HELLZAPOPPIN !

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25797, 7 May 1949, Page 4

HELLZAPOPPIN !

AUDIENCE DANCED IN THE AISLES Olsen and Johnson’s stage musical “Helizapoppin.” the incredibly crazy show which played to New York for four years, is now touring New Zealand—and comes to Christchurch next Saturday, Wellington’s “Evening Post” critic who reviewed the show said: “HELLZAPOPPIN” IS A CRAZY SHOW. A broadside of organised noise and nonsense hit ,the audience in the Grand Opera House smack between the eyes last night when Olsen and Johnson’s hilarious brainstorm “Heil?apoppin,” opened its Wellington season. And the audience loved it. This was no ordinary show. It depended in considerable measure on audience participation, and after the house had recovered from the first few shocks the party really started, with practically po holds barred. The riot opened just after everyone was settled comfortably in his seat. A flock of Kevstone cops, with pistols cracking, burst into the auditorium, and tore up and down the aisles brandishing batons and potted palms and escorting late arrivals to the most awkward seats. After 20 minutes or so of this anything could happen. And it did. At regular intervals the stage show was shattered by screams and shots from the dark recesses of the auditorium, end the spotlight flashed on to various daft and disorderly go-ings-on; spiders and snakes dangled down from the ceiling; things exploded suddenly on the stage; members of the audience danced with girls of the chorus; while a quiz session produced some useful gifts. It was showmanship at its slickest, and with, its split-second timing and high-pressure action it more than compensated for seme of the shortcomings of the straight show. In charge of the hurly-burly were Al Thomas and Alec Kellaway. as comperes, who teamed together in several crazy interludes that had the house rocking with laughter. Then there was Garth Mitchell, a dead-nan comedian who discoursed amusingly on some of his n erriories.

One of the best and funniest episodes was the burlesque by Vento and Red on an exhibition of ballroom dancing, which ended up as a firstclass brawl, while Yvonne and Yvette revealed unusuai talent in a shapely display of acrobatics. Attractive Billy Ponds led the chorus in several snappy numbers, and Tom Toby’s singing of “Waggon Wheels” disclosed a good bass-baritone voice that was spoiled by the loudspeaker. Reg Thorp’s antics as an inebriate trombonist were clever, and he could play the instrument, too, while the most arresting feature of the offering of hill-billy songs by Tex and Lucky was the extraordinary contraption from which one of the pair extracted all sorts of weird and irrelevant noises. The Wyatt sisters provided a lively dance interlude, and Rebla, billed as the world's greatest juggler, went through the notions skilfully, but appealed to the audience more by reason of his dry humour and studied nonchalance. An important part of the show was the orchestra, under Ken MacPherson. They had to move fast and hard and they kept things 'rolling vigorously. They play from photostat’C copies of scores used in the original New York production. Note:—Christchurch season opens next Saturday at Theatre Royal for two weeks cnly during their world. tour. Box plans for first six days open on Monday at D.I.C. Advt.