THE MARCUS SHOW

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23222, 21 June 1937, Page 6

THE MARCUS SHOW

SPECTACLE AND BEAUTY

AMERICAN REVUE AT HIS MAJESTY'S

The much-heralded Marcus Show made its first bow to a crowded Duncdin audience in His Majesty's Theatre on Saturday night and undoubtedly '' rang the bell," ." scored a bull's-eye," or whatever other sporting simile might be employed to denote a complete artistic success by this racy and enthusiastic American troupe. The entertainment follows the orthodox lines of bright vaudeville. In essentials the programme is much as other revue programmes are. But there is a difference. There have been highpowered, eight-cylinder, non-stop productions at His Majesty's in the past, but such vivid action, fast tempo, and spectacular sartorial and terpsichorean variety as Mr A. B. Marcus treated his public to on Saturday night are entirely new to Dunedin. The Marcus Show presents a full-blooded, vigorous type of entertainment with all the courage of its convictions, and an irresistible appeal based almost entirely on lavishness to the point of extravagance, and a perfection of technique and imaginative stagecraft, that smack more of a million-dollar Goldwyn film than of anything Dunedin audiences are accustomed to regard as belonging to the stage. The costumes and drapings—and the lack of them—the stage settings and the scenery, and most important of all. the breath-taking effectiveness and beauty of the lighting are the features of this highly coloured entertainment which linger longest in the mind after the show is ever. And commensurate with the magnificence of the spectacle, the stage work sets a new standard. Everything is done just that little bit better than the same things have been done before. There is never a break in the continuity of the performance, and one act is scarcely finished before the participants in the next can be seen responding to their cues. Those with legitimate claims to be regarded as principals can be counted almost in dozens. Mr Ben M'Atee sets the tune and the pace of the comedy, with Mr George Shreck. Mr Saprkey Kaye, Mr Leon Miller, Mr Harold Boyd, Mr Bobby Dyer, and Miss Dottie Coudy jollying along with him with great gusto. Mr M'Atee is a smooth, suave type of comedian with a genuine personality, and Miss Coudy. who is so frequently his second, is a charming little gamin with a droll manner of speech and action. As a team the comedians work perfectly together, and between them they present a variety (if nonsense, wisecrack, and that in definable humour which is best described as transatlantic backchat, that is both new and refreshing. Mr Leon Miller has the additional distinction of being a dancer and ballst master of parts, while Mr Harold Boyd is most conspicuous when leading his Jigsaws, an eccentric male quartet, through the quaintest of' dance drolleries. Miss Lillian M'Coy looks charming and sings delightfully and Senorita Sofia Alvarez is one of the vocal stars of the company. Miss Dorothy Oliver and Miss Sharon De Vries present contrasting vocal comics in a most attractive fashion, and Mr Bob White and Mr Lee Mason manage most of the male solo work very competently. The Clymas Troupe are dancers of skill and imagination and the Hinton Sisters and Masson are gaily rhythmic and artistic in their attractive dancing turns. The Dancing Bernays, too. are to be reckoned with as real artists, and the Six Tossing Belfords are capable at any time of bringing one's heart into his mouth with the daring of their acrobatics. Mr Fid Gordon did everything with a violin except play it standing on his head, and Mr Les Sechrist almost bewitches his silvery piano accordion. Mr Al Rieker shared the distinction of having the longest legs and most amazingly plastic limbs in the show with Miss De Vries. Of the ballets it simply remains to be said that their precision and artistry, the effectiveness of their ensembles and the gorgeousness of their costuming have never been equalled on the boards of His Majesty's Theatre. All they needed to complete their picture was the almost fairyland magic of the astonishing lighting system which is one of the troune's greatest assets.

The highlights of the programme which rejoices in the title of "La Vie Parcc." are seven or eight spectacular ensembles in which imaginative artistry and creative design have almost run wild. " Black and White > fantasy" is distinguished by a lavish intention which the succeeding tableaux more than fulfil. Perfection of movement, grouping and costuming in the large ballet, variously composed of the Marcus Peaches and the Miller Dancers, furnish an exquisite' background for the melodious vocal work of Miss Lillian M'Coy and Mr Bob White and the rhythmic grace of the Dancing Bernays. "Under the Andalusian Moon " is a riot of exotic colour, with glittering spangles, an alluring soloist in Senorita Sofia Alvarez, and delightful ballets. "In An Underworld Cafe," is a realistic dramatic„fragment with Mr Joe Clymas and Miss Lauretta Clymas holding the stage in a welter of vivid characterisation and swiftmoving action. The choreography of the piece is superb. " Fantasie Parisienne" is a miniature revue in itself, featuring the Shannon Trio in an adagio specialty, Miss Lillian M'Coy. first in the song. "Paris in Spring, and then with Mr Bob White and Mr Lee Mason in "Bon Jour, Mam'selle. The ballets appear in an exhibition of feathered splendour which had as its centre the plumed and spangled grace of Miss Helen Walker's " Reine de Plumes," a silvery peacock creature followed up mounting stairs by a veritable cascade of glistening white sheen which catches and throws back every coloured ray from the cunninglymanipulated floods above. Then there is "Los Coqueucs des Femmes, a pageant of the stage depicting drama, opera, musical comedy and revue mounted in splendour and executed with consummate grace by Miss Lillian M'Coy, the fascinating Hinton Sisters, Mr Lee Mason. Miss Dottie Coudy and the ballet, charming little Ha Cha San and Miss Billie Bernay. "In the Forest of Dreams/' a sylvan fantasy set to "Trees," which was sung by Mr Lee Mason, the features were the Dancing Bernays in a black and white waltz with a clever burlesque by Mr Leon Miller and Miss Coudy. and a beauti-fully-gowned ballet.

" Palais D'Argcnt" included one of the sensations of the evening. "The Silver Goddess," lovely little Ha Cha San who presented a statuesque picture of beautiful line and lithe rhythm in a garment that was nothing more than shining silver paint. The theme number was sung by Mr Bob White who was joined by Miss M'Coy in "Only Thing I Want is You." There was almost a Cecil de Mille splendour about the huge silver webbing and drapings that adorned the stage for this act. and high among the folds of a billowing curtain was suspended the Maid of Silver Miss Agnes M Caffery who formed n sort of living cameo for the setting Sparkling headgear (lowing raiment, and nestling furs were features of the final extravaganza of blue and silver, on which the audience watched the curtain fall with a sigh df regret. ' Birdland." with its variegated and highly-coloured plumage and golden-clad canaries swinging precariously but rhythmically from trapezes above the stage presented another striking display of beauty and colour, and the gorgeous ensemble, "Wedding of an Acrobat." which was chosen for the finale, was made memorable by the astonishing display of acrobatics by the Belfords, a sextet of physical specimens who added performance to appearance to make a profound impression With a two-act programme comprising no fewer than 32 separate and distinct features there was need for all the ingenuity that theatrical device and masterly direction could contrive The experts back-stage, however, were equal to the task, and in two hours and a-half the company whirled its way through a maze of song, dance, tableau, and comedy which keep the average touring combination busy for half the night. The programme will be presented again this evening and nightly this week, a new ottering being billed for next Saturday.