THEATRE ROYAL.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18906, 22 January 1927, Page 8

THEATRE ROYAL.

"IS ZAT SO ? » Speaking of the- first performance of "Is Zat So J" which opens on Saturday next at tho Theatro Eoyal, tho Sydney "Telegraph" writes: " 'Merry and bright' Bbould be the motto written over tho entrance to the Palace Theatro during the stay there of the clever American comedy 'ls Zat So!' which opened to a crowded house. It is full of ludicrous and most laughable situations, and the characterisation was brilliantly sustained." , , The joint authors, James Oleason ana Richard Taber, are both accomplished actors, and porhaps that is ono reason why the play acts so well. It certainly sails along with great smoothness, to the pleasant accompaniment of much boisterous laughter. The story is ono of unflinching realism, but not of tho ugly sort, embroidered with- a quaintly pretty little love interest, and the people 'in it are real people with sufficient of quaintness to make them amusing. Richard Taber played the part of Chic Cowan, an aspiring light-weight champion, and something of a "bonehead/' with genuine humour and a subtlo insight into the peculiarities of tho character. His manager, Hap Hurley, was played by Hale Norcross with just the right touch of superiority to contrast most laughably with the humorous simplicity at his charge. Barrie Livesoy, as' the drunken Englishman, who is reformed by the two fighting men after ho introduces them'into his sister's homo, as butler and footman respectively, makes up a capital trio of fun merchants.

Good, clean humour is produced by the absurd adventures of Chic. His Bentimcnt makes him an easy prey for the girls, and Hap • Hurley declares he is putting romance before business. In tlio end Hap himself looks into , the eyes of a pretty stenographer, and there are signs of a double marriage when the curtain falls.

v Thcy are all real people, humanly felt in "Is Zat So?" and they behave accordingly. A rare bit of good acting was the love scene between Chic and his lady-lovo (Mary Ellen Hanley). * Besides the excellent work done by Richard Taber and Halo Norcross, fino character studies were givon by' Barrio Livesey as Mrs Parker's brother, Clinton Blackburn; Sibil Jane as Sue Parker, the badly-treated wife of Robert Parker; Mary Ellen Hanley as Chic's girl; and Maude Carroll as Marie, tho typist with whom Hap falls in love. Boxplans open on Tuesday at Tho Bristol.