"THE SUNSHINE GIRL."

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1874, 7 October 1913, Page 4

"THE SUNSHINE GIRL."

— . j "Tlio Sunshine Girl," a musical comedy by Paul Reubens. Cast— j Lord JJicesbor Losldo Holland) Vernon Blundell Edmund. Klicwaa Commodore Parker C. R. Baiitock;. Hodson Arthur Lteeaut Stopiieyak E<hvard Nabl<> .Frederick Hoado 3tr. William? , ion Maxwell Floot Jack Cannot/KosabcHo Grace Palotta--Mario SiHvajno Jec?eio lajihicui hminalino ... Olive Godwin Brenda Blacker Billlo Barlowe3 Delia Dalo 131anjclio Browner "Tho Sunshine Girl,'.' a now musical! comedy from th<j prolific pen of Mr.', Paul Reubens, brightened tho stage oC tho Opera Houso last evening, and keptl aa audionce that overflowed in ovory section of tho theatre laughing foi" nearly three hours. Whether it bo tho„ infhienco of. its soapy basis—its localo' i" is plainly intended to bo i Port Sun-i! light, whero soap conies from—or not), < tho nowest musical comedy is as clcaa-i and sweet as anyone could desire, from' tlio opening chorus, which deals vocally ; / with tho virtues of soap, to tho gay. • wash-up in tho finale.'' ■It shimmers with comedy of an original: order, boasts a score flcckeji with l ' bright and breezy numbers, un 3 is im-', bued with a spirit of delicious liappi-j noss, that never onco is marrod by even,' a taint of nastiness, which so often in-j vades tho rollicking domain of musical; comedy. T6 add to tho'general jojy' tho Royal Comic Opera Company is very! happy in its performance of "Tlio Sun-; shmo Girl," and both principals andi chorus appoar to tako the heartiest do-'' light in making tho fun fast and-furi-ous, whilst tho senses are charmed bv the pretty grouping, and dazzling col-; ojir combinations in dress, which tra«j verso tho stage in kaleidoscopic splon-i dour. It is, in .short, ono of tho most*, entirely satisfactory musical plays of'i its class witnessed in Wellington for a] considerable time, and ovory minute of its livoly _ action was enjoyed by the* largo audience. "Tho Sunshino Girl' beams from tho'i 'soap works. There the manager an- : nouncoß to a host of pretty soap-makers* tlia.t tho late proprietor or the business has loft an eccentric will, leaving the wholo 'of his estate—common, scented, and shaving—to his son Vernon Blun-i dell, provisional on his working five', years amongst tlio latter without become, ing engaged or married. If ho slips, into anything. approaching matrimony, tho business is to ho divided amongst tho employees, who at onco decide that ho must fall or bo pushed into tho allimportant error. Vernon, who knowß; the torms of the will, enters tho workup as an oftlinary soap-maker, and prompt-, ly falls in love with dainty Delia Dalo< without disolosing his identity. But the timo arrives when Vornoil must appear in porson at tho workß, so wishing to bo loved for himself ho inveigles one, Lord Biccstor to por j 1 sonato him, which ho does with greats success, aiid has no end of a good timo ( into tho bargain. Only ono porson has, discovered tho trick, Floot, a thirsty ox-; cabman, who is walking from Land's End to John o'Groats for a wagor, ta avoid work. Floot, who oozes an exuberant humour,_ and has an aggressivoi lisp, secures a job at tho works, and!■ thereafter pervades tho pieco as ,a rockless humorist. Mr. Vernon Blundell may make lovo to pretty Delia, His Lordship may flirt with the girls and. tho lattcr's fiancee, Lady Rosabella,. may ilounco round in charming creations with a Parisian origin; but it is ' Floot who dominates tho play from his first entrance until 'his giddy crinolined ( wifo, who had cast him oft, quenches; tho firo of his harlequin soul in a vasti restorative embrace in tho final sceno. j As mentioned beforo "Tho Sunshinon Girl" is admirably cast. Mr. Jack-' Cannot scored pronouncedly as the. work-despising Floot. He has a rich na-< tural. humour, simple and an intimate soapy humour that thoro ia. no avoiding. Ho "gags" cleverly, and. l talks about nothing in particular in a! most amusing manner. His duet "Two Nuts" with Misß Jessio Lonnen (as t Mario Silvaine) was one of the hits, of tho evening. Mr. Leslio Holland mado a brisk and debomiair Lord Bicester, and showed tho finish of an artist in his clever comedy work without ruffling tho* serenity of his perfect sartorial equipment. Ho was responsible _ for tlio 1 'bright numbers in. "Ladies" and "Mind How You go, Little Girls," both of which aro given a neat choral',' sotting. Miss Blanche Browno was Delia Dale—onco moro the tenderly appealing littlo innocent, wild stands in musical comedy for the distressed heroine in melodrama. Miss; Browno graces such roles, but hor Delia is Mary Gibbs and Prudence in another-' setting. As Marie Silvaine, Miss Jes-; sio Lonnen was delightfully at boms acting sprightly, and infusing a merry humour into her vocal numbers, "Movo On," and (with Mr. Shcrras) tho interpolated duet "Bo My Littlo b'umblo Boo." "lisß Graco Palotta was as vivacious and handsome as ever as Lady Rosabello, and mado a hit in her clever-ly-sung song "Laughing." Another success was achieved by Miss'Billio Bar-' low in tho broad character part of Brenda Bracker, and Olivo Godwin scorcd the vocal success of the ovoning in tho song "Hero's To "Lovo," whichhad the support of a full chorus. Mr. Edmund Shcrras was satisfactory asVernon Blundell, and Mr. Ed. Nablo was quite good as the vo'atiTo Frenchman Stopuoyak. Mr. Fredk. Rcado only appeared to dance tho "Gaby Glido" with Miss Loimen, which ho did most gracefully. "The Sunshino Girl"' is beautifully mo.unted, and Mr. Victor Champion's orchestra is up to tlio best standard in light opera. Tlio musical come3y will bo played to-night ami tomorrow night. On Thursday it will givo placo to "Miss Hook of Hoi' land." ■