THE MARCUS SHOW

Evening Star, Issue 22682, 23 June 1937, Page 15

THE MARCUS SHOW

BRILLIANT IN SETTINGS AND ftJOST ATTRACTIVE IN FROGKIHG Artistry both in the extreme beauty of its settings and in the gorgeous colourings and designs of its costumes and backgrounds held the largo audience enthralled at the opening performance of this exotic American revue, which opened in His Majesty’s on Saturday. The whole was a riot of colour from the first beautiful drop curtain of deep blue velvet with a bold design in trees in glittering tinsel, which struck the injte of beauty seen all through the performance. Exclamations of« admiration were evoked at the opening scene, when this curtain rose on the black and white parade of the strikingly costumed girls, each set of gowns fashioned in a different design. Redingotcs of black and silver sequins were most effectively worn and fell into gorgeous trains of silver, -while headdresses of silver and black surmounted by spreading ostrich plumes gave some foretaste of what might be expected throughout the show. Tho costumes of the girls are triumphs of tho designer’s art, and whether they aro attired as birds of paradise, wood nymphs, or dancing girls there is never any suggestion of tawdriness. Scone followed scene in rapid succession. One of tho loveliest, although one of tho simplest, was that in fho * Hall of Terpsichore ’ when the sisters Hinton appeared in gowns of shimmering white satin, the skirts lined with silver frills, the rather stately gowns fitting in with the graceful dancing of these two girls with their partner, Masson. Another individual costume, enhanced by the attractiveness of the wearer, was elaborated by a border of white coquo feathers, set off with a remarkable feather headdress of a glorious full-length capo of glittering sequins. The Mexican scene was outstanding in its traditional colourfulness. The costumes were all hand-wrought in geranium red, encrusted with gold and vivid green sequins. Tho short, full skirts, with their rich tunings, were finished with w'hite bodices embossed with large chenille roses, and the huge sombrero hats with gaily-embroidered crowns and bands of emerald green leaves, added an intriguing note to the spirited ensemble. Tho “ Birdland ” number disclosed a cage full of canaries represented by the girls in yellow ostrich plumes and gold sequins performing feats from separate trapezes, -while birds of paradise in most marvellous costumes strutted about the human cage. A complete sotting in silver was dazzlingly exquisite. The parade girls wore in sapphire blue chiffon, tho cummerbunds round their -waists being woiked in silver, while tho next set was in rucked and shirred taffetas ol the same colour, the little bonnets and muffs having silver flowers for trimmings. Tho collar girls in this scene wore silver pants and brassieres and huge Medici collars which wore three feet high. So far. in Dunedin at least, we have seen settings and frockings such as the Marcus Show presents, only in moving pictures, in the biggest of tho spectacular shows, but never before on the stage. ‘ Tho Forest of Dreams ’ gave great scope for the • designer’s art, when tho chorus appeared in a forest scene, beautifully sot, each girl wearing a hooped gown with a design in tinsel trees. Here, as in many of the scenes, wonderful effect was made of the strong contrast of black with white. This gives perhaps only a passing glimpse of what is really a gorg'.ous and at ihe same time artistic

presentation, the effect loft in the mind is one of beauty and of lavish and unusual costuming, in which each scone appears more gorgeous than the last, and vies with it in brilliancy and design.