REGENT THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 283, 24 August 1940, Page 7

REGENT THEATRE

A new and attractive singing star is introduced in “The Great Victor Herbert, in an extender] season at the .Regent J heatre. This is Mary Martin, who bus Allan Jones and Walter Connolly associated with her in the principal roles. xne Great Victor Herbert” is more the story of Louise Hall, John Ramsey, and “Princess Peggy, their daughter, than a biography of Herbert , Louise (Mary Martin), up from the country with a good singing voice,, pleu-j of ambition, very, little money a d no opportunity, meets John Ramsey (Allan Jones), the leading Broadway .star, under somewhat unconventional circumstances. Ran sty, who is the true a r tist > ous, temperamental and slightly egotis.i eal, is immediately attracted by tne charming young stranger, and when he discovers that she can sing, has scruples in "boosting her to hisi vnt and in Victor Herbert (W alter Connolly), himself. Agent and Herbert will not listen to his m,"estion that she star in Herberts next production, however, till, by a trick, he manages to have her smg before a fashionable audience in whose eyes she finds immediate favour. From then on her future is assured, even though Herbci I, annoyed at the trick, refuses at first to have anything to do with her. The public’s demand for the new’ singer forces him, nevertheless, to put her uuder contract eventually, and she helps to make his operettas even more popular than tuey were before. . John and Louise marry, and this inevitably brings its own trouble.. Johns nature is not big enough to withstand his wife’s popularity increasing while his is on the wane. He becomes indignant over trifles, argumentative over “billing, and finally refuses to take any part other than that of the star. He gradually becomes a back number, and the couple, though still in love with each other, find it best to separate. Their only child, called “Princess Peggy” after one of Herbert’s successes, grown up showing histrionic ability to match that of her parents, and one night when Louise has returned to the stage after a long ,interval and finds she cannot go on, Peggy, untried and terrified, is made to go on in her place. It is . then that John, realizing how wrong he has been, seizes the opportunity to go on the stage as one of the chorus, knowing that his presence is the best thing to give Peggy the confidence she requires. Peggy's start is faltering,, but the appearance of her father soothes her feelings and she sings as none before. Her wildly-applauded triumph completelv wipes out her parents’ differences, and the family is once again happily united.