ENTERTAINMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 12009, 11 December 1924, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE MOST ATTRACTIVE PROGRAMME. A largo and ; appreciative house again greatly enjoyed the very excellent revue and vaudeville bill of fare presented by Messrs Fuller at His Majesty’s Theatre last night. - Armitage and Hine, English comedy artists, evoked loud applause by their fine songs, clever patter, 'and dancing. Yet another great, laughter-provoking exhibition of burlesque singing and eccentric dancing was contributed by (Jess and. Tony Lloyd; and the many jokes and excellent “business” of Walter Vernon, “Premier Ventriloquist,’' kept his ahdience fairly bubbling over with merriment. , As, “The White Knight,” in ’ shining armour, Harry daft" presented an ■ elaborately staged musical sketch, in which, with Miss Minnie Wager, as “Miss 1524,” he discussed the affairs of the day m a. number bf catchy topibal soi igs; His turn was also greatly appreciated. , ■ The “piece <te resistance” of the entertainment, however was undoubtedly “Sign Please,” or “Storey’s Stores,” the very best of George Storey’s musical oomedy revues.. The. stores are run on' most entertaining, if not most payable lir)«a, with George Storey as a shop assistant, Mark Erickson as the manager, Frank Haining as the porter, Rosie Stiwelle as the steno-, grapher, Fred Monument as her young man, Dtilcie Milner and Ada Stridden' as two of the customers, and the “Delectable Six” as mannequins, toy sbl--1 diers, etc. George ■ Storey is, of course, 1 the “live wire, of ; the piece, but 1 Frank. Haining,. Mark Erickson, and Richard Butler are also responsible for i a great deal of the fun and frolio; while “The Delectable Six,” with their gorgeous dresses and finished dancing, i especially in the mannequin parade and i the toy soldiers’ ballet, lend some brili liant kaleidoscopio colour effects' to.the , revue. The musical numbers, which wore' greatly enjoyed, include the fine. I opening r horns, “Our Stores” : ‘’No Rise in the Price of Sunshine,’’ Ada ’ Bcadden and girls; /‘Shelled Shrimps in a Shrimp Shop,” a terrible' tonguetwisters by Frank Haining: “Delilah : Rag/’’ Maballie Morgan; ‘‘Thru’ the ‘ Night,” Mabelle Morgan and Fred. Monument; “Over and Over Again,” Frank Homing, Mark Erickson, Fred. , Monument.; “Little -Soldier , _ Men'' , .(written by Dulcie herself), Dulcie Milner and girls; “Somewhere in . the World,” Fred. Monument; “My Break- : fast in Bed;” George Storey ; “I’ll.lntroduoe.You,” Butler and.girls;' and .‘.‘The Land of Wedding Bells,” by . the full company. ’ A special meed of ; -praise'is duo to His 'Majesty’s 'Orches--1 tra, which, .under'the able direction of ■Mr . Frank Crowtber, renders the instrumental ■■ music with a vim and nerve that contribute in no small mea- ; sure ,to the success of the show. This most, enjoyable programme is to ■ be repeated nightly , and at Saturday’s . matinee.

OUR REVIELLE

BRIGHT AND TUNEFUL SHOW AT GRAND OPERA HOUSE. “Our Reveille,” „the bright and tuneful revue produced .by Mr William Lints m ! aid, of ,the Returned Soldiers’ Association’s.funda,. again drew a delighted aSid* most appreiiative audience at the Grand Opera Houpe last night. Catchy songs,f 'bright - music, -' dainty dances., and most ' amusing- -’comedy tketches folloyped one another in quick/ succession, and. theT grea’fe audience-was by no means' slow-in showing ‘its apl proval :of the very .enjoyable entertainment provided, The , ladies of the nh&riis and ballet are remarkably well frodkpd and drilled, : and performed their several ■ parts with the very greatest ’ credit, not only to- then*, selves but also to the instructors who, m the brief space of/time at their dis-‘ posal, 'have 'brought them up to so nigh 'a standard of excellence that thany professionals would be hard pushi ed- to better it. The ballets—more especially the “ScareCTow Eight.” with their smartly jingling *bells—are wonderfully .gbpd. Indeed, the dancing, is ths strongest feailfro'of the revue ; and or the 200 performers by-far the great'cet number are girls. Girls, too, with such grace and charm, such vim and keenness, that few professionals could compete with them in' these respects. Some : novel and striking effects are introduced in the ballets, etc. —notably in ,the chorus “to the “Picanniny’e Paradise”; in the naval song t with its signalling squad’ with semaphore all complete; in the, “Scarecrow” number, which met With a most enthusiastic reception; 'and in the Spanish number, with its complicated and admirably carried out steps • and evplutiohs. The vocal" itemh, which include a goodly- number of , old favourites, were very excellently rendered, the 1 “Our Reveille” company f being particularly strong •in • soloists. Miss Madge Wilson, a sprightly young comedienne, has a good "deal» to. do, and does it remarkably well. : Her . always pleasing voice was-heard to advantage in “By the’Gay.-Seaside,” with Mr ,W. Lints, the cheery middy.’B song. “Ob, What a Difference the Navy’s Made to Me;” m the slavey: trio with Miss Edna Mawkina and Mrs Bruges, and in “Maggie 1 Yes, Ma,” Which eroded loud laughter and apolauße. Miss E. Buckmaster’s fine voioe ■ was ‘ well heard in “Gipsy Love,” . wjth; its dainty gipsy chorus; though, why the, gipsies carry parasols, except for .the...very pretty'effect produced, would, require, no little explanation. She- also- sang -an attractive Dutch item, “By the Sleepy Zuyder Zee,” and a\ Hawaiian love song. Mrs 0. Clarke’s ’ fine ~ mezzo-soprano was heard in one solo only, but that a good one, “Hiawatha’s Melody”; and Miss Leah . Wilson, as “Annabelley” also only had one number, which was rather' a pity. • ) •’ Among the solo dancers is Mifes Joan Beere, who, light and dainty, performed /well first with Jack Moms > in a “Dance Vivaht,” and afterwards ’ in a veritable whirlwind item. Mies Kitty Boyle made' a decided hit in the opening performance with her visorous Russian dance;- little Stanley, Rea, \ aged four, contributed a /particularly good sailor’s hornpipe; and the sang and dance “Doodle-Doc-Doo,’ ’ by the tiny tots Phyllis Oliver, and , P.egnv Welch was very will done. Phyllis-Oliver also distinguished herself in “A Pieaninny’e Paradise.” Special mention is also due. to ; the excellent handling and drilling .of the many participants in the big scenes presented, notably the pack of cards. In. thiG the girls file upon the stage dressed as the court cards of the various' suits: arid the effect is very fine .indeed. The grand march in the finale, revealing row upon row of beautiful, charming, gcorgeouSlvapmrrelled girls,' is also amazingly well done. -This constitutes an epitome of “Our'Reveille.” which is one of the greatest snectncular reviews ever presented in Wellington. The proceeds are to ho devoted to the R.S.A. funds, the object of which is threefold: to continue the activities, of thp body in giving relief to necessitous cases, to foster: a spirit of comradeship among returned" men, and ulitimately to furnish the nucleus of a building fund. ; . • “Our Reveille” is to be repeated tonight and for the following seven Bight*

DE LUXE THEATRE

“THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DA.ME,” ‘ ■ To-day will see the . last screening of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” the immortal storry of Quasimodo, the bellringer, which has served to attract delighted audiences to the De Lux* Theatre this week. The story, magnificentIv sot ’in old-world seenco, tells of Quasimodo, the hunchback,’ and of Esmeralda, the beautiful girl, who is stolen-from an aristocratic cradle and brought nj> with beggars of Paris. When she is' captural wrongly, she seeks the aid hi the hunchback, and some realistic scenes/are produced when the captain of ther/guaxd clears the square, and the ■ girl is’ rescued, but not by Ciopin, the ‘‘King. •of the Beggars,” who has 1- brought her up. The hunchback, stabbed in . the back by the villain, of the piece, whotn he discovers attacking Esmeralda, and ha hurls from the cathedral tower, staggers to the bell-rope and tolls his own /death-knell on his beloved hells; while' Esmeralda and her true love, reunited at long-last, plight their troth. 1 he/"title role is- enacted, by- Lon Chaney, with a wonderful realism that excels all his previous efforts. The supporting cast is a very strong one, including the beautiful and. charming Patsy Miller as Esmeralda, t Ernest Torrence- as Clopin, and. Norman Kerry as the. captain of the guard. The play is preceded by a most artistic/"jlroiogue, showing Notre. Dame at suririse, in broad daylight, at sunset, arid all lighted up at night, while the bells.'.are tolled and the, clergy chant the evening hymn. The chanting was beautifully done by the Lyric Quartette f and the specially-arranged programme of incidental music was very finely, rendered throughout by the Or-chestra-De Luxe,, under the able direction of Mr L. D. Austin.