VARIETY POPULAR.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 519, 30 July 1932, Page 30 (Supplement)

VARIETY POPULAR.

London Theatres Doing Remarkable Business. According to advice received from London, variety is now gaining favour. The following is an extract from a letter received from the London manager of Chas. Begg and Co., Ltd:— “ Several of the large West End cinemas have now changed over to variety and dispensed with films entirely. They run a continuous performance commencing at 2 o’clock and concluding at midnight. This is a move in the right direction for the musicindustry as it re-introduces full orchestras, and a great portion of variety programme consists of musical items. These continuous performances are meeting with success and queues are continually waiting to gain admittance. For instance, the London Pavilion box office receipts for one week were £3400. and this is only one theatre. This idea will, no doubt, extend to New Zealand eventually.”

Under the caption, “ Non-stop Variety,” the London “ Evening Standard ’ has the following:

London’s non-stop variety shows have now reached a high standard of excellence, and the Pavilion and the Phoenix have imparted a new lease of life to the entertainment world by giving a chance to young talent. At the Phoenix, for example (writes ” Domino”), there is a young dancer named Glen Ellyn, who promises to go far. Another “ discovery ” is Ada Peel, whose numbers are well ” put over.” Youth and energy are, indeed, the principal factors of this show. Dora Maughan is singing some new and catchy numbers, which are bound to become popular, and is still sharing the duties of hostess with a genial host in< Johnny Bull.

At the Pavilion there are ten fresh acts, most of them new to the London

stage. Here again new talent has been found, and prominent among the performers is Anna Rogers, an eighteen-

year-old mimic who gives a remarkable impersonation of Gracie Fields. A young brother of Gracie Fields provides a musical comedy turn, while turns only recently arrived in the country are The Kemmvs, comedy acrobats, and the Rigoletto Brothers, and the Five 'Hot Shots, both in excellent dancing acts.