EXHILARATING MUSICAL PLAY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17756, 28 January 1926, Page 5

EXHILARATING MUSICAL PLAY.

“LEAVE IT TO JANE.” The box plans for the J. C. Williamson Musical Comedy season which begins at the Theatre Royal on Saturday next and during which will be presented "Leave It To Jane” and “Whirled Into Happiness” will open at the Bristol Piano Company this morning. Thus the critic of the Sydney “Sun” on “Leave It to Jane,” the latest J. C. Williamson Musical Comedy:—‘ Leave It To .Jane’ is a brand of musical play, the theme being that of the strange game of football in which the American undergraduates mangle each other. There were many smart songs, a lavish display of beautiful clothes, and beautiful beings who wore them, artistic ballets, haunting refrains, and light ana grotesque humour. The new comedian, Athol Tier, was aptly fitted into a grotesque part, in which his pathetic features and his weird limbs, and the clever use he made of his feet, won an instant success. He was emphatically a ‘find.’ Another find is Dorothy Lena, a delightfully piquant soubrette. Iler performance of Flora Wiggins, the college athletic girl, is a splendid example of clever character acting.” “Leave It To Jane” is a freshly picked musical comedy from U.S.A. about boys’ college life, and football matches. Mona Barlee. a bright young Australian, is to fill the role of Jane, who fixes things. Athol Tier plays “Bub Hicks” a country bumpkin whose father brings him to join college and Leyland Hodgson is to be the new juvenile lead. Elma Gibbs will play Bessie Tanner, and Harry Wotton and Hugh Steyne are in the cast, the two last, as the respective fathers of Athol Tier and Harry Williams. Leyland Hodgson and Fred M'Kav are to be college lads in the rival teams. The lyrics are by P. G. Wodehouse (which sounds promising) and the music by Jerome Kern, which sounds harmoni-

“Leavc It To Jane” will be played for the first five nights and will be followed for the last five nights of the ten nights’ season by “Whirled Into Happiness.*’ There will be a matinee of “Leave It, To Jane” next. Wednesday. The company is, according to contemporaries, enjoying a remarkably successful season in Wellington.