GREAT OVATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 100, 29 April 1940, Page 3

GREAT OVATION.

POPULAR ICE SHOW.

"SWITZERLAND" BACK.

HIS MAJESTY'S PACKED.

Applause and laughter such as hae rarely been heard in His Majesty's Theatre rocked the venerable building to ite foundation* when the J. C. Williamson ice show and ballet, "Switzerland," opened its farewell Auckland season there on Saturday night. Of the capacity house, at least half must have seen the show when it was here at Christmas—it k known that one patron had seen it no fewer than nine times—and so members of the company were welcomed back as old friends. Tho*e who had not been so fortunate soon took amiable compere Eddie Marcel and his company to their hearts, and, a* with the others, they were kept alternately gasping at the daring, murmuring ecstatically at the grace and beauty of the skaters, or chuckling at the antics of the comedians.

Technicians and production staff had done their work well, for the ice rink wae in perfect condition, and the settings effectively transformed the stase into an alpine fairyland. The colder weather helped, no doubt, to give the ice a better surface than before. There was scarcely a slip, and not one spill, to mar the general excellence of the show.

From the time the curtain rose to lilting music by Leo Packer and hie orchestra, to show "The girls and boys at play at Davoe Platz," until it fell for the last time over the "Viennese Memories" there was never a weak moment. To single out individual performers or sequences for especial praise seems to do injustice to the others, so high was the all-round standard. There us no dull "padding" to fill in between specialty acts in "Switzerland."

World champion Megan Taylor, whirling like a young Valkyrie on skates in a glorioue exhibition of free skating, or gliding in the intricacies of a gir*y dance; Phil Taylor, her father, in amazing displays of stilt skating and barrel jumping, and dancing with Elsie Heathcote: the clean-limbed MacKinnon sisters, epitomising the poetry of motion in graceful pair skating; and that little dynamo of coordinated energy, Diana Urafton—these, perhaps, come to mind first when recalling highlights.

But, superlative as they were, they could not have made the show a complete success without the brilliant support of the other performers, not seen so often, but litfle inferior in skill. The ballet particularly, ea-h member with a figure the Greeks might have envied, each individually outstanding, and all teaming together with uncanny precision, well merited the rounds of applause received. Ami where would they all have been if it had not been for Marcel? Marcel, valiantly coming to the footlights to announce each turn with inimitable patter, although his feet showed a marked disposition to tie themselves in knots, and hie "educated" horse. Egbert, who seemed to forget its training or leave the ground altogetfier. Humour of a different kind was provided in the cabaret scene, in which Connie Graham. Hal Scott, Tommy Russell and Ernie Marconi distinguished themselves. Truly. "Switzerland is a show that should definitely not be missed. Ite return season in Auckland is limited to a fortnight, with matinees on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Take a tip from one who is not easily impressed—see it.