PRINCESS THEATRE.

Evening Star, Issue 18281, 22 May 1923, Page 4

PRINCESS THEATRE.

RETURN OP SUNSHINE PLAYERS,

A CROWDED HOUSE,

There was a full house at the Princess Theatre lust night to welcome the reappearance of Walter George’s Sunshine Players in revue, and the old favorites who remain with the company were all warmly greeted as they made their appearance. A special extra round of applause was reserved for George Storey, whose popularity has been well sustained through numerous visits to Dunedin. The opening production, with the customary obscure title ‘Don’t Do Vulgar, Charlie,’ is not built in the high-speed lines that most of these revues are. Furthermore, the parts arc badly balanced, so that it was not the fault of the artists if at times they failed to make the spark's fly. There is something of a plot running through the play, and it concerns the love affairs of a couple of lords, one of whom is disguised most of the time as a chauffeur. They come for quietness’ sake to the village inn called “The Eagle and Dove,” where the story develops with the assistance of Montague Magneto, the comic auctioneer-motor cyclist, and Dorothy, the daughter of the innkeeper. An American adventuress masquerading as an Italian opera singer is introduced for no special reason, unless it bo to bring in another character (an American detective) towards the close. George Storey was Magneto, and ho was rarely oil the stage. In the circumstances he kept things going remarkably well, the audience recognising and appreciating Ids wellknown methods and mannerisms. He was entirely unsupported in the matter of comedy, an experienced and versatile comedian in Frank Perryn being absolutely wasted in a “straight” character. Dainty Dulcio Milner was bright and chippy as usual, and Georgie Martin was well placed as Lady Carraway, an ex-ballet, girl. Yorke Gray also had a suitable part, looking the “Lord Wyandotte” to the life. Walter George was another wasted asset, being on for about five minutes while he. assisted the adventuress—or attempted to do so, for she escapes on Magneto’s motor bike. One new member of the company is Hazel Fuller, a little lady with a bright pleasing voice. Probably on some other occasion she will be given something to do so that her capabilities as an actress may be fully judged. Dobert Raymond is useful all round, and Max Bilton filled the bill as the innkeeper. Vera Sewell, whose Spanish accent would have deceived nobody, was the adventuress. A bright bevy of ballet girls did their best to speed things up occasionally with one or two pretty ballots, notably in the hunting scene. Amongst the musical numbers that met with the warmest approval were ‘Pipes o’ Pan’ (Hazel Fuller), ‘ln Dreams I Go to Sligo ’ (Robert Raymond), ‘ Slow and Easy’ (Dnlcie (Milner), 'l’m Getting Bettor Every Day ’ (Frank Perryn), ‘My Tin Whistle ’ (George Storey), and a couple of dhets.

Tho first part of the programme is a uniquely strong one. The now act particularly is a winner, being one of those rarities—a hand-balancing act with now features in it. Tho Two Hours arc the artists concerned in this, and in addition to a few of the orthodox lifts and balances, neatly and cleverly done, they introduce some thrilling novelties. Tho first noticeable novelty was tho trick in which the lighter man balances on the heels of tho other, who is lying face downwards, and who lifts his thus-laden heels a foot or more off the ground and. slowly returns them. Another was a spring from a hand-to-hand to a hand-to-feet balance and back again in mid-air. Tho rc,il thriller, however, was the finale, in which one partner leaps from a springboard over the heads of seven men (ten were asked for, but only seven responded), and is caught, hand to hand, and raised to a full' hand balance. This is a remarkable feat, and was deservedly applauded. Dora Lindsay once more “held up the show,” tho audience threatening to become hysterical over her comical Scotch patter. “Dm tollin’ ye,” said Dora during one of her songs, “ a man’s no better than an umbrella; he’s juist a bundle o’ rite wi 1 a cover on.” As tho inebriated “Dorothy Ann” she was screamingly funny, while her final song (in tramp character), ‘The World’s All Right,’ was splendidly done. Bilton and Max’s act is another of which the audience wanted’more. This lively and entertaining couple were tiptop in imitations of two Cockneys at a lemma and of a Cockney girl and a Welsh “chap” at a vaudeville show. Wong Toy Sun presented a number of now illusions and tricks, all done with that consummate skill for which he is famed, Tho Chinese shop signs which are screened prior to this act aroused hourly laughter. Enrico Palmetto sang three songs in admirable style, ‘I Passed By Your Window’ being sung very sweetly. Frank Andrews presented a fresh batch of novelties on the piano and sang a clever .medley song.