HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18895, 22 June 1923, Page 5

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE

HARRY LAUDER SEASON. ; ; - Smiling, debonnair, with the confidence ■ of success achieved in many lands. Sir Harry Lauder made his appearance at Hia Majesty’s Theatre last evening to the cheers of an expectant audience. It is some nine years since the famous Scotch comedian last appeared in Dunedin, and those who heard <him on that occasion were pleased to have the opportunity of renewing their acqoailr-- - tance. Othors in the audience who were,' listening to Sir Harry for the first time ■ were also in a frame of glowing expectancy.' And their expectations of a happy night, were fully realised. The years nave not affected Sir Harry’s ability to amuse and entertain. He is still the fine artist, with the invaluable additional art of at once establishing the most friendiy relations with his audience. His effective manner of presenting his ' songs, • the insouciance of his anecdote, the burst of laughter at his own humour, slid the spontaneous joining of hia ... listeners in the laugh—these, taken as a- .■ whole, are the open secret of his wonderful success. - There is nothing forced in tha . , humour. Some of it is pure fun; some of ■ tmgedXjrilb’tjuSt a; touch of worldly wis-. dom to add to its point and effectiveness. The passing years have brought a more serious outlook on-life to Sir Harry, as was evidenced in his little address at the conclusion of his programme. Singing was a great helper of friendship, he said, and that being so ho was going to continue singing. He would rather build friendships than battleships. Through all the serious--. ness of the lecturette, however, ran a bright ■ vein of humour, and every sentiment ho expressed met with the hearty approval of ■ his audience. Sir Harry’s first number was “Ohi-o, sung with excellent effect, and rounded off with a most grotesque walk round the stage, and “Ddughie, the Baker,” in costume fallowed. Doughio was a character in his way, and at times had differences with his wife. That was why the couple were going to eat the birthday pie on the night prior to the birthday—they might not be speaking on the following day. “There is Somebody Waiting for Me,” a sailor song, with a fine lilting accompaniment, followed.. ■ ' Dressed as an old Highlandei-, Sir Harry ‘ , then gave what was probably his best itera ; of tho evening—“ When I was Twentyone.” He went over the years when ho was a gay lover and commiserated with himself in most diverting fashion on the aches and pains of old age. “Go home and be glad that you are able to cough at 74, was the pointed advice his doctor gave him. It was, a most artistic study. Another back cloth was shown—hills of heather—for the next song, one of the old favourites, “Roaming in the Gloaming,” and “New Zealand Girls are Good Enough for Me and “Haroe o’ Mine” followed. The latter was unaccompanied. Another unaccompanied item was “Singing is the Thing, in which Sir Harry introduced a number of versos of other well-known songs. He also enlisted the services of the audience to add to tho general enjoyment, several choJmaes, “Singing Is the Thing” especially, being given with plenty of volume. The audience were loth to let the inimitable comedian leave the stage, but he solved the position at last by leading off in the singing of the National Anthem. The accompaniments were splendidly played by the orchestra under Mr Fred Quintrell. . The first part of the programme contains some really high-class turns. Phyllis and Giles opened the entertainment with a, , comedy absurdity entitled “On the Farm. The stage is set as a farmyard, with a knowing-looking cow in the background and the other recognised farm accompaniments. The female performer sang, and then the pair joined in extracting music from all sorts of instruments—a three-legged stool, a rake, a pump, and finally the dog kennel. The music from this last instrument proved too much for the many weird animals on the farm, who made an appearance from all sorts of places and danced mcfrily to the strains of the music. Miss Queenie Fenton has a true soprano voice, with excellent enunciation, and she received a demonstrative encore for her singing of “Ccme to the Fair.” Mr Stan. Kavanagn. scored a great success with his comedy juggling. His work with the dumb-bells and with a number of balls was wonderfully accurate, and his accompanying patter was both clever and amusing. The phantasmagoria of colours, an act presented by Ventura and an operator at a machine, was a most remarkable entertainment. Ventura , posed on a pedestal at the back of the stage, and was centred m a gorgeous display of all sorts of colourings—beautiful feathers, palms, scintillating streams of fire, state a grotto, and flowers of all descriptions' The effects obtained left the audience wondering at their beauty and at manner in which they were obtained The final turn in the first half was given by Mr Tom Pavne and Migs Vera Hilliard, They first engaged in cross talk, and the lady sang “Bertie of Bow,” and Mr Payne gave a beautiful display of rhythime dancing to the music of “The Lily of Laguna. The pair then appeared as an old couple and danced a minuet m charming fashion. The effort . encouraged them to dash into a polka, and , • they wound up a striking turn by a jazz ■ which fairly brought down tie house. The first act in the second half was given by Miss Daphr.io Ferguson, who proved herse.f a very attractive Highland dancer. In answer to an encore she gave a finished exbibition in a sword dance. . . ‘ The company will appoar again this evening. Mr Wilson, on behalf of Sir Harry Lauder, has extended an invitation to the soldiers of the Montecillo Horae to be present. _ .‘.--i