PRINCESS THEATRE FRANK U'BRIAN'S FINAL WEEK

Evening Star, Issue 20128, 19 March 1929, Page 7

PRINCESS THEATRE

FRANK U'BRIAN'S FINAL WEEK

Some A r ery tasty dishes have been set before patrons of the Princess Theatre during the past: two months by O’Brian’s Revellers. For this week’s bill of faro Mrs O’Brian’s rcddioadod lad Frank has passed a discerning o.yo over the trees in his orchard. The spreading chestnut trees have been loft unshaken, but from 1 lie plums he lias selected the biggest, and most juicy to titillate the palate of Bis revue patrons. This is the final wet k of the Revellers’ first season in Dunedin. They JuiA-e built up a reputation for bright, dean entertainment, with programmes of a consistently even and high quality. The current bill is made s.p entirely of request numbers, and they are the “plums” of the company’s a.c's. Augmented by Vasco's Band, the orchestra plays ‘ Morning, Noon, ami Night ’ Avith some tune and plenty of noise, and the programme proper opens with a Mississippi sketch, * Heme Again.’ MabelJe Morgan, as the whilehaired mother, sings ‘ Slumber Town pleasingly, and the ballot •lances while singing ‘ Keep Smiling.’ Tho title song is well sung by Janice Hart and Joo Hudson. Gordon Norvill and Bert. Lee, who aro strong supports for Frank O’Brmn, put over ‘ Butcher, Balter, Candlestick Maker ’ with some zest. Los, Frank and Hudson foo! merrily in a celebration sketch, and after Gordon Norville has sung ‘ Lolita ’ in his usual pleasing manner, Marie M aid joins him in a tango. No one could possibly tire of the ballet. Their dancing is excellent and the bevy of eight girls have charming stage presence. Their dance novelty is excellently done and attractively dressed. ‘ Nobody Satisfied ’ is given by Bert Lee in that infections cheery wav he has with him, and the sketch ‘Tli»* Bridal Suite’ is sure to make patrons laugh all this week. Janice Hart and Frank and Mane Ward and Norville arc the participants in Hi© sketch, which slioavs the diversified methods of Limehoiise and Mayfair. Iris Gumley, one of the ballet leaders, has a personality which carries her song, ‘ Sweet and Loav,’ along, and the other grls make a good setting. Three old tales are retold in 1929 style, the best being the ‘Strong Silent Man.’ Miss Ward will not ho forgotten lot a lony time, and her song, ‘ln That Old Irish Town,’ .enhanced her reputation. Tho Irish reel was danced by the ballet with sincere St. Patrick’s Day enthusiasm. Gordon Norville and Frank O’Briau keep the laughter going with a smart bit of acting in a vocal coaching turn. The best scena staged by the company here is ‘ Singapore Sorrows,’ and it is given pride of place on the programme. The setting is pretentions, and the dressing if typical of the quality mounting hy the 'Revellers, from tho smallest to the biggest act. Janice Hart sings tho title song, while the Chinese ballet, cleverly masked, goes through a senes of Oriental movements. ‘ Hnmoreskimo ’ is one of Norville’s best vocal numbers, and he well earns the applause given. The sleigh ride by the ballet is very neat. Mrs O'Brian’s boy settles down to relate further incidents in Hie lives of Adam and live, perhaps bis most amusing solo turn, and he ends hy ranking a whimsical O’Brian speech of farewell. Like, tho Revellers, the patrons, too, will be pleased when the company returns to Dunedin. Mabelie Morgan and the ballet ragged the ‘ Sweet Delilah Rag.' The back-door pleasantries hy Mrs 'Arris and Mrs ’Obbs, 1* rank and Norvi 11 e being the combatants, are real mirth provokers. The climax will bring down tho house in paroxysrns of laughter. That sparkling Golden dance is snappily done hy the baUet. glittering in their suits of mail. Bert Lee is responsible for good impersonations in ‘ Over Home,’ as it would be simiv by different nationalities, and Vasco’s Band and Marie Ward cooperated in a prettily tuneful number, •Silver Rose.’ .Miss Hart’s singing of ‘ Here Comes the Show Boat’ captivates with its rhythm, and the hand’s first success, 1 Ain t Gonna Rain No More ’ (with variations) is lepcaled with equal succesj. Frank as the conductor of the vagabond Hungarian minstrels causes a roar of laughter. Phyllis Sambrook, Roma fvel, and Ernie Brooks do not sing ‘ Pullman Porters ’ with any vim, but their acrobatic danciiio- is splendid. The three young people " step lively ” throughout the number, which earns a good round of applause. It is a most entertaining programme, worthy to terminate a successful season..