"LADY, BE GOOD"

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 142, 20 June 1927, Page 5

"LADY, BE GOOD"

DANCE, FBIVOL, AND SONG

Youth will-be served" is the theatrical °* mi? day, and there is money in it. lhe latest instance was the performance on Saturday at the Opera House of Lady, Be Good." This was clearly what youtu wanted and would pay. for. Xnere is a dennite plot in this latest of successful musical comedies, but inasmuch as a little trouble is involved in finding it, attention is easily diverted to the harmless frivolity, eccentric dancing, and bright music, all more or less incidental to the piece. The success of "Lady, Be Good," on Saturday rested mainly on the exuberant and engaging personalities of Elsie Prince and Jimmiy Godden, who kept the house bubblingwith merriment, and it was the fact —which they themselves, perhaps, would cherish above all else—that the children laughed, loudest and longest at the afternoon performance.

A perusal of the programme, however, snowed what a great number of people had provided the background for the display of the undoubted original talent of Miss Prince and Mr. Godden. Messrs. Guy Bolton and;. Fred Thompson wrote the play, Ira Gershwin the lyrics, George Gershwin the music, Royston M'DonneU arranged the dances and ensembles, Charlton Morton directed the stage, Harry Jacobs was responsible for the musical sections of the performance on stage and in orchestra; there was also the excellent team work of the rest of the cast, to say nothing of the smooth working of the scenery and lighting departments. As if this were not enough, Messrs. Godden and Morton wrote additional numbers to "Lady, Be Good," which Mr. Willy Redstone set to appropriate music. "Lady, Be Good," as presented at the Opera. House, was one more example of the thoroughness with which the house of Williamson does this kind of thing. No expense, seemingly, was spared in bringing together pretty and—within certain limitations— accomplished girls with men to act as their personable partners in dances. There Was no parsimony shown' in the matter of scenery and decoration, and a lot of money was obviously spent on dresses and costumes. Principal members in the east of "Lady, Be Good" arid musical plays of its kind, too, have their price. The cast of "Lady, Be Good" included (as well as Miss Prince and Mr. Godden) Mr: Chariton Morton, a comedian .who is really comic and more than funny; Mr. Claude Holland, who has a good voice and looks to match; Mr. Leonard Rich, an expert in modern dancing; Mr. Jack Smith, an amazing acrobat; also Miss Nellie Deaus, who conveys a quality of personal. charm as well aB she sings' and dances; Miss Elsie Parkes, who is similarly gifted; that piquant comedienne, Miss Gladys Hermes; and the statuesque and competent Miss Olive Grant. Brilliant golo dancing of its particular kind was that of Miss Phyllis dv Barry. - . . . . The chorus concentrates less upon singing than dances and gymnastic exercises, for which it is well' trained; it knows its work and does it all in the spirit of the dancing of to-day; The ballets and figures in 'Lady, Be Good" were impeccably performed on Saturday, and rapturously applauded. Toilettes and costumes naturally first attracted feminine attention, for they were either nqvel and pretty or daring and gay. Altogether "Lady, Be Good' 7 provides a refreshing and stimulating draught, frothy, perhaps, but not "heady" —in an intellectual sense. It will be repeated to-night and onwards, and is likely to draw crowded houe-js.