ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18341, 6 March 1923, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

— LEE WHITE SEASON. Most people who saw and heard Lee White for the first time last evening at His Majesty's Theatre, will wonder how London and New York could spare her long enough to enable her to come out here and dispense her prescriptions for good cheer and happiness. It is given to few artists to be abla to make those wholisten to them capitulate at the first hearing. Lee White does it. She has & philosophy which, if ifc could only be assimilated by the world at large, would help the League of Nations to prevent war, banish gloom, and bring about universal prosperity. And ; ,is not only that she has this philosophy, but, that she possesses the faculty of compelling others to share it with herat any rate, for a time. Lee White does not fit into any conventional classification. She is a sweet singer, but not a brilliant one. She is not a vaudeville artist, nor a dramatic star, but something newer and more welcome than either. She has the wonderful gift of entertaining, and at the same time toning up her auditors, and is therefore different from the ordinary entertainer. She is brightness and good cheer personified, she radiates joy, and in some mysterious and effortless manner sets serious faces smiling. Such artists do good service to any community, and Auckland will be some degrees less cheery when the time comes for this charming lady and her colleagues of the " Bran Pie" company to take their departure. V The personality of Lee White is not disclosed in her opening number, " Winter Time," but the spectator is allowed to peep at it and anticipate what is to follow. Nor is he disappointed. As the evening speeds along on the wings of gaiety and fun, to accompaniment of snappy and' tuneful music, the personality of the artist is gradually unfolded, coming to a climax with her appearance in the latter half of the programme, with Mr. Clay Smith, her talented partner, at the piano. Here Lee White is at her best. She sings one song after another, all , tinged with the welcome philosophy referred to, all interpreted with rare artistry, assisted in effect by simple and natural gesture and emphasis. In the interludes she and Mr. Smith keep the house in a ripple of laughter with quaint jests and diverting humour. Of the solo offerings of Lee White each is & gem, as for example the funny number, " When the Company has Gone," and the strikingly dressed item, " The Vamp." In another section of the programme she; is seen as Cinderella in % comical travesty of pantomime, rendered the more amusing by the thoroughly excellent burlesques of characters presented by the leading lady and her supporting artists. ' The revue is produced for J. C. Williamson, Ltd., by Mr. Robert Greig, who has introduced many delightful effects-in lighting and staging. These all help to heighten the markedly good impression made by the production. It is true revue, with no plot, but a series of turns connected only by the musio from a - fine orchestra presided over by ,M. Gustavo Slapoffski. And the turns are quite above the average for quality. Mr. Clay Smith is I V light comedian of engaging personality, and <he is seen frequently enough to finable him to be scheduled as an artist of a high standard, versatile,, and distinctly entertaining. ' The low comedian of the company is Mr. Ernest Sefton, who is at his best in the : ridiculous character of Prince Charming in the " Cinderella " pantomime , travesty. " He plays this role in the guise of Hamlet, and ■ creates intense merriment. In several sketches also Mr. Sefton is . the chief laughter-maker, winning definite popularity., / Mr. ..Lance Lister is another bright actor, with plenty of opportunities for helping i* the general diversion of the evening. f} He is sided and abetted by Miss ' Clarice Hardwicke, a clever comedienne and character actress, who is seen in most of the sketches. Miss Maie Baird, one of Australia's most dainty and graceful ' dancers, wins fresh laurels in her 'up-to-date numbers with Mr. Archie Thompson, and in > her exquisitely conceived and ;j exquisitely ;;carried out dance solo, 'in a Grecian interlude. This latter is one of the. features, spectacularly, and artistically, of the whole production. In it, and again in, one or two of " the other numbers wherein ':[ the chorus and ballet are utilised; the ; colouring of , the costumes ia astonishingly lovely.• O ] The acme of cultured ' artistry is reached in an operatic interlude, "Musical Memories,*' in which Mr. Lucien Beck, and several young ladies, treat their listeners to some ' excerpts . from opera amid quite unique and original surroundings. Another effective % "dip " into the bran pie is. that in which -- Lee White • and Messrs,: Smith V and v Beck , sing & some old coon melodies while seated in the glow: of a; soft red light. There ■' are numerous tasteful effects and several other delightful individualities as the production runs its enticing course. ' J Lee White, , beautifully gowned, beam-, ing with infections happiness, is, in short, the central - figure in an entertainment of the .very kind everybody wants now-; adays, and ■ nearly everybody well benefit by seeing. " Bran Pie " is to ; remain , the attraction all this week. , Last night's audience completely filled Bis . Majesty's Theatre. ,• , -

•' * ' OPERA HOUSE. <; Variety is the keynote of the new pro-, j gramme performed .last night at Fuller's Opera House. ;; Humour and gaiety ran throughout, and . certain old favourites who appeared in the American Revue Company's ?■< one-act I musical marriage; tangle entitled "Not Yet," have lost none; of their skill in entertaining. Grotesquely absurd as the story; is, yet that in no way tends to diminish the humour. %As Hermie Schultz, "the man who'- gets a wife," George • H. Ward is a rollicking success.' Hermie is, y indeed, the leading character of the piece, and he, more than any one else, : supplies tho quaint droll humour that: keeps I the $ laughter going. The part of Charlie Mason, "the man who gets disappointed," ;is finely played by Charles L. Sherman. From start to finish there is no' lack of melody, colour, humour, and graceful : movement in this American offering. The girls of M'lle Gaby's company give , some delightfully dainty exhibitions £of graceful dancing. In one of■' their Sittings across; the = stage they appear iin '; j old-time dress, with powdered wigs. It was certainly the daintiest feature of fthe evening and one that with advantage might well be ? somewhat prolonged. . Many other ; turns each supplying:, its own special : charm, were included in. the programme The Reese Sisters opened the , evening, with harmonising song studies, 'ana were followed by Jean Le Roy, who is a magical entertainer, who performed a number of excellent feats, x the best being v. the mysterious burning and restoring of : the Indian turban. Sam * Stern, the wellknown Hebrew comedian, was quite up to his usual standard with song and character portrayal. ; ; On the purely musical side, the feature of the evening was supplied by Miss ■ Ruth Bucknall, from the Royal Albert Hall, London,% whose songs won for "her a volley of applause. An entertainment at the piano by Charles Lawrence was well received, his •' quaint quips and S jests evoking hearty i peals of laughter. The evening closed with a grand shadowgraph, which did not' fail to supply a good r store ''oi amusement.

-!\ " QUEEN'S THEATRE. L -; The • excellent Marshall Neilan production, " Go e,nd Get It," telling the tale of how ! a newspaper reporter unravelled; mysterious crimes, is enjoying great popularity :at the Queen's Theatre this week. It ,is full |of exciting , and : unusual situations. Also on the bill is the I Para-J mount film, . " Twenty-three and a-half Hours' - Leave," and - a Larry Benin comedy. . I'r

■ r 'v PRINCESS THEATRE.■*.'*&' The successful Paramount film, Manslaughter," is still attracting large attendances at the Princess Theatre. There is a notable cast, headed by, ; Thomas 1< Meighan and Lea trice Joy. L, It includes* Lois Wilson, John Miitern, George Fawcett, Julia Faye, and numerous other screen favourites. The \ f.tory is that of an arrogant young society beautywho, as the result of ner relkless driving of her racing car, finds herself charged with manslaughter and placed in prison as a consequence. This change from the hectic existence she has been living works a complete alteration in her character, and she comes forth into the world of free people again a regenerated and noble* girl. ■. • '

EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. f Realistic nettings, gorgeous costumes, and a theme unequalled for dramatic interest, blend into a well-nigh perfect background in " The Green Temptation," which is the chief picture this week at Everybody's , Theatre. Beautiful Betty CompsQn is seen in the leading role, and is supported by a fine cast, including Mahlon Hamilton and Theodore Kosloff.