of a lecture on catarrh a lecture on travels among savages and William C,,1,1 e ((Jlem Dawe) talking about the Melbourne. tramway system. His most laugh ter-produeinz contribution during the evening wae when he assisted Mr. Ivanuff to conduct the band. After a lot of jazz, the band wae just drifting oft' anto some melody, and was tuning up on "Poet and Peasant," when Dawe downed took (the ear-splitting saxophone) and insisted on taking charge of the baton. He set up an entirely new standard in conducting. With arms, legs, body and hair he emphasised the rather emphatic incident* with which the piece abounds, and finishing up with a haka-like accompaniment to the fortissimo finale he left the audience quite helpless with laughter. One of the most enjoyable item* in the first half was the violin playing of Mr. Gregory Ivanoff, and he had to reepond to one of the most emphatic encores of the evening. Miss Phyllis Amery, aeeisted by Mr. John Robertson, puts on some criep dances; and there is quite a lot of assisting lilont, inr-ludiiiff Mr. William Perryman, •>\lio liari a tuneful tenor; Miss Dorothy White, wit'i her comic songs; Mr. Eric Kdgley, who assists Mr. Dawe in making people Uugh; Mise Lillian Crisp, Mr. William Wrryman and Mr. Oscar Beck, who mflfJHoe; and some bright girk who ♦ -IS- * moinen t« in the bill with ViriM 0 * The Prolics will Perform KVSf will b? a mathwe . ever y