"LEAVE IT TO JANE."

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18604, 1 February 1926, Page 7

"LEAVE IT TO JANE."

BRIGHT MUSICAL COMEDY.

SUCCESSFUL OPENING. An audience, the size and enthusiasm of which, must have brought gladness to the management, was present in the Theatre Boyal on Saturday night, when the J. 0. "Williamson Musical Comedy Company presented the American success, "Leave It To Jane," a musical comedy in two acts, the music and lyrics of which are by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, and the music by Jerome Kern.

Founded on "The College Widow," by George Ade, and produced by Victor Tatnall, "Leave It To Jane" has its setting at the Atwater College, the action commencing on the opening day of the fall term, with the arrival of the freshmen. Among these is Billy Bolton, a star half-back, son of Hiram Boton, D.D., L.L.D., president of another college. Between the two colleges there is great rivalry, the extent of which is best displayed in the annual football match (American), on which occasion the players beg no pardons of each other. Hiram Bolton is extremely anxiou3 that his son shall as< • in vanquishing Atwater, the undergraduates of which recognise that unless they can prevent young Bolton from attending tho al college, defeat will surely befall them. They are quick to seo that Bolton is smitten with the charms of Jane Witherspoon, daughter of Peter Witherspoon, A.M., Ph.D., president of Atwater, a young lady who is an irresistible flirt, and on it being suggested to Jane that she should add Bolton to her list of conquests, and at the same time do a good turn to Atwater by prevailing on her victim to stay on there instead of going to the other college, she readily assents. There is one obstacle to the success of the plan. Her father and Bolton senior are the closest of friends, and the former would never consent to play a deception on the other. The difficulty is overcome, however, in an easy manner. Jane, who }s in the habit of opening her father's correspondence, learns that one of the new students is unable to come to Atwater, and she has little trouble in inducing young Bolton to take his place. The ruse works out according to plan, and on the day of the match, thanks to the efforts of the star back, Atwater has the satisfaction of beating the other college. Just before the end of the game, Bolton senior discovers that his son is playing on the wrong side, and is about to make a scene, but is prevented from doing so by the "rooters" of Atwater, who kidnap him until the play has stopped. His chagrin is heightened at the loss of a considerable sum of money on a betting transaction, for he had backed his favourite college to win. He denounces Jane for her duplicity, and Billy, broken-hearted at the way he has been fooled, proceeds to pack up his traps to leave Atwater for ever. However, before he can carry out his intention, matters are adjusted satisfactorily, and everybody is- happy when tha curtain falls. The production is characterised by snappy dialogue, genuine humour, and sparkling music, while the mounting and frocking are on a lavish scale. The ensembles are arranged with skill, and make a feast for the eye, the dancing and ballets being equally good. The chorus work is particularly good, being, in fact, much better than is usually heard in musical comedy. This was very noticeable in the medley of college songs, when a number of old favourites were sung in pleasing harmony. The songs themselves are catchy, some of them being already popular in Christchurch, and others are likely to be so in the near future. The company is more evenly balanced than the majority which visit the Dominion, and consequently when some of the principals take their exit their suc ; cessors do not appear to suffer by way of contrast, and the whole performance moves smoothly along to the fall of the curtain. Tho leading comedian, Athol Tier, is new to Christchurch, but met with success from the moment of his entry as a freshman from Oshkosh, who is brought to college by his very bucolic looking father. Slim, elongated, and mostly arms and legs, he certainly looked his part, and his ridiculous carrying-on raised roars of laughter from all parts of the house. An eccentric dancer of particular ability, his work in this respect is one of the features of the production, but in addition, he knows how to sing a comic song, as he proved in "I've Got to Get Home By Nine," and "I Miss My Swiss." He was, if anything, funnier in the second act, when he appeared in a pair of exaggerated "Oxford Bags," in spite of which he still managed to retain the stamp of the yokel. Dorothy Lena, another newcomer to Christchurch, as" a waitress in her mother's boarding establishment, was a tower of strength to the company, owing to her comedy work, both in acting and singing. Her best number was "Cleopaterer," a clever burlesque of Egypt's famous queen, in which she treated the fatal adder to the gross indignity of being used as a skipping rope. Jack Cannot, an old favourite, was seen in a quieter part than that generally allotted to him. He was cast as Peter Witherspoon, the head of the college, and made of it the complete success that one has learned to expect from him. Leyland Hodgson, as .Stub Talmadge, an undergraduate, had plenty to do, and did it well, making a good impression in his role, and also singing well m concerted parts. Hugh Styne mado up well as the father of the backwoods freshman, and his address to the youth, if not so impressive as that given by Polonius in Hamlet, was certainly more amusing. Cecil B. Scott carried out his duties convincingly as Bolton junior, and Harry Wotton, as his father, was also satisfactory. Mona Barleo was a captivating "Jane," portraying capitally the role of the college vajap, who at last found her match, and was pleased to capitulate. She took part in several of the best vocal numbers, including "There It Is Again, "Wait Till To-morrow," "The Siren's Song," and "Leave It To Jane." • , "Leave It To Jane" will be repeated to-night, and the three following evenings. Owing to the theatre being re-v quired fo*r rehearsals of "Whirled Happiness," the matinee of "Leave It To .Jane," on Wednesday has been cancelled. The first and only-matinee of the season will bo given next Saturday at 2 p.m. Next Friday evening will witness the first production in C hristchurch of the enormously successful Lniidoii revelry, "Whirled Into Happiness. The new musical play possesses the advantage of an elaborate and connected love story as the result of in adaptation bv Harrv Graham from a book hv Robert Bodansky, and music by Robert Stolz. "Whirled Into Happiness is said to epibody all the latest in the musical comedy presentations, being full of smartness, novelty, and tuneful songs, delightful music and dancing. •There will be exquisite frocking, and the play will represent the pinnacle or perfection in J. C. Williamson stage productions. Miss Rosie La \arde, a comedienne of the Connie Ediss type, will make lier first appearance here in this production. "Whirled Into Happiness" will be staged for the last five nights of the season, and at a matinee on Saturday. Bos plans for the_ entire season are now open at The Bristol.