HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19406, 16 February 1925, Page 3

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE

“TANGERINE.” “Tangerine,” (.he new musical comedy presented by the Hugh Ward Company at His Majesty’s Theatre fqr the first time on Saturday night, gets its title from the fact that there is in the distant Pacific an island of nat name. It is peopled with dusky maidens of very considerable charm, and a few dusky youths who plav a rather unimportant part in the comedy. Over the island rules Joe Perkins, who has been cast away, and his eight beautiful and devoted wives costumed in a fashion approved of in the sunny islands of the Pacific. Thither comes a party of married but divorced voung people, full of jauntiness, but wanting all the time to sneak back to each other. They profess a profound indifference for each other —at least the ladies do —which is very amusingly illustrated long before they reach the island of Tangerine, and is continued on the

island kingdom. After much coquetting with fate, the ladies, when on the point of losing their lords, recover their senses, bat much, very much happens of a most laughable order long before this stage is reached.

“Tangerine” is very bright, very lively, very brisk, and very breezy, and on Saturday everything went like clockwork. So far as the spoken part of the comedy is concerned it is entirely modelled on smart rejoinder of the rapid kind, and there is very much to amuse and create hearty laughter in this direction. It is, impossible to refrain from being vastly amused by Mark Daly, who as the King of Tangerine, proved incontestably that he is in the first line ns a comedian. He is, however, only one of several who keep the house laughing, but he is the kingpin. The chief feature of “Tangerine” is' per-

haps the dancing, and dancing such as that seen on Saturday night is rarely witnessed here. Every member of the company seems to bo able to dance, though not specially marked out for the purpose. The dancing falls mainly upon a larger number than usual of ballet ladies who would grace any company, both in appearance and as to lightness of movement. It was a genuine pleasure to watch the ballet work, which was of a very high order, and was made extremely picturesque by the handsome and fanciful costumes worn by the ladies. The company of course carries with it dancers of special qualifications, who present a good many novelties in the way of dancing. Amongst them is Hazel Harris, but there are one or two others amongst the divorced wives who danco most artistically. There is some very pretty music of a light modern character, which sounds very American, in the comedy, and several ensembles are very good. It would be useless, however, to suggest that the company is vocally strong It is difficult to mention anyone who could be regarded as a vocalist. Perhaps Miss Bello Bellchambers, who was one of the

dusky maidens, conspicuous for making violent love, comes nearest to having any claim to the title. However, having a voice to sing with is not of much importance nowadays, and the absence of one ■would not probably be noticed by most of the largo audience. All play their parts well but the palm must be accorded to Mr Daly. so far as creating humour goes. Nothing could be funnier than his inebriate scene on the and he apd Miss Beatty made a great hit in “Vamp Me.’’ The comedy is exceedingly well put on In every respect, some of the island scenes being exceptionally gorgeous without being bizarre. The costumes are rich and fanciful.

“Tangerine” wjl] be repeated this oven ing.