“SUNNY” CONCLUDES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 416, 26 July 1928, Page 16

“SUNNY” CONCLUDES

“MERCENARY MARY” TO-NIGHT COMPANY’S CONTINUED SUCCESS “Sunny” was played for the last night of its season at St. James Theatre last evening. “Mercenary Mary,” produced by the same company, will commence this evening. In the final performance of “Sunny,” Miss Elsie Prince, Mr. Jimmy Godden and their excellent supports were at top-notch form, and the bright, breezy show struck a healthy note of appeal with the big audience. In their captivating versatility—now winsome, now vivacious—Miss Prince fitted the role like a glove, and played up splendidly to Godden’s snappy humour and spontaneous quips. Charlton Morton and Betty Lambert, in their number, “Two Little Blue Birds,” made a hundred per cent, hit, and gave three recalls. The other members of the cast were well received in their supporting roles. The change of bill for to-night gives the versatile performers refreshing scope in “Mercenary Mary,” a musical comedy with sidelights upon the facilities for divorce in America. Miss Elsie Prince, of course, is Mercenary Mary, and plays opposite Jimmy Godden, the meek and subdued husband. It requires only a mention of these parts to realise how well the performers have been chosen for their parts— Miss Prince, go-getting, practical, full of fire; Godden screamingly funny in his affected meekness and submission. The keynote of “Mercenary Mary” is hilarious fun, and a delightfully romantic theme trickles through—touching here and there to wait for some clever musical turns. The big hit is the Elsie Prince-Jimmy Godden duet, “I’m a Little Bit Fonder of You,” while Godden works his audience up to the verge of hysteria with his doleful song, “My Sweetie’s Turned Me Down.” The musical score teems with haunting melodies and catchy songs. Some of them are: “Thinking of You,” “Honey, I’m In Love With You,” “Mercenary Mary,” “Tie a String Round Your Finger,” “Give a Little —Get a Little —Kiss,” “Dipping in the Moonlight.” Fun and variety are the body and soul of “Mercenary Mary.” All the costars with the two principals will have appropriate roles. Miss Betty Lambert, Miss Elsie Parkes, Mr. Charlton Morton and the snappy eccentric dancers, who were such a success in “Archie” and “Sunny,” will fill the stage with cheer and happiness, with a sparkling background of the fast-step-ping and capable chorus. “Mercenary Mary” will run for a week, with matinees.