“THE DIGGERS" AND THEIR GIRLS

Evening Star, Issue 18119, 8 November 1922, Page 5

“THE DIGGERS" AND THEIR GIRLS

BRIGHT AND BREEZY BUNCH. Those who went along to His Majesty’s Theatre last night tor del times’ sake and “ Just to see the Digs again” found they were following something of a falso trail. But it was a trail that led to a glad surprise, for the Diggers 1 have taken unto themselves a bevy of charming girls, and their presence—-as the presence of the right kind of girls always does—brightens the proceed- 1 ings until now the show sparkles with : a glitter that the all-man combination, good as it was, could not attain. Perhaps our old friend Mr Tano Fama will be able to find a new and appropriate title for the reinforced company. It will have to be something indicating pep and joyousness, for that is the keynote.of the Digger's’ ortortainment. Everything goes with a bang; the applause that follows one item has scarcely time _to die Ireforo the next is on—there is no “dragging,” nothing to act as a brake on tho wheels that are so well lubricated with tho oil of gladness. Naturally,' with tho influx of girls, dancing lias become a feature of the show, and the six pretty and shapely young ladies who form the ballet can really dance ;' they are not merely prancers, as is too 1 often the case. While humor is con-i stantly bubbling up and laughter is I the chief occupation of the audience, breathing spaces of a no less satisfying nature are afforded by “ straight ” j singers whose talent is unquestionable. I Add to this the sumptuous frocking of I the ladies, the spic-and-spau scenery, j and the excellent stage management; generally, and you have something' worth while. _ , | Beginning with the ladies, it may lie! said that in Eily Dalglcish the company has a sweet and bright little artist whose all-round work is invaluable. ] As a singer of typical soubrettc songs, ! as a dancer, and as a participant in the various sketches she was equally good. Tho duet ‘ Do You Ever Think of Me ? ’ j and tho accompanying simultaneous dances with Gus Dawson were among the choice things of the evening. Claire Gooloy is another who is a con- j stant and valuable help, especially in, the vocal department. This young lady i has a pleasing soprano voice, and her solos 1 In Old Manila ’ a lid ‘Love’s a Merchant’ and her duets ‘Where My Caravan has Bested ’ and' ‘ Rose of Sly Heart,’ sung with Claude Bell,; were accorded very warm applause indeed, Tho chief vocalist amorgst _tho mere men was Claude Bell, whoso light baritone won instant approval. He sang ‘ The Land of Delight ’ and ‘ Clothes Props ’ very nicely. Gus Dawson, one of the Old Contemptibles of tho Digger combination, was an ever-present help. Ho sang when necessary, and he danced. Gus was always a good dancer, and he has by no means lost the knack of putting his foot in tho right place. A big part of the : whole show was Joe Valli. Joe is a i wee chap, but he loomed very largo | whenever tho comedy note was struck. | He’s Scotch, ye ken', and gives the lie: direct to those, who assert that a Scot] jokes wi’ doeiiculty. Particularly funny j was he in tho sketches, hut his songj ‘ Back to Alabam ’ went big. Jimmy j Norton also does comedy stunts—| “ dude ” stuff perhaps better than any- 1 thing else—and he has a voice you can j hear. Ho dances, too. We are so, used to seeing Stan Lawson as a misleading lady that it was puzzling at first to place him when he appeared in male attire and spoke in his natural voice. Later he assumed his old familiar role, and was as convincing as ever—tho voice, the walk, the feminine, touches generally,, were stamped with , the real Lawson brand. I

A strong point of the wholc_ entertainment was, as wo have said, the excellence of the sketches, skits, and other combined efforts.' These have always boon well done by the Diggers, but the presence of the ladies has increased the scope and brightened them up. A roof-garden scene, in which supper episodes (with Joe Valli as waiter) wore interspersed with bursts of song and dancing, was breezy to a degree, and a ‘ Rost Cure ’ sketch in which the übiquitous .Too was the unfortunate patient trying in vain to obtain rest and quiet, was screamingly funny. The concluding,, sketch, which had quite a musical comedy touch about it, was entitled ‘ The Bride’s Trousseau. 11 A well-stocked millinery show room was presided over by Manager Joo Valli, with a number of attractive girls as assistants and Eily Dalgleish as manageress. The now manager lot the audience into Ids confidence by telling fbcm be didn’t know the difference between corsets and a camisole, so they were prepared for tho awful moss be made of it when Claire Cooley, Jimmie Norton, and Stan Lawson carao in to ho served, and laughed themselves sore. An exceedingly pretty Indian scena, in which Claude Bell and the girls took part, was deservedly applauded. Other interludes there _were, comic and otherwise, so it 'will ho plainly seen that tho revels in which this latest Digger band indulged were of a wide variety. 'They are to be bore for only four more nights, so it will lie well for seekers after good clean entertainment to “ make a date ” with them.