PRINCESS THEATRE

Evening Star, Issue 16823, 27 August 1918, Page 6

PRINCESS THEATRE

D-unedin’s strong predilection for reviuf ia evident again in the quick leap of th« box office barometer at the Princess since the advent of AI. Bruce and His Rosebuds. For their second production every seat, in the house who sold last night, ‘ The Back-to-Katuro Club’ proved a gaudy, highspirited, intermittently vulgar, and oontimiously amusing concoction, com pounded of the usual ingredients—burlesque, broad comedy, a little melody and dancing, and the feminine form draped with a certain—• economy. This latter display, especially towards tho Adam and live' fmafe, wan somewhat more tricksorne than is usual or desirable. The plot of the piece is slight, the kernel being im establishment in which a lady doctor attunes her patients to the primitive life. All these patients are looking for the perfect man, a-nd with Hie tramp Hank Hinkmnilater (AL Brucef and the plumber -Moritz. Ratz (flam Clark 1 posing as these perfect specirne-ns there is a lot of capital sport, tainted, however, with occasional coarseness. Mr Bnioe is a very droll comedian, and some of hia burlesque work was acutely clever. Mr Clark had n. much hotter chance, than in the preceding piece, and did the stage Hebrew character to the life. Mi*a Mabelie Morgan, tho leading comedienne, made her first appearance, and her fine stage presence, great vocal capacity, and easy, jaunty comedy made her in many re.speeks a governing factor in the success of the show. She sang with, splendid verve n .song which look in two difficult operatic airs, won tho house to e-nthusiaem with her ‘Blue Bind’ number, and in tho comedy shared Hie honors with Bruce. Ho and sue perpetrated a capital burlesque, which was perhaps the funniest thing in the revue. Good work wa« again done by Messrs Robert Raymond and flam Walhive, and by Misses Kennedy a-nd l Stagpoole, while the lively incursions of the eight Rosebuds were always welcome and pleasing interludes. In an excellent vaudeville preliminary the popular comedienne- Miss Violet Trevouyon made her reappearance. Armed with a. budget of now songs and a wardrobe of beautiful frocks, she secured soma of her old ascendency, and had to give four numbers. Brull and Hernsley, remembered vividly for their brilliant success some f timo ago, duplicated it with their new aot. The man is <i remarkable eccentric dancer, nird one of the best “dude” comedians we have seen, while his partner abets his work most ably. For the rest, the Lampinis repeated their amusing illusion and mock-illusion act, and; the always welcome Jones and J’nines presented a new routine. The programme altogether provides plenty of amneement, and tho “capacity” business of last night should he repeated throughout the week.