Students’ Revue Is Fast-moving Frolic

Press, Volume C, Issue 29500, 29 April 1961, Page 9

Students’ Revue Is Fast-moving Frolic

In a fast-moving and light-hearted frolic poking fun at Christchurch’s Channel 5 television, students of the University of Canterbury got away to a good start with their 1961 revue, “Much Ado About Naught,” in the Civic Theatre last evening. Several parts of this year’s script must have ■ gone very close to extinction at the hands of the censor, but there was much more which was good humour, presented vigorously and well. The irrepressible volubility of Polly Mcßlab, interviewing the rector, was a highlight of the first part of the programme, and many laughs came from a Christchurch international airport scene where an American, who had arrived to sell the hole for the Lyttelton road tunnel, was interviewed. “Hackney McCriggs” explained how he made a living selling loopholes to American politicians. Sandy Friggs battled his way through a show at the Fandango restaurant, and the music provided by the Queenstown Trio was enjoyed enough for them to invite their own encore. The night club girls performing ballet were a feature of this welldirected and presented scene. Television thrillers also came in for their fair share of abuse. Barrie Mclntire as Randy Bone appeared in hip waders and investigated the nefarious activities of a city at night.

Robin Hood and his merry men tripped their way daintily across the footlights in probably the best-pre-sented scenes of the whole show. The forest fantasy presented by the College House ballet troupe provided enjoyable relief and variety. Lady Shatterme’s Lover, accompanied by his henhouse ballet, roosters and all, and the Rolleston House ballet, appearing as flowers, all took their parts well and combined to make most enterprising and humorous situations. The show concluded with “Guns Poke,” a story of the

Wild West in the raw, in which Jake the stranger pitted his skill against Handle Bars Marlone—the man who jammed a parking meter for two hours before he tied his horse to it. The modern touch is added to all the musical accompaniment in this year’s show by Chuck Fowler, and Betty Carnochan has achieved good results with the ballet groups. Some of the enunciation last evening needed attention, but this fault will probably be cured for later presentations. The revue will continue tonight and each night next week.