MUSICAL COMEDY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18918, 5 February 1927, Page 19

MUSICAL COMEDY.

MARIE BURKE IN "KATJA." On Monday morning the box plans -will be opened at 0 o'clock for the six evenings' production of "Katja," tho latest J. C. Williamson, Ltd., comic opera success, in which the brilliant Marie Burke will make her reappearance here at tho Theatre Royal on Wednesday night next and five subsequent evenings. Tliero will also be a apodal afternoon performance on Saturday noxt. There has been an unusual number of applications for seats, particularly for the opening production, so evidently local playgoers are going to give Miss Burke and the artists associated with her an enthusiastic welcome, in recognition of the part they played In tho fateful Queensland railway disaster last year. "Katja" has quality not usually associated with tho typo of musical comedy produced in recent years, and la suggestive of some of the best Gilbert and Sullivan operas. "This is particularly true." said a critic recently, "in the first act, wh«n the wholo atmosphere of tho production is dramatic. Movement begins with tho rise of tho curtain, and it proceeds with a Bwing to tho finale, with a thrilling climax at the end of the second act. The atmosphere is sustained in every scene, and the production itself develops consistently with the plot. Tha first act is operatic, and there is a stirring interlude when Mario Burke, clad in the latest English mode! based on Russian design, makes a dramatic entrance, and accompanlea her arias with several attractive Russian dances. Act 11. is genuine and brilliantly clever musical comedy. Here tho comedians (R. Barrett-Lonnard and Cecil Kollaway) rise to their parts, put more body into their acting, and they won admiration by tho clevor ecccntricltioi they employ in delineating peculiarities of temperament, and their whimsicalities kopt tho audience rocking with laughter. Again in Act 111. is drama, but of tho truo comic opera type. The moment tho curtain fell on tho last scene the audienco rcmainod gripped. This denouement was sudden, complete, effective, and most satisfying. In act the atrong contrast between heavy drama, and light Comedy is most apparent, and In this respect the production Is most evenly balanced. The fourth act is most entertaining, and 'Katja' is, without any doubt, ono of the best, if not tha very best comic opera tho Australian stage has ever known for many a day." The production is staged under tho personal supervision of Mr Charles A. Wenman. Positively only tho six evening performances can be staged of "Katja," and it will give placo on Wednesday, February 16th, to "Wildflowcr," which will bo revived for threa nights, and on Saturday, February 19th, tho company will produce, for the first time in Australasia, Franz Lehar'n brilliant and gloriously tuneful comic opera "Frasquita.