GREAT FARCE COMEDY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 840, 7 December 1929, Page 20

GREAT FARCE COMEDY

“GLAD RAG DOLL’ LAUGHS AT THE PLAZA The broadest and merriest of | comedies was shown at the Theatre last evening:, and it thoroughly delighted everyone. This picture. Glad Rag Doll." came to town tieally unheralded, but when night’s audience tell theix friends what a bright thing it is that will be medied without a doubt. “The Glad Rag Doll” is one lon chuckle from end to end. In the first place the title is a mi nomer. It ought to be “SnotehJj Under Fire,’* or “A Show’ ciiri Society,” or something like that be cause it recounts the surprising ai t. certainly amusing adventures if 1 musical comedy actress in the hom & circle of a wealthy, exclusive, an l snobbish Philadelphian family.’ sizes them all up, exposes their weak* nesses pretty plainly, then retires un defeated in full marching order The beautiful actress, Dolores Co* tello, plays the leading role, and piav" it well. Her voice is rich and fun There is a long supporting cast, evervt one of whom is heard speaking. The story open with Jimmie Fair* child, youngest son i==r —-

of a. noble house in Philadelphia, in New Tork, and madly in love with Annabella Lea, an actress. Jimmie’s little peculiarity is that he is chockfull of poetry, and quotes appropriate verses at every incident.

Jimmie is recalled home and soundly admonished by his eldest brother, “the head of the family.” Nothing daunted, Anabella follows him, and arrives at the same time as the newspapers with details of her latent scandal. The aristocratic Fairchilds are horror-struck. There is only one way to scare, or rather freeze, her off —let her stay and see just how a correct and really proper family conducts itself. . Then the fun begins. Annabels “jazzes up" a formal dinner party, flirts with all the men, and in general gives the worthy Fairchilds cold shivers of righteous indignation. During the night, however, the tables are turned. Various episodes bring to light the secret life of the would-be exclusives. The stately, queenly-looking aunt is a kleptomaniac, the daughter of the house is in love with the chauffeur, the portly uncle is on more than friendly terms with a housemaid, and so oa. Annabella learns it all, delivers a pretty severe lecture at breakfast next morning, and moves on. The first part of the programme with a brilliant collection of talkie feature items was most enjoyable. There is a series of sea songs by Gus Reed, and his Frolickers, a particularly fine male quartet, and Oswald the Rabbit cartoon, a two-act playlet about burglars, several songs by June Pursell, including “My Idea of Heaven,’* and finally a Paramount Sound News with events of the day in sight and sound.