BRIGHT MUSICAL COMEDY

Taranaki Daily News, 4 August 1930, Page 14

BRIGHT MUSICAL COMEDY

“LOVE LIES” AT OPERA HOUSE. CLEM DAWE DELIGHTS HOUSE. “There a kick in the old thing yet,” said a representative of the J. C. Williamson English Comedy Company, after the show at the New Plymouth Opera House on Saturday night, and the audience enthusiastically signified its agreement with him. He was referring to the place of the legitimate stage in the realm of public entertainment following the invasion of the talkies. The impression on witnessing the first flesh and blood ffiay to be presented in New Plymouth for several months was that though the talking picture has dealt a severe blow to poorer class stage entertainments, the day of attractive plays is not gone. “Love Lies” was a three hours’ frolic packed with sparkling humour, pleasing songs and colourful scenes. A plot there was that provided a love interest and “a thing to hang things on.” Many of those things were bright gems of wit and a good proportion was supplied by Clem Dawe. But it was very far from a one-man show, important parts being taken by a dozen capable artists.. In addition, there was an excellent ballet trained to great efficiency in the popular tap-dancing, and a duo acrobatic dance number that delighted the house. Clem Dawe is a funny man. He has only to walk across the stage to create a laugh, and when he exerts himself the fun is hilarjous. With Bobby Gordon as a very able lieutenant, he w r as nearly always on the stage, and they were a full-size entertainment in themselves. In Gordon’s art school they were surrounded by many opportunities to make their fun, and when Dawe, as a medical student, was intrigued with a pair of “Gloriaswanson” eyes and “Clarabow" legs which later appeared in the studio and created an amazing matrimonial tangle, the plot developed surprisingly. Jack Stanton (Michael Cole) had also seen his fate in a pair of eyes and told their owner,. Valerie St. Clair (Betty Eley), that he was Lord Luston. Unhappily, she believed him. In fact, Stanton uas only an impossible art student. When all of these, together with Catherine Stewart (Gordon’s bride) and Junetta Martineze (Marie Eaton) were gathered in the studio there was considerable excitement, but it Was as nothing compared with what happened on the arrival of the real Lord Luston and the uncles of Dawe and Gordon. Wich and Watt, who had a controlling influence upon the young men’s financial future and a weighty effect Upon their matrimonial ventures. Junetta laid ardent suit to the unwilling Dawe, Catherine was married to both Dawe and Gordon, the course of the love of Stanton arid Valerie did not run smoothly, Lord Luston, whose titlehad been borrowed, caused complications, and both uncles, one a twice-mar-ried woman hater, the other a hard business man, took violent exception to the actions of the young people. Wills, the butler (Les White), Tommy Burden (John Wood), Inspector Hickman (Eric Edgley) and Arbuthnot (Elvie Ellis) added to the fun. The scenes laid in the school of art, the garden, Yvette’s flat and the roof garden of Lord Luston’s house at Chelsea, were uncommonly well done.

Mr. Cole has an excellent baritone voice and was heard in a number of pleasing solos, notable among which was “Happy Days are Here,” and in duets with Betty Eley, their “A House on the Hilltop” being particularly well received. Numerous other bright and catchy songs were given by members of the company, one of merit being “You Will Love Me,” by Junetta and Jerry (Dawe). An outstanding performance was that of Mona Zeppel and John Robertson, an acrobatic dance over which the house enthused. Gregory Ivanoff’s orchestra provided a very effective musical background for the whole play. “Love Lies” is good entertainment, and it attracted a large audience, whose response must encourage future tours of such a meritorious company. The representative of the company promised the audience that the play to be presented to-night, “So This is Love,” would prove even more enjoyable. “SO THIS IS LOVE.” ENGLISH COMEDY COMPANY. This evening, at the Opera House, New Plymouth, the J. C. Williamson, Ltd. English Musical Comedy Company, which includes the very popular comedian, Mr. Clem Dawe, will stage the initial and only production here of the successful comic opera, “So This is Love,” which is still attracting large audiences at the Winter Gardens, London, where it has been running continuously for 12 months. The present company achieved a remarkable success in “So This is Love” in Melbourne and Auckland recently, and critics in both cities declared it to be a much better all round musical play than “Love Lies.” The plot of “So This is Love’ ’is woven around the Honourable Peter Malden, a wealthy young bachelor millionaire, and his young woman secretary, but she refuses to marry him ®n the ground that his friends would say thaJ she “angled for his money.” The situation is explained to “Potty” Griggs, a stockbroker (Clem Dawe), who is just married, and Hap. J. Hazzard, an American “fixer” (Bobby Gordon). They decide upon a project by which it is made to appear that Malden has lost all his money. The interest is maintained right up .to the curtain’s

final fall, and during the unravelling of the story there are numerous comedy situations in which Clem Dawe takes the most prominent part and Mr. Bobby Gordon is also, it is said, highly humorous in the role of Hazzard. “So This is Love” is packed with delightful ipusical numbers, Clem Dawe’s rendering of “Tweet, Tweet,” in which he asks the audience to assist him, is said to be one of the best things this fine comedian has done. Both Miss Betty Eley and Michael Cole are seen to better advantage in “So This is Love” than in the opening opera, and several delightful numbers are attached to the parts they portroy. Others in the cast are Katherine Stewart, Mona Barlec, Compton Coutts, Paul Plunkett, Marie Eaton, Dan Agar, John Wood, Elvie Ellis and Jill. Nareen. The “tapdancing” by the Australian ballet is a feature of “So This is Love,” and so is the specialty ' feature acrobatic dance by Miss Morna Zeppel and Mr. John Robertson. The full orchestra is under the baton of Gregory Ivanoff.