"DREAM CITY"

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2131, 24 April 1914, Page 9

"DREAM CITY"

MUSICAL BURLESQUE COMPANY "Dream City," a musical farce, in two acts. Cast: — August Dinglebciidcr Bert I*e Blanc Seth Hubbs Paul A. Stauhop* J. Bilkiugton Holmes Daw. Kowlin Ilenry Peck CoitlUm Chase liichard Wallace Herbert Lancaster. Willie .'. Harris M'Guire Old Men Piatt Harry Burgess Big Bill Hawkins' Ghat?. Lrtrscn Flora Jleadowbrook Elaine liavcasborg Maria Dinglebendcr Anna Claris Mabel Peck Fritsio do Gijy Amanda Boggs Teddy Martin-

"Dream City'' is another example of j attenuated musical faree, flavoured j strongly with American flippancies, and made exceedingly humorous in patches by some clover characterisation and comic patter. There are places where ] anaemia threatens to sot in seriously, but invariably the farce is restored to convalescence by the appisaranee of the revivifying comedy contiisgent, who ] really work very hard to keep tho circulation going. "Dream City" has a correct theme in the idea that Farmer Diitglebondcr—an acclimatised Polish: Jew —after an overdose of lreekleb<?rry wino dreams that his farm ha\ been converted into tho gayest of cities, and that ho is- tho gilded monarch of all he surveys, including a host «£ people- who stand round singing songs between tho popping of champagne corks. Rough and ready means arc somowliat jsltingiy : applied to dispol tho dream. Dln.glebender, tired of the tango of high-liv-ing, longs for his humble- farm, and a real estate sharper informs hira that there is au easy way out, as the whole of Dream City has been undermined with dynamite, and all that ho has to do is to press an electric btttton, and— "Zip jibbool" A quick change brings the action back to Malaria Farm, with old Dinglebender still sleeping 08 tho effects of the berry wino in the middle distance. The farce is, of coarse, wildly extravagant, and it would be idle to attempt an analysis of its structure. Suffice it to say that it contains many bright and tuny songs and choruses, and interpolated comooiy seMuis peculiar to the genre of the play. Mr. Bert La Blanc was every bit as amusing as tbe Jewish farmer, August Dinglebettder, as he was as the tramp in "The Grafters" and "'Cocktails." Ho is an exceedingly hen-pecked Dinglebender, and his scenes with his acidulated wifo (cleverly ch-arootorised by Miss Anna Clark) were among the roost laughter-provoking in tlw> farce. His wrestling match with Seth Hubbs (Mr. Paul Stanhope), whose- quiet humour, urows on one, was a scream of laughter, and the business that accompanies his rehearsal of a speech which he is to deliver as Mayor of Dream City was amusing up to a point. Miss Teddy Martin was responsible for a clever, broad, character sketch as, tho rural wench Amanda Boggs, and was weirdly amusing in tho song "And the Green. Grass Grew All Round." The 'real estate agent was played with a sure touch by Mr. • Davia Nowlin, who was rooro than successful in the catchy song "To tho Strains of tho Wedding March,'* which the audienco would have, .welcomed in "its entirety. Mr. Carlton Chase, as Henry Peck, sang "You Made Me Love You" • very -effectively, and, with Miss de Guy, ga.vo pleasure in the duet "There's One in a Million" Like You." Mr. Harry Burgess was quite good as Old Man P'liitt, hut faded away early in the farce, math to the regret of his admirers. "Dream City" will be played again to-night and tomorrow night.

TANGO TEA TO-DAY, ' Tho, management and tho members of the company givo a special tango tea. this afternoon, in. aid of. tho Upper Hutt Disaster Fund. _ There will bp' expositions of tho Mexican maxixe, the Spanish, Argentine, and ballroom tangos,, etc., whilst members of tlte company, including the talented Grafters' Quartet, will assist in providing a programme calculated to please every taste.