SUNSHINE PLAYERS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 14 August 1923, Page 8

SUNSHINE PLAYERS.

UNIQUE HEVUE RECORD

j A record v nig fie in' New Zealand, theatrical history is attached to the successive seasons played under the Fuller penant by Mr. Walter George and his Sunshine Players. Tlie Walter George combination opened in Dunedin iin June, J918; its final engagement in. this city closes next Saturday. That long interval of five years knocks all Australasian revue records endways, and in itself, without enlargement, i assays the worth of the entertainments offered by this producer to the public of New Zealand and Australia. Here is the company's record -(stated in terms of performances) in the four ! centres of the Dominion where Fuller shows are permanent: Dunedin 397, Auckland 386, Christchurch 336, Wellington 306; total performances, 1425. In this period Mr. George has produced twenty-five pieces, ranging from musical comedy to revue—ali staged with a good taste and attention to detail that have come to be associated with his name. Of the twenty-five pieces, those of major importance (given in order of merit as the writer sees them) are: "The Kins: of Dunnowherski," "The Orange Girl." "Sadie" (also known as "The Girl From U.S.A.") These, of course, have varied in merit, but all had tlie common [ and prepossessing feature of adherence jto the tuneful Ensrlish musical comedy i manner, and avoidance of the more ! blatent features of the American revue type familiarised here by many com- ; panie^. The keystone of revue success is comedy, but Mr. George scored always by the thorough musicianship that fitted his farce motif with pretty and apposite lyrics, well devised ballets, and harmonious ensembles It is safe to say that, as far as' New Zealand is concerned, the Fuller firm has never had so. consistently successful a revue company on its "time," and that the name of the Walter Geome Sunshine "Players has been rubricated'in the calendar of the firm's patrons. Mr j George stages for his last week the ! finest of all his plays, "Tlie King of Uunnowherski," and then, concluding his long and, as he phrases it. "eontimiously pleasant association with the most considerate and helpful of firms," he will take his company on a tour of the larger towns untouched by the Fuller activities. The tour opens at WSI 11"?'"'} Tr l ™brace both islands, vade South Afnoa. Friends here-old SfS'nf + T V~Wl1! wish him * c°"tinu- ' ance or the signal success achieved d, ir - ! exchange 0. 11™* Dunedin J