LEVANTE DELIGHTS WITH MAGIC, MIRTH, MUSIC; BRIGHT SHOW

Wanganui Chronicle, 8 November 1949, Page 6

LEVANTE DELIGHTS WITH MAGIC, MIRTH, MUSIC; BRIGHT SHOW

Three lady members of the Levante show's first Wanganui audience last night must have been doubting the Great Levante’s prowess as a magician, as they watched him carelessly flatten out their gold linger rings with a hammer and, after placing the mangled jewellery into a pistol, fire it at a box suspended at the edge of the stage. Their doubts were allayed, however, when after extracting a number of progressively smaller boxes, from the first he brought forth the rings, neatly tied to a small posy, and each none the worse for its experience. This was only one of the numerous amazing happenings which went on in the spacious canvas theatre in Cook’s Gardens last night. For more than two hours and a-half he held his enthusiastic audience in close attention. Some of the more startling ranged from putting a young lady through a keyhole, and transferring another woman from a locked trunk and replacing her there himself. Both these latter jets were staged in front of members of the audience who were invited on the stage. Levante alone is superb entertainment, but the supporting acts which give added variety to this show would hold their own in any company. Matt Hanley, who produced the show, is a comedian who keeps his audience laughing and the performance going non-stop. The company's ventriloquist, Max Barry, evokes mirth from a talking bottle and later two dolls, while Will Duffy can apparently do most things with his fleet of trick cycles. A contortionist, Marcia Farrar, and a particularly good team of acrobats, Bernard and Sonia, make the kind of entertainment which is always popular. Musically the show is rather unique. A Hammond organ and drums do the work of a full orchestra and serve to show the scope of the organ for both serious and modern music. Miss Wyn Hail is the organist and the vocalists are Miss Yvonne Carrier, Miss Doreen Udell and Tom Richards. The ballet group, headed by Maree Austin, together with some particularly effective stage scenery, forms a pleasing supplement for many of the vocal numbers.

A canvas theatre is a new departure in New Zealand, although it is well established in America and Australia, and the staging of the Levante show in this type of theatre, if anything, adds to its appeal. The show is scheduled for a six night season with a matinee presentation of the pantomime, “Dick Whittington,’ tomorrow (Wednesday). The show is one that should not be missed.