“IS ZAT SO?”

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 12 February 1927, Page 7

“IS ZAT SO?”

A NEW YORK PRODUCTION. INIMITABLE COMEDY. Wit and humour of a rare type abound and run riot in the hugely diverting comedy, “Is Zat So?’’ presented at the Opera House last evening by the clever coterie of artists, headed by Mr Richard Tuber and Mr Hale Norcross. It was comedy of a kind peculiarly its own, and the listener had perforce to get, as it were, in the right atmosphere to fully appreciate the point of the many witty original sayings and the diverting situations and remarkably clever snappy dialogue with which the play abounds. It was altogether one of the most amusing and clever productions seen here, and delighted and kept in a state of continued merriment a large and enthusiastic audience. The story surrounds the life anti activities of Chick Cowan, a coming ciiampion light-weight, and his trainei, Hap Hurley, who, by a strange swing of fortune are “adopted” by a young blood whom they meet when clown and out, and who are taken into the fashionable house as butler and footman. Their life in that strange surrounding, with the introduced fight in the livingroom, and their love affairs and the eventual straightening out of all life’s tangles, make a very human, a very amusing story of life typical of the characters presented. And when to this was added extremely clever characterisation, in which sentiment and humour abounded, the result was a comedy set in an attractive way that absolutely delighted all the listeners. The company scored a complete success. The two leading comedians, Chick and his trainer Hap, are so linked (together in the story and in the fun that it seems impossible to separate them. One is as it were the counterpart of the other, and forms the setting that makes the other sparkle with irresistible humour. Both gave a most convincing interpretation of the part in Which they were cast. Each had his own peculiarities and individuality, and yet neither would have scored the success secured -without the foil of the other’s personality. Together they gave one of the most amusing picturisations of character seen for many a day. The clever way in which they “dovetailed” into the aristocratic establishment after many diverting situations and the love scenes enacted when they met and fell in Jove with the nursemaid and the “stenog,” had to be seen to be appreciated to the full. It was all extremely good and pointed. But perhaps the' most striking feature was the tense scene when, wrongly accused of a crooked action, they leave, the house where they had found happiness and resume their former characters of pugilist and keen dramatic sense. It was striking, too. liow the light-wight’s expression, “Is zat so?” caught on gradually and infected some of the society people. As the young blood, Clinton Blackburn, Mr Barrie Livescy did not make a very convincing “drunk” in the opening scenes, but was more at home in the subsequent action of the play. As the nursemaid Miss Hanley scored a big success. Her quaint and droll manner of speech and her winning ways won her instant favour with the audience. Hers was an attractive part, and of it she made quite the most possible. Miss Daphne Bairn, as Mrs Parker, made a charming and. gracious hostess, with a happy appreciation of her staunch friends that won much commendation from her listeners. Mr Claude Sanders, a polished and capable actor, gave an excellent reading of the unpleasant role of Parker. It was unfortunate for him that the play necessitated the part “tailing off” into rather crude villainy, for his handling of the earlier, scenes that fell to him showed that ho would be capable of an artistic interpretation of a better “villain” than Barker. Brice Walker, a boy of tender years, acted with all the aplomb of a veteran in interpreting the role of Jimmy, the son of the unhappy Mr and Mrs Parker. There was nothing of the little Lord Fauntelrov about Jimmy. All the other parts wore well sustained, and a capable orchestra gave an interesting series of selections during the intervals. The play was very well staged and the characters artistically dressed, a feature that made much for the success of the piece. In the scene when the fight was on, there were some exceedingly pretty froeks worn.