PRINCESS THEATRE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18874, 29 May 1923, Page 8

PRINCESS THEATRE

A series of vaudeville turns of high merit, followed by a revue which represented a happy blending of mirth and melody, served to keep the large audience at the Princess Theatre last evening thoroughly iitterested and amused from the rise of the curtain to its fall. It was an entertainment of a class that appeals strongly to vaudeville lovers, variety being its keynote, and there being over all an air of brightness and abandon that lits in admirably with the mood of those who go to entertainments of this class to enjoy themselves. Of the purely vaudeville performers the palm must bo awarded to Miss Dora Lindsay, whose style’ of comedy makes a special appeal to the people of this city and whose vivacity arid charm place her on the best of terms, with her audience from the moment she makes her appearance. Three items, each requiring a change of costume as well as of treatment, comprised Miss Lindsay’s offering, and in the last tvta of these the “Beauty” song and the “Antonio” number she had the audience in roars of laughter at her comical remarks and equally comical byplay. Miss Lindsay, with her gift of humour and her delightful Glasgow accent, is a genuine comedienne of great versatility, and she is deservedly popular. At the piano she has the assistance of Mr Johnny Walker, who is an accompanist with a nice understanding of what is required of him. Entirely different in style but on the same plane of merit is the striking performance of the Two Meurs, a pair of hand-balancers who have, had few if any superiors on ' the local vaudeville stage. The feats which they accomplish are extraordinarily difficult, but they are all executed with a skill and easy grace that lends them a deceptive simplicity. It is not usual for one man to light' his cigarette from that of another while he is held aloft at a short-arm balance, nor is it easy for an individual lying on the floor to hold another at a long-arm balance and turn completely over —not once but several times. And yet' these were only two of the many difficult feats performed by the Two Meurs —the audience meantime speculating as to which of the two had the easier task, the one on the ground or the one in the air. Signor Palmetto again greatly delighted his hearers with his fine tenor voice, his renderings of “Sing Me to Sleep” and part of “My Hero” being especially pleasing. Wong Toy Sun, the Chinese conjuror, who presented a number of his clover illusions, entirely succeeded in producing that feeling of bewilderment caused by mysterious appearances and disappearances from anywhere and nowhere. In common with the other performers, he retired from the stage amid cordial applause. The second part of the entertainment is in the hands of the Walter George Sunshine Players, whose new revue is entitled “The Giri .From U.5.A.,” a brightly-staged extravaganza that was obviously enjoyed by all present. In some respects the piece is reminiscent of an old friend in a new guise, but it has undergone so much reconstruction that the resemblance is only perceptible here and there. Admirably staged and mounted, the production is as gay and hilarious for the most part as a revue should be, and it is reinforced by an' excellent selection of musical numbers which give the members of the company ample opportunity to display their * vocal abilities. Plenty of humour is introduced into the unfolding of the plot, mainly through the agency of George Storey, who has only to put in an appearance on the stage to send the audience into fits of laughter at his eccentricities. His interlude with Walter George, during which the pair induced several gullible individuals to use a bogus wireless telephone, was very laughable indeed, especially when some of the patrons did not prove to be quite so gullible as they seemed. Occasionally, however, the humour was of a rather more obvious order, and once or twice an element was introduced that might with advantage be dispensed with The singing and dancing were of a genuinely high order throughout, and in both of these departments the company is excellently equipped. Mr Dave M'Gill’s song “That’s How the World was Made,” was one of the most pleasing items of the- evening, and no less enjoyable was the “Linger Longer” duet by Robert Raymond and Dulcie Milner, a tuneful melody with a haunting refrain. The ragtime ditty “Stumbling” was very brightly sung by Yorke Gray and chorus, and Miss Hazel Fuller earned hearty applause for her rendering of the attractive number “Here’s to Love.” Frank Perryn was beard to advantage in the comic song “Let’s Have a Jolly Good Crv,” and. in addition, there were several other mnsieal items of a good class The ballots which were tastefully arranged, did much to enhance the atmosphere of gaiety and abandon, and fho solo dancing of Miss Alma Rowe was a notable bill will bo strengthened bv the inclusion of ibo Virdon Girls, billed ns in.„.„ .lointv maidens in song and dance.”