"SONS 0' GUNS"

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 29, 3 August 1931, Page 3

"SONS 0' GUNS"

AUSTRALIAN COMEDY AND MUSIC

Wholesome laughter and plenty of it characterised the first performance at the Opera House cm Saturday of the musical comedy "Sons o' Guns." The theatre was packed, and the. audience was iv an easy aud non-critical mood. It settled itself down to be amused aud it was not disappointed. The first scene with its panorama of Sydney Heads suggested Australian sentiment, if not origin, hesides the iutroduction of Australian troops embarking aud serving ia France deepened the impression that "Sons o' Guns" was offered as "racy of the soil." The plot, if so it can be called, was just a flimsy structure set up to carry plenty of dancing—solo, duo, and ballets—and, it seemed, especially for the display of the native and individual humour of Mr. Gus Bluett. He represents young Australian Jimmy Caniield with far more money than patriotism who would rather stay at home and eujoy the sweets of life in Sydney than join up with the Australian Expeditionary Force. Twitting from various people of being a "slacker," and some quite plain speaking on what he ought to do from his lady friends and acquaintances, force him to enlist, and so the scene shifts with him from Australia to France, where Jimmy is seen in khaki, making an ass of himself and writhing under the lash of his former valet, now promoted sergeant. Jimmy falls in love with an estaminet girl, Yvonne, a sort of "Mademoiselle from Armentieres," is arrested as a German spy, escapes by a trick, goes to Paris, rejoins his Yvonne, and enjoys himself hugely at a victory ball. Mr. Bluett carried almost ' the whole weight of theplay.on his shoulders. He was "on" in every scene (fourteen of them), and sang and danced and fooled with an amazing freshness as if what he did ivaj all done impromptu, for the first time. He kept the large audience laughing, sometimes to the point of hysteria—and that iv itself is a notable achievement. He was ably supported by Mr. Leo Franklyn, who in the play was his No. 1 valet (for he had four of them). Mr. Franklyn produced a character which was a cross between a cockney and 'an "Aussie" soldier as popular humorists, on and off the stage,- conceive the types. Mr. Franklyn's comedy was pure art of its kind, illumined here and there with spai-ks of genius. In his line he proved himself to be a sound comedian and clever dancer. Lesser parts were allotted to Messrs. Arthur Cornell, Alfred Frith, Carleton Stuart, Erig Bush, and Frank Leigh ton, and were cap-, ably handled. The young lady of the estaminet who captured Jimmy Canfield, of course, had to be named Yvonne, and the part was given to Miss Bertha Riecardo —a popular, captivating, and clever little, actress, who knew how to act as well as to sing and dance. She gave abundant proof, if it were required, of capacity to make the best of any part—short of one calling for th,c stature of a Juno—in almost any musical comedy. Her hearers always knew what she said, whether singing or speaking, and she immersed herself in her part. As Mary Harper, affianced to Jimmy, Miss Nellie Barnes had to look pretty, appear lovable, and know how to dance. Miss Barnes entirely filled the part. Bernice Pearce, the Sydney girl with whom Jimmy had been entangled (when he was discovered asleep under the cocktail bar), was played by Miss Agnes Doyle, an accomplished little, soubrette. The ballet dancing is an outstanding feature in "Sons o' Guns," which, in point of fact, is mainly a song and dance entertainment, but the ballets were remarkable for the clever dancing and for ingenuity in diaphanous spider-web costumes in one of the dances, and also for the brilliancy of the colour in the others. The arrangement and figures of the ballets were the work of an artist, Mr. Maurice Diamond. It is hard to imagine anything very new in ballets, but there were some surprises in "Sons o' Guns" on Saturday night. The "Doll Dance" by Mona Zeppel and Eric Bush, if not new, was clever and deservedly applauded to the echo. The music of the play is both catchy and sketchy. . The.solos, and .male choruses in "We'll Be There" and "Over Here" were good rousing' songs, which should b_ecome popular. "There's a Rainboiv on the "Way," sung by Miss Doyle and Leo Frankly n, should make a strong sentimental appeal just now. The duet "Let's Merge," by Alfred Frith and Miss Doyle, got well over. Miss Riecardo made a great hit in her song, "It's Yon I Love:" For the musical success of the play Mr. W. Redstone was responsible. The scenery of "Sons o' Guns" calls for special mention. It is new, admirably painted, and the gets of the "Courtyard of an Inn" and "Hotel Crillon" and ballroom were as greatly admired as they deserved to be. The whole production provides an effective antidote to melancholy, for everybody on the stage appears to be in the happiest of moods, and the merriment on Saturday proved to be highly infectious. "Sons o' Guns" will be repeated this evening. If; is not offered as a highbrow show, but for what it is, it ranks among the best of its kind of entertainment, with never a dull moment from start to finish.