MUSICAL COMEDY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 23 March 1927, Page 11

MUSICAL COMEDY.

DELI GHTE UL ENTERTAINMENT. A TALENTED COMPANY. Tho' Humphrey Bishop Musical Comedy Company earned the wann appreciation of Timaru theatre-goers last night for the excellent' pot pourri which they staged at the.- Theatre Royal. The entertainment was decidedly bright and had the merit of being off th ebeaten track. It lasted nearly three hours, and from curtain rise to curtain fall, a dull moment would have met instant death had it tried to creep in. The company visited Timaru about three years ago, and while it then possessed an . enviable reputation, it now has some new faces, and is brighter and better than ever. Its artists are versatile and skilful, and the programme goes with) a rush from start to finish, the audience being carried from one enjoyment to another in such quick-fire style that they scarcely had time to recover from one sur : prise, or laughter explosion, before they found themselves engulfed in another. Mr Humphrey Bishop, tlie head of the company, is a. Londoner, who, before assuming the role of entrepreneur, attained fame as a singei', and his appearance on tho stage last night quickly satisfied the audience that lie has lost none of his skill in the vocal art. Mr George ltoss, the comedian of the company, who comes from the land of the veldt (South Africa), has convulsed the world with his! antics as “Scratcher,” and the reason for his world-wide reputation ns an entertainer was yeadily recognised last night. Hfs topsy-turvy acts at the piano were specially good, and his fooling was of tho fresh and breezy type, characterised by more originality than is usual. A member of the company with whom last night’s audience was pleased to renew acquaintance was Mr Charles Albert, of Pollard Opera Company fame, and pleased also to see him as much at home and as happy and effective) in his work on the; stage as ever. The Indies of tho company have been very happily chosen for their respective roles, and their smart and graceful work was a pleasure to see. - To detail last night’s long programme would serve no good purpose; it is one which requires to be seen to be appreciated at its real worth, and Timaru people arc' fortunate in that they will have another opportunity of hearing them tonight. The bright music of tho overture when the. curtain first went up, gave promise of good things to come, and so it proved. Mr Bishop introduced the members of the company in original style; and there followed such a variety of numbers as could not fail to delight, even tho- most fastidious —ragtime ensemble, light comedy turns, clever dancing, plantation song scene, “The Sculptor’s Dream,” ragtime quintette, a dancing quartette, musical comedietta, vocal numbers of_ exceptional merit, including Mr Walter Kingsley, the famous London baritone, and'Mr" John Montfort, the whispering tenor, and a host of other “turns.’ One of the choicest items of the ovenwas tho misorero srono, from JI Trovatore,” by Miss. Thelma. Trott and Mr Fred. Webber, and the Anvil Chorus, of the full company. These excerpts served to show the calibre of the company, and they dial so in a striking and pleasing wav. . ' To-night the company will make their final appearance in Timaru, and last night’s performance should ensure a full house to-night.