'THE BEST PEOPLE’

Evening Star, Issue 19533, 14 April 1927, Page 6

'THE BEST PEOPLE’

SEASON OPENS SATURDAY At His Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday next, for a brief season, which will include one special matinee performance on Easter Monday, theatregoers will see Avery Hopwood’s and David James’s record-breaking comedy, ‘The Best People,’ produced by Mr E. J. Carroll’s company of comedians, most of whom are making their first appearance in Dunedin. ‘ The Best People ’ is one of those comedies that make you laugh aloud. This is not altogether new. but what is now is the author’s deftness in twisting and turning the plot, and the cleverness of the characters he creates to carry it through. The comedy rushes along at a breathless rate, and is always breaking out, like in a new place. It is a riot of fun ; it is healthy, human, fresh, and ideally constructed. Take for example tho scene in a cabaret, where the son of the house is dining with a chorus girl, the daughter of the house is dining with a chatfeur, and the father and uncle of the house are inextricably mixed up in the whole thing. In the hands of Jess skilful authors it would have degenerated into a mere rough and tumble, a dashing in and out of doors, a dull farce of misunderstanding. As it was, it proved a delicately-woven intrigue of humor and humanity, in which every character showed at his best or worst. Full justice is done to the various parts by the members of the company, including Miss Marian Lord as Millie, Mr William Macauley as George Grafton, Miss Helen Audiffred ns Marian Lenox, Mr Richard Ehlors as Bertie Lenox, Mr J. B. Rowe as Bronson Lenox, Miss Beatrice Day as Mrs Lenox, Mr Robert Adams as Henry, Miss Marian Sterly as Alice O’Neil, Mr Leslie Jones as X,eo, Mr H. Lane-Bayliff as Lord Rockmere, Mr Reginald Collins as Bullock, and Miss Eileen Morris as Miss Tate. ‘ The Best People ’ is one of tho biggest laugh-making shows ever presented by the E. J. Carrol! management, and a successful season is assured. The box plans are at The Bristol to-day, but on Saturday they will be transferred to the Geyser Sweet Store, where day rales may also bo obtained. There will be no early doors.