"FOLLOW THROUGH"

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20629, 19 August 1932, Page 16

"FOLLOW THROUGH"

BRIGHT MUSICAL PLAY

COMEDY AND FINE DANCING

"Follow Through"—a musical pl«? in two arts; book by Lauranee Schwab and 13- G. De Sylva; with music by Messrs Dc Sylva. Brown, and Henderbut not bothering to sustain the pretence that it is in the form ot a serious lesson on golf, "Follow Through," of the best American extraction, Ts the title of the second of the excellent •). C. Williamson shows, now occupying, very worthily, the boards of the Theatre lioyal. The company's first production, "Blue Roses," made a big appeal, and while the theatre was not packed last night, the audience was a discriminating one. The people probably added precious little to their knowledge of the serious game, but decided, with the fall of the last curtain, that it had spent a most engaging two and a half hours or so. The com poser-in-chief can indeed write a tuneful melody, gay or sentimental. and he is happie&t when working up his musical comments in a brave ciescendo, emphasised by Mr William Ouintrell. conductor of the orchestia, most skilfully. Principals and subordinate.-, co-operate lovally to the general happiness ot the evening, 10-day piacticaliv everybody is attuned to the toeuipping tempo of modern rhythmic music—us players have long ago relegated the descriptive name of "jazz'' —and this, decked out on a framework ol" dresspi! and undressed frivolity, is enough to give the most jaded soul a distinct lillip. As was the case when the lii'st production was staged, Miss Madge Klliott and Mr Cyril Ritchard, old iavourities in Cliristchureh, were given the warmest of welcomes. A few words describe the plot. There arc jealous bickerings between Lora Moore (Madge Elliott) and Ruth Van Horn (Jean Duncan) over Jerry Downs ([''rank Leighton), the professional golfer. Downs is employed bv wealthy .lack Martin (Cyril • Ritchard) and his main duty is to follow the dictates of his paymaster, but affairs of the heart must work their havoc. Jerry soon finds that .Jack's humorous blunderings i are disturbing his love affairs, and the inevitable split come*. Jack, however, is the perfect optimist, and his beneficent strategy brings Lora and Jerrv togeUur again in the perfect, conventional ending. Any bash fulness pos- I sessed !.y Jack Martin, who is ladvsliy and stutters, is soon banished by his experiences at the Bound Brook Country Club, and one of the best bits of delight in the whole show appertains to the regaining of his heirloom ring, which he has presented to a female j party of whom lie knows nothing while r»t a masquerade. Of th" dancing. Miss Elliott and Mr Ritchard shine particularly in "It's Not You" in the middle ot the first act. using the new, slow cioss-rliythin very effectively, and again at the end of the act, with Mr Leighton. .Miss Elliott presents an unusual type of siow stage waltz. With Mr Ritchard once more as her partner, she gives a tine exposition of the "dance apassionata" towards the end of the second act. Miss Dulcie Davenport, as well as being'a comedienne of some note. >i"is given serious thought to the modern .dance step, and, a.s she does not pretend to be a singer, she throws ail her vitality into her other work. There is one touch of real drama in the piece—the cocktail scene —in which Miss Elliott shows her ability as an actress. Her singing, too, is good, especially in the song, "If There Were No More You." Mr Hitchard makes his role as interesting and funny as it permits. Mr Leo Kranklyn, as Martin Basconib, has few chances, but as his daughter. Balxs. Mona Zeppe) displays a spirit of precocity calculated to interest as well a.s disturb the most bias? Mr Cecil Kelleway as Effingham, a witty American, enjoys a, quiet but effectively amusing part. Elved Jay has quite a difficult role to play as "Dinty." a raw youth who spends most of his time quarrelling with Habs.- MiArthur Cornell is well up to the mark a.s the good old Scottish coach, anil Miss Jean Duncan is the essence of feminine jer.lousy as Ruth Van Horn.

Apart from connecting up the work of the principals in their carriage of the plot, a well-trained and smartlydressed hallefc gives exhilaration to the whole thing with its tap and other nork, and in one scone—the locker room at the country ciuh—they give u display of lingerie delectable in its style and colouring, and affording .Messrs Uitchard and Effingham a wonderful opportunity for buffoonery. From the ballet one learns that apparently in America it is customary to play golf in much abbreviated skirts, and stockmgless. and that to move from one tec to another, many complicated stops, to a snappy orchestral accompaniment, a^ c noL " es * ar .v—^' K ' musical idea of the ' inllmv through." The supernumeraries are uniformly good in their parts, and assist to build up a company of solid strength. Attention must be dr.uvn to the gate scene ~, the last act, where a backcloth ol more than usually artistic composition sets off the final numbers The season will conclude to-morrow iug.it and the company will leave on Monday fop anganni. and later Hastings and Pal mer.ston North, to open in Auckland on August 27th.