FRANK NEIL’S BIG REVUE

Southland Times, Issue 23498, 3 May 1938, Page 5

FRANK NEIL’S BIG REVUE

JIM GERALD—ELLA SHIELDS

This morning at nine o’clock at Begg’s music warehouse the box plans will be opened for the appearance here on Thursday and Friday nights next of Frank Neil’s gigantic revue entitled “Wonder Show of World’s Stars, which has enjoyed a wonderfully successful season in Auckland, where it was acclaimed to be by far the best vaudeville entertainment ever sent to New Zealand under the direction of J. C. Williamson Ltd. Speed is the-keynote ot the success of the latest revue, as one after another in rapid succession are presented to the audience, featurettes which have proved outstanding triumphs in London, Paris, Berlin and New York. Playgoers are looking forward eagerly to the reappearance here of Mr Jim Gerald, as they remember him as being one of the cleverest and most genuinely humorous comedians we have enjoyed in the Dominion. He was for several years principal comedian for J. C. Williamson’s musical comedy and pantomime companies, and more recently he accepted engagements in London and New York, where he became very popular. Mr Gerald has brought back with him a large number of new sketches and song successes and these he will present to local playgoers. For sheer artistry the work of Miss Ella Shields compares more than favourably with any vaudeville star the stage has ever known. She is the outstanding exponent of male impersonations and she is still one of London’s most popular actresses. Miss Shields, too, has brought with her from England a number of the latest song ‘hits. Much more than the average, interest is being taken in the appearance here of Gautier’s wonderful comedy dog performers, whose work as comedians and dramatic artists is simply astounding and their performances cannot really be explained in cold print. It is said that they enteb into the spirit of the parts they enact like experienced actors, and they have the audience laughing loudly at their antics the whole time they are on the stage. One of the finest turns presented in revues on this side of the world is Don Galvin, who has an excellent singing voice and he is wonderfully brilliant with a guitar and a banjo. Arne Hartman, it is said, electrified playgoers of Auckland by his dazzling display on a piano accordion. Petillo and Pesco are said to be astounding acrobatic clowns. There are 30 scenes of never-ending delight in Frank Neil’s latest revue; all of them set to a tempo of song and dance, and quite a feature of the show is the work of the famous Tivoli ballet. There will be a complete change of programme on Friday night.