THE MARCUS SHOW

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22108, 2 June 1937, Page 4

THE MARCUS SHOW

COLOURFUL AMERICAN j REVUE RICH SPECTACLE AND CLEVER TURNS Last night, at the Theatre Royal, Christchurch theatregoers saw for the first time something really approaching the extravagant spectacle of the greatest musical films. The opening of the season of the Marcus Show, the first complete American revue to visit New Zealand, was a rare success. A capacity house, exhibiting a deal of curiosity and in a mood to reserve judgment,, melted rapidly to enthusiasm. Quality in every phase of modern revue, exploited on a scale of magnificence in spectacle and specialty previously unattempted on local stages, was the keynote of an entertainment which swept away any shred of scepticism that might have been held. Christchurch was decisively conquered by the Marcus Show. "La Vie Paree" was an introduction, and a very pleasant one, to American stage-production methods. Every item, every turn, was blended by fast, smooth presentation against glittering, changing backgrounds. So swift was the continuity that there were occasions when a new act was launched before the previous performers had taken their bow. There was scarcely time to praise, so abruptly was applause checked by the appearance of fresh fare. It was not the type of revue which Christchurch sees once or twice a year. Practically every scene was a grand spectacle. "The most effective full-stage presentations were "Palais D'Argent," in which Ha Cha San, a particularly shapely dancer, poses and performs with athletic grace clad almost solely in a coat of silver paint amid a setting of revue grandeur, and Birdland, in which an entire ballet takes to the air and performs rhythmic trapeze work above a changing scene of showgirls and dancers festooned with brilliant feathers. The purity of "Black and White Fantasy," the warm colourings of "Andalusian Moon," and the alluring pastel shades of "Forest of Dreams' contrasted strikingly with the pretentious but gorgeous "Parisian Fantasy." Of the individuals, Leon Miller, an exceptionally neat tap-dancer and soft-shoe dancer, and light comedian to boot, went from success to success. Art Stanley, another clever dancer. Fid Gordon, who plays his fiddle in all conceivable positions, Les Sechrist, an accomplished piano-accordion player, Al Ricker, whose attenuated bodv seemed to be made of indiarubber, and Sharon de Vries, who revels in making herself ridiculous in complete gaucherie, lead the solo numbers. But'the company is so large so versatile, and so accomplished that further enumeration of the comedy aspect is impossible, except for the mention of Ben McAtee. whose sophisticated fun seems spontaneous in every word. Few turns if any have ever been seen in Christchurch to equal Harold Boyd and his companions in comedy and tumbling combined, or the Belfords in the acrobatic . feats introduced in the finale. With one exception the company is not strong vocally; but the show is not a vocal one. The exception is Senorita Sofia Alvarez. She is very pleasing in a spectacular Mexican scene, and she keeps almost entirely to her vivacious national songs. Beautiful girls in beautiful costumes, an excellent band, and superb presentations make the show travel through the evening so fast that only after it is all over can the theatregoer examine his programme and realise to the full what he has seen.