PRINCESS THEATRE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17320, 21 May 1918, Page 6

PRINCESS THEATRE.

Tile fact that Miss Winifred L<x Franco iato principal boy in J. oik! N. Tait's panto mime, was to m-ako a first appearance wa no doubt primarily responsible for the von largo attendance at tlio Princess Thcatr( last evening, tho stalls especially being ctowdod. Miss La France prefaced her hi; fevt™, " Tho Siren of the Deep," by con trimrtmg three songs, gaining most suocesi with "What Was There Was Good," i song mado notralar by Mr Barry Lupino Ihis was followed ljy the screening o several tv-uly diverting show signs, gatli cred by Miss La Fmnoo when travelling ir China- The English was of a mosi higgledy-piggledy character, and its un congoious humour was greeted with hearts laughter. Then camo Miss La France's G«P!?oo«sly-?olourod. artistically .11 °|fitbs," replete with wondorfu re,-oil work, abounding in the imagery oi th- pic-nre they were to represent, gradu ally ascended to the flies, each arc as il revealinsr another subject ..rime of the manv v : e-re were entitW l'robe, of tho Mermaids." " Deen Ser Monster, Neptune's Tlirone." and ir tho concluding pictures Miss Ln Franc* wa'., herself soon as fhe central subject pur rounded by r coloured as the rainbow a? a merrnaid. as the centre of a huge rose' and finally as tho charming nucleus for a bunch of flags of many nations. The whole of the scenes were most artisticalb financed, and provided * striking spectacular cfFcet. The Trio Classique was agair responsible for a. fin.' programme of music J lie Uvo opened with Serenade (Goimorl) K?mWy then cave a so'o. Melodv in F" TOuKuirtoin): Mi<* ~ T Ad"lle nlayed "Prelud-" fTWWnin ofn in sty:e. and Air T-ance Ken nedv rendered as n flute solo "The Wind ' composed by himself, end in which he at pre it a success as when he pre the to a I>jncdin audiene< P? j tno s firsf here. " The Los Chord was given as a. finale, the orchcstrc tnlcnnr part. Mr Greerorv Tvanoff wa; heartily airlanded for his violin nlavinp FTe oon-ributed " So-nvnir de Moscow' 'Wieniawski). "List Roso of Summer' U'.irnst), and "Medley of Operatic and i onular Airs " (Gregory TvanofF. Mauc ( ourtney and Mr O. atrain brought dowr the house w : th their tonicil songs. Mi C. also related some witty stories in hii inimitable style, and had to intemmt him T- '' , as lfc wf,ro - to enable the laughter tr oie down aed allow the audience to eatel the point of the anecdote. .Takinc as o f success, the tun of «aud Courtney .->nrl Mr C. was the hil of the evening. Kolly and Dr».ke mad< a welcome mapnrw ranee, the grotesque .'"ong of Mr KVlly and tho vjvacicm! •singing of Mtrs Drak« meeting with favour. Miss Patsy Tpil <nng three iWr nicely: Dick and Dorothy trio danoec charmingly: Ward I -ear proved a divertinc comedian; Howard ITa.ll. the ixesessor of a robust, basso, sang, in character. a coimlr of sonnrs with an Eastern ntmosohere. and j Mvams gpve a. clever oxhibition oi dancinfr.