VARIETY—BUT ALL GOOD

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6944, 25 June 1929, Page 8

VARIETY—BUT ALL GOOD

THE DIGGERS AT THE OPERA HOUSE. Yuricd is the spice of a theatrical company’s life—and there’s certainly no monotony about the programmes mapped out by Pat Hanna’s Famous Diggers who appear at tlie Opera House on Saturday next. Anyone hearing the clever and arnusiiig comedy sketches contributed by Pat and his mate, Joe Vall-i, would bo willing to take that as the backbone of the programme. But there’s a deal more offering. There is one of the daintiest ballets, according to all reports, that ever trod Now Zealand or Australian boards, featuring classical mu! graceful dances. There’s Miss Mena Kopke to lead the orchestra., which has established a big reputation for its work. There’s a gay little child impersonator, Micky Phillips, whose baby way’s have quite taken the. hearts of Auckland and Christchurch folk. There’s Iza Crossley, to add a sparkle of feminine comedy- to the shoW| and there are some line vocalists, in- 1 eluding Jock Thomson, baritone (an old . friend of Palmerston North), Stan Imwson, Ernest Kopke, and Roy Brinsden. The company is strong in musical ladies, for Hilda and Jessie Meadows, pianist and violinist- are among the most popular on the list. I And that’s by- no means all the company can do. The moment a xylophone solo has tingled its last note there is a clever turn of eccentric dancing, or, ; perhaps, most popular of all, a topical, hit in the shape of tho “Marionettes” who have an uncanny knack of hitting local nails very neatly- on the head, and cause much laughter by their quickwitted allusions to loading lights of tlie centres they visit. The box plan will open at the Central Booking Office on Thursday morning.