POPULARITY OF REVUE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22107, 13 May 1935, Page 12

POPULARITY OF REVUE

CLEM DAWE'S COMPANY / ' - SEASON WEARING CLOSE Fresh heights of comedy are reached by Clem Dawe and his revue company in their latest performance, "AH Pep," which delighted a large audience at His Majesty's Theatre on Saturday night. The production—the eighteenth presented in Auckland during the company's successful 12 months' tour of the Dominion—was further proof of the seemingly illimitable talent and ingenuity of Mr. Dawe and his merry band of artists. New jjketchsa, fresh dance scenas and the latest songs have been combined to make one of the most appealing programmes of the season; it seems that Mr. Dawe has been reserving his best eiforts until the eve of the company's departure for England shortly. Ail the sketches were good, and showed Air. Dawe in a scries of brilliant comedy characterisations, including a disagreeable small boy, a lovesick swain, and a "Napoleon of commerce." There was real comic brilliance in "The Toy Shop," "The Elopement," "Yours to Hand," in which the stilted and stereotyped form of business correspondence provides most amusing dialogue, "The Suicide Club," "Potted Plays" and "A Double Turn." Although Mr. Dawe dominates the comedy with his ready wit and superb clowning,. some excellent contributions come from Dorothy White, whose impersonation of Ella Shields in "Male Impressions*' again charmed the audience, Eric Edgley and Les White. Muriel o'Mai ley and Ann Luciano were heard in some splendid solos and duets, and Ralph Daly and Joe Shriner were singing at "their best. The dancing of Sid. rlalliday and Lina Watson was of their usual high standard, and Edna Moncrieff and Edna Luscombe led the ballet in some charming song and dance ensembles. ~ Gregory Ivanoff played several violin solos, the best of which was his own arrangement of Macushla." Novelty was arldcd to the programme by "Jadoo," whose sleight-of-hand performances completely m.vstifield the audience. Modern tunes—including "The Big Bad Wolf is Dead"—were played with considerable verve by Mr. Dawe and his band, which had the assistance of Miss O Malley as a crooner singing "Talk of the Town," a most successful item. A first-rate programme was completed by the charm of the ballet and the music of Tom King and his orchestra.