“FUNZ-A-POPPIN’”

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20031, 1 September 1939, Page 3

“FUNZ-A-POPPIN’”

PERSONALITY REVUE BRILLIANT VARIETY PUPPET 00VERNMENT •Nearly 30 years ago, when a municipal loan operation was engineered by the then Mayor of Gisborne during a visit to the United Kingdom, a joke about diving overboard to “float alone ' was current in the town. The same joke, tagged on to the Hon. Walter Nash, was the one fiat spot in a brilliant programme of variety presented in the Opera House lost evening by the ’’ company, an American show which will wind up its New Zealand tour with the close of its Gisborne .season on .Saturday night. It is safe to prophqsy that the production will turn away money to-night, and during the balance of the season. “Funz-a-Pcppin’ ” has everything to please the average theatre-goer, and is put cn in a way to rival the slickest variety seen on the films. Humour, subtle and broad by turns, melodious singing, burlesque amazing in its vitality, snappy dancing, spectacular costuming and some of the finest acrobatic work seen on the stage in years contributed to the success of the show, and to crown the programme there was the Salict puppet troupe, a masterpiece such as may not be seen again in Gisborne.

The first half of the programme was fast and clever, opening with a ballet by the Twelve Dancing Debutantes, which provided a background to a lively tap-duo by the Van Twins, shapely and talented sisters, who appeared again later in a number with their ankles chained together, their simultaneous stepping being highly popular.

Interpretative Burlesque

Miss Loretta Grey, “pepper-pot comedienne,” put a lot of action and laughable 'burlesque into a song, “Feeling High and Happy,” and was equally successful with a later selection, “Underneath the Chestnut Tree,” in which she included an interpretative dance that tickled the audience hugely. (Miss Elsa Lang, a soprano of quality and great range, and Murray Green, possessor--of a powerful baritone voice, produced some of the more popular of recent stage and screen song “hits,’ and were warmly applauded, while Harry Ross and Eddie Edwards, in patter and song, lived up to a high reputation for humour and agreeable nonsense.

The company produced an acrobatic dancer out of the ordinary in Jack Bickell, whose number, “Rubber Legs," Cully justified its title. He has an amazing ability to twist his body and limbs into impossible combinations, and his two appearances were much enjoyed. Acrobatics of a more serious type, and of -a quality which earned a Command performance in London, was provided by the Carr Brothers, who showed several now ways to miss a broken neck by the narrowest possible margin.

High-Pressure Comedians

Two deft sketches in the first half also gave Bobby Morris, the chief comedian of the show, a chance to demonstrate his sure-fire methods of getting laughs. The diminutive mirthmaker appeared as the hired help in h “love feseortlbffice,” the foie requiring that he give demonstrations of love-making to lady clients; and later he was the night watchman in a houseful of mildly crazy people. He got the maximum of fun out of both situations, and judging by the manner in which they were received by bis fellow players, some of his gags were genuinely invented on the spot. Another .comedian, of a high order was Tomtny Snyder, a pantomimic actor who, in several appearances on the stage, got his laughs without the aid of a single line. An encounter bbtweCn the tWo comedians in the “crhzy house” sketch was a highlight at the performance. More of the same general run of variety, served with dash and highly spiced with fun, made up the early part of the second half, the “peace conference” sketch being notable for the impersonations of famous statesmen and other figures of historical importance, with whose characteristics life company made riotous fun. Almost “Flesh anh Blood”

The piece de resistance, however, was the puppet show, controlled toy the Salicis arid claimed to be famous in every part of Europe and the Americas. If the success of the puppets last night was. any measure of their popularity abroad there must ibe a good deal of backing for that claim. The audience could riot have enough of the performance presented on a stage within the stage, so proportioned that it was difficult not to ibe persuaded that the whole thing was real.

The dolls danced, played mandolins and other instruments, performed the action's suitable to trie rendering of different types of songs, and put on a series of turns ranging from high art to low comedy. The audience simmered with appreciation of a rollicking farce, in which two clown dolls stalked a bee, and were moved to a respectful gravity by a representation of a ■pianist’s solo, followed by a soprano’s rendering of an. operatic excerpt, with a flute obbligato. As the' last-named turn was toeing performed, a curtain was raised to show' the audience the Salicis at their work, controlling the puppets from an overhead bench. The reception given them by the audience was worthy of the performance, and by way of encore two of the Salicis provided a particularly clever turn, in which a puppet in evening dress walked on to the stage, took a case from its pocket, selected a cigarette, flashed a patent lighter, and then continued its stroll, blowing smoke with entirely natural appreciation of a good weed. It was a magnificent finale.

After the matinee to-morrow afternoon the children will toe invited to go on the stage arid meet the Salicis, who wilLdemonstrate how the puppets are ■worked. Special sketches and jokes suitable 'to a juvenile audience will be introduced at the matinee, and it is stated that parents can .be assured that their, children will witness a bright, wholesome and jolly entertainment.