Ruth Wallis Show Opens Christchurch Season

Press, Volume C, Issue 29638, 7 October 1961, Page 13

Ruth Wallis Show Opens Christchurch Season

Sex, it has been said, has come to stay. But even the most broad-minded might agree that it would be a mistake to devote to this delicate subject the whole second half of an evening of revue. That was what Ruth Wallis, the American entertainer, did at the Majestic Theatre last evening, and it was rather like being offered a pewter pot full ot creme de menthe. A little here and there might have been more palatable, but in such quantity, and without much quality, it was slightly overpowering. Miss Wallis has a considerable reputation as a singer and writer of what are euphemistically labelled sophisticated songs, but she was rather a disappointment. There is no suggestion in her lyrics of the deft use of words typical of Noel Coward’s occasional works on the same subject: on last evenings’ performance, sex was simply an anvil on which she hammered energetically.

Miss Wallis sang two straight songs, quite pleasantly, and she tried hard, with the other material, to convince her audience that they were sharing the delights of an urbane wit.

A better division of the company’s labour might have

given the supporting artists something to do after the interval, for at least one of them was quite outstanding He was Arthur Walsh, a young American who, in a few dizzy minutes, managed to take swift snippets of the best of contemporary American comedy. At one moment, he would recall the delightful hesitation of Victor Borge, at the next the macabre lyrics of Tom Lehrer. His fire-eating act was magnificent nonsense, but the whole of his performance was sheer delight.

Chetney Clark, a personable young man with several harmonicas, had much more appeal than most of those who devote their energies to what is, very often, an unsatisfying instrument. Even a concerted attack by the harmonica and a five-piece swing band on the Second Hungarian Rhapsody left Liszt more or less unharmed Another young man with a pleasing personality, Darry Stewart, sang a selection of melodies popular with people of most age groups, and he was worth listenng to except at his fullest volume, when the microphone rather took charge. The company was well supported by the band, under Charles Field.