GOLDEN ILLUSION

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 138, 12 June 1936, Page 4

GOLDEN ILLUSION

RAYNERS' "CAP AND BELLS"

"Cap and Bells," which made its bow to a full and enthusiastic house at the Blue Triangle Hall last evening, is a worthy successor to "Scarlet and Gray," and enabled the Rayner Sisters to score a triumph which should guarantee them another good house at the performance next Saturday night. In "Cap and Bells," as in "Scarlet and Gray," illusion carries the audience into many countries and into many regions of wisdom and folly, wit and witlessness. Whether their words are sung (without musical accompaniment, and with bell-like clearness) or recited, the Rayner Sisters always extract from them their full meaning, and are adept at suiting word to action and action to word. Pantomime helps them to tell the story of the Lincolnshire lad (Miss Betty Rayner) and the robber (Miss Joan); and the French tragedy of the dairymaid (Betty) and the cat (Joan) is narrated partly in cat language. In "Le Roi de Sardoigne" they tell a story of arrogance and panic; the "Little Woman" (Betty) and the "Pedlar" (Joan) is a tragicomedy. "Dashing Away with a Smoothing-iron" was well received, a? on their visit to Wellington years ago; in this old English gem, Joan is ironing and Betty (playing the male lover) interferes with the usual result. Joan sang a Scottish lullaby, and both sisters figured in "Good Old Man," a Kentucky "Darby and Joan" incident. The Scottish quarrel song, "Get Up and Bar the Door," was sung and acted with real spite, Joan playing husband and Betty wife. "The Queen's Tact" (verse by Hector Bolitho, telling how a Queen saved hostess and cook from embarrassment, perhaps from lese majeste) gave both the sisters reciting opportunities; after which Betty presented. the Far j eons' "King Charles" and Joan held the audience for quite a long time with Milne's "King John." The magic of the Priest (Joan) in resurrecting the' white ox slain by his servant (Betty) might have caused incredulity had not the ox's tail been produced in evidence. One' Of the most artistic of the song-pantomimes was the Japanese lullaby (Betty with imaginary baby). There was a maritime atmosphere in the chanties "Rio grande" (with a human capstan) and "Married to a Mermaid," and in Milne's "The Old Sailor." The Old Sailor is cast away on a desert island where a wonderful palm tree grows. "The Turkey Factor" seems to be more Persian than Turkish; it is a tale of leve and treachery, with love triumphing; Betty is the. amorous Factor and Joan is the jewel of the harem. The Kayners' art draws heavily on fantasy, folly, and the candour of make-believe: Here we give you throbs and thrills, Love that triumphs, hate that kills, Plot and costume to enthrall— Please, your pardon for it all!

The pardon is certified by the attendances that these clean, bright, clever performances continually draw.