OPERA HOUSE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1481, 12 September 1918, Page 32

OPERA HOUSE.

Heading the bill at the Opera House this week in an amusing novelty turn are the Lampini Bros., who have an inscrutable offering in the Rasputin illusion, presented in the form of a wax head model which talks and answers questions at the instigation of Lampini. Some smart sleight-of-hand tricks are performed by one of the brothers, and the other does some laughable acrobatic work in the course of his “dummy” stunts. They start off with weird tricks that hold the attention of the audience, and when they have brought them up to astounding point drop the bottom out of mystery and expose the tricks as if by accident. The act caused plenty of merriment at its first showing on Monday, and the performers established themselves in favour from the

start. Boy Bonham, a happy-faced lad, made his first appearance and created something of a sensation by his acrobatic agility, expressed in startling contortionist feats and poses performed in neat and graceful style. Mr. Brandon Cremer and Miss Kathleen Arnold were very successful in their new playlet, “The Wrong Room,” in which a college girl and a sophomore are the principal characters. Plenty of merriment was caused through the complications that set in, and both artists put in effective comedy work. Leywood and Norell, who made good last week in a breezy interlude, proved they have a good fund in reserve, their turn being built of humorous dialogue and a brightlyarranged duet that resulted in vociferous applause. Emerson and Hasto were another popular team to serve up a musical potpourri, Mr. Emerson’s elongated appearance heightening the effect of his comic absurdities. Miss Marjorie Alwyn, an attractive figure in rich orange and gold taffetas, met with general favour for her ballad singing. Gale and little Sadie supplied a lively few minutes in song and dance. Kingsley and Graham had a fresh budget of songs and jokes, Mr. Fred Webber displayed his skill on several musical instruments, and Mr. Phil Percival held up the house with his own particular style of comedy at the piano.