BRIGHT AND SNAPPY

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 40, 22 June 1929, Page 5

BRIGHT AND SNAPPY

PAT HANNA'S DIGGERS. COMPANY OF CLEVER ARTISTS,

Mr Pat Hanna and his talented company can always be sure of a hearty welcome wherever they appear, and their popularity is. easy to" understand by any membet of the crowded audience which attended their performance at th© Town Hall last night. The programme was a typical revne one, songs, music, dancing and skeftches and went with! such a swine; that the erSd came all too soon, audi it was with regret thai the audience saw i/hc final curtain' fall. First of course there was the inimitable Pat Hanna, who kept the fun goine: whetnevet- he was on the stage, which if truth be toldi all too seldom. Tnr his military burlesques an'd other sketches he was immense, and was ably supported by other members of the company. He has a way of his own, and big work is a joy.. Joe Valli fully justified bis title of comediaiii roars, of laughter greeting all his. efforts. The fact that he was so nntiu'al made him ever so much more eii.ioyaoie. Tnese. in a marionette uiuie,sque. were tneu" best and,, created roars or laugnter. Atiss iza (Jrossiey appeared m nearly all of the SKQtcnes, nixti showed nerseiif m. be an actiwes. of jrau'e; powers. Altliougn all these offerings ended with a laugh, this feature was* a surprise wnich,: introduced ail "0< Henry" flavour to. them. In order that this could be, properly put overj it was. at times necessary for Miss Crossiey to display dramatic skill and she rose to tbe occasion magnificently. In her comedy and vocal work; .too. she was mosii pleasing and had the audience with her. all the. time.

Miss Addle Taylor also gave a good account of herself she is. the possessor of a charming personality, and her items were delivered very well indeed. Miss Mickey Phillips is a great child impersonator, and became a great favourite.. Particularly good was her study of the little girl who. had lost her dog, Jock Thomson, the baritone, and Ernest Kopke the tenor t were in fi»Q voice, and charmed everyone, while Boy Brinsden, Thelma Pittard, Norman French, Norman Scurr,, and Stan? Lawson, though not as much in evidence, perhaps as others of thej company had a, big share in making the evening the success it was. Mention must* also be made of the ballet who dartced and sang their w&y gracefully through the evediijig, and provided! good support for the leading artists. | The orchestra was ably conducted! by iMiss Mina Raymond.

' Mr Hanna has surrounded himself with a company in which mediocrity /has no place and! as a result provided ar>< entertainment which was the brightest we have had for years. Let us all hope, they will soon all come "back again. They can b e assured of a warm welcome if they do.