ENTERTAINMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 255, 25 September 1933, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

J. C. WILLIAMSON COMPANY. “BRIGHT SIDE UR.” The box plans were opened at the Central Booking Office, this morning, for the first and only production here of Ernest C. Rolls’s gorgeously mounted and highly humorous and very tuneful musical comedy production “Bright Side Up,” which is to be staged under the direction of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., at the Opera House on Wednesday night next. In referring to the ■initial New Zealand production an Auckland critic wrote; “In a whirl of colour mirth and melody the Rolls brilliant organisation entered into the tenth night of its season in a goregously mounted production ‘Bright Side Up,’ which was characterised by more verve, vivacity, and attractiveness than any musical play ever staged in New Zealand. From the rise of the curtain the fun jumped to top speed, and it never flags for a moment in the ensuing three hours’ rush of revues, sketches, song- scenes, dance specialties and striking ensembles, all set olf to advantage by the beauteous ballet and the talented orchestration and general production, revealing the exceptional resources of the company from a now angle. Jennie Benson, Charles Norman and Rene Riano as the principal fun-makers team up effectively in a really funny lingerie store scene, but this is only one of a series of extremely humorous sketches and funny situations, all of which made the audience roar with laughter. For a lirst-class laugh it would be hard to beat the broadcasting scene in which that very jiolislied gentle-man-comedian, Charles Norman, comes in at the wrong moment as the comic property man. Here is a burlesque that is witty and topical, with enough of the broad comedy to please any audience. Miss Jennie Benson’s song specialties are a bigfeature. The ballet is a_ feature and the costuming most effective.” PICTURE THEATRES. “Rio Rita” at the Regent Theatre; “Leave it to Me” at the l’alace Theatre; “The Woman I Stole” and “Fighting Fool” at the Kosy Theatre.