FROCKS AT “RIO RITA.”

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17787, 12 August 1929, Page 5

FROCKS AT “RIO RITA.”

AND LOVELY HEAD-DRESSES. Old Mexico is a colourful place enough for the setting of a musical comedy, and the producers of “Rio Rita” took fullest advantage of this in the froclcing of their company. Giant head-dresses of coloured muslin, perched like big butterflies on the dark hair of the Mexican lasses who wore them, tall straw hats, peaked like witch’s caps, and panniered skirts of many colours swayed gaily in the medley of bright tints that made up the first scene, writes a Wanganui paper. Miss Glady Moncrieff, as “Rio Rita,” wore a smart frock of lacquer red silk for the opening scene, the leather gauntlet cuffs giving a picturesque “cowboy” touch. This was followed by a beautiful tiered evening gown, crusted with silver beads and matched with a mantilla of gleaming silver lace. A great spray of roses, falling from shoulder to waistline, gave a touch of warm colour. In. the second act, Miss Moncrieff wore a magnificent frock of scarlet and gold, the bodice chequered and the skirt hidden by a long golden fringe. This was worn with a Spanish shawl. An ivory and silver bridal gown with chaplet head-dress, was worn in the final scene. A dainty person indeed was Miss Janette Gilmore, the “Dolly” whose mop of yellow curls captured the hearts of the audience. Her first frock was a little jumper suit of oyster-grey crepe de chine, with pleated skirt. Her pyjamas were sensations in rose-coloured crepe de chine lace and blue ribbons. A daihly little frock of palest mauve satin and crepe de chine followed. In the second act she started off with a dancing costume of pale blue, the short skirt edged with white fur. Her next frock was of pale blue georgette and silver lace, and this was followed by a blue and white evening gown with dainty cape enect. The bridal dress was a charming little affair of uneven hem and orange blossoms.

Miss Nellie Strong, as Carmen, wore first a black and yellow picture frock with flounces of lace showing at one side of the panniered skirt, and a beautiful shawl of shadowy black and grey tones. Her second frock was of black taffetas, with long bodice and many frilled skirt, and in the second act she wore a white and silver dress whose skirt was of creamy ostrich feathers. Miss Phyllis Du Barry, as Katie Bean, looked very sweet in a simple little frock of flame georgette, sparkling with diamante drops and worn with an apricot velvet dress with its long silver train and short skirt, was a dainty item in one of the prettiest scenes in the play. fi’he frocking of the chorus throughout was perfect, and it is hard to say which scene was most attractive. Members of the various ballets were seen in leaf-green picture frocks, with mantillas of pale green lace, in smart little black and white costumes where even the wigs were divided into two colours, in golden frocks worn with dalTodil poke bonnets, as pirates, with their jaunty black felt hats livened up by gold skulls and crossbones, or in red georgette shirt blouses and golden “shorts” as Spanish boys. Thf “Montezuma’s Daughter” ballet was undoubtedly one of the most beautiful .ihaWiias- ■e.vxb ireeu a

ganui stage. Strange head-dresses of feather, straw, grasses and gleaming sequins, were a feature and Montezum’s daughter herself (Miss Eileen Hemburg) looked charming In white ■and. crystal costume and-bead-dress,