ST. JAMES' THEATRE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20021, 1 September 1930, Page 5

ST. JAMES' THEATRE.

AN EXCELLENT PROGRAMME. Alter a period in which rovuo predominated, St. James' Theatre has gone back to diaina, and the programme showing all this week is one of the best seen since talkies were introduced. I*hia ia helped, to a great extent t>y the excellent ahort itema m the first half, not on a of which ia weak. Ann Grey is heard I ia a delightful spiritual, Tex McLeod spins his ropo and tells stories, Universal and Patho gazettes cover tho world field, and Jan Rubini (violinist) plays three numbers, each of which is excellent. The feature in the second half is "Skin Deep," a tense story of the underworld. Monte Blue is the stai and tho way in which he is made up ia a striking bit. of work and something that was greatly appreciated by the audience The part of Sadie Rogers is taken by Betty Ccmpson. She.is cast as a chorus girl who thinks of nothing but money, and tho story hangs on her action in marrying one crook only to arrange to double-cross him when ho announces that, in future, he intends going straight. Little Davey Lee has a small part as the baby son of the district attorney. The story, opens in a cabaret, Sadie making love to the two- crooks, one of whom is ugly and marked with a scar on his face, and the other good looking. She marries the ucjly one, thinking he has the most money. Ha then says he is going straight, and they will not hare so much money. She arranges with the other crook to "railroad" him to gaol. This is done. Just before it is time for him to come out the two arrange for him to make an escape, hoping he will be .killed. He escapes but becomes involved ia a smash and is taken to the house of a plastic surgeon. Cured and unrecognisable, th? man goes seeking for teven!?e. The tanjrle is unravelled in the end. The whole evening's-entertainment ia enjoyable and can be recommended.