THE RED DANDIES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2535, 9 August 1915, Page 2

THE RED DANDIES

RETURN OF JIR, CLAUDE DAMPIER, , Of all the tones of Dandies that Mr. 1 Edward Branscoinbe fathers, the. most J popular one, in Wellington at all events, has always been Red. And to draw a Conclusion from tho reception accorded ■ to the Rod Dandies 011 their return to 1 tlio Concert Chamber on Saturday evon- 1 ing the public does not look like wav- ] oring in its allegiance. When it is stat- ] ed.as the hare truth that tho Concert 1 Chamber could have been filled over ; again on Saturday with the overflow, one ' seeks for tlio cause, as the personnel of the company is, with tliree excep- i tions, changed from whav it was two : years ago. One of those exceptions is i the magnet that attracts—Mr. Claude ■ Dampier, tho most naturally humorous 1 jester seen in this class of business, and an eccentric comedian of extraordinary attributes. Ho creatcd shrioks of laugh- 1 tor by being told funny stories and re- ! tolling t'hem in a has'licd-up form to a : third party; with Miss Irene Vere, ho sang well-established "rags," showing a serviceable facility as a pianist, and then as an outrageously gaunt burlesquo curate lie sang "At Our Tango Tea Last Week," delivered with a master snuffle a very amusing sermon on the text beginning. "Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man," and, still in tho eurato vein, made the "church announcements for the week" (an old favourite). Mr. Dampier was given a most enthusiastic reception, and his ability to raiso roars of laughter is undiminished. Tho company all round is a good one. Miss Ireno Vere is more finished in her work and has better stylo generally than when last here, and her ragtime songs, "He Promised Me," "All Aboard for Dixie," "Tho Old Banjo," and, with Mr. Dampier, "Got Out and Get Under," and "Oh, Oh, Oh," were sung with moro vim and a finer comedy point than Miss Vere has realised heretofore! Miss Vere also struck a patriotic note in the song "Hxillo, There, Tommy Atkins," in which the company appears a. la militaire, and from out a bouquet of national flags steps a miniature Red Cross nurse (Miss Dampier) to sing tho refrain in infantilo Chra Buttesque | tones. Miss Ida Newton is a quiet but subtlo 60ubrette whose methods appealed to Saturday's audience. She sang "Take Mo Up," "Willie will You Leave Off Winking " "Poppy," and, most 'effectively, "Courting and Married," and "You Never Can Tell." Mr. Oliver Peacock's voico and method have improved.. Ho sang in good style "111 the Sunshine of Your Smile," "Motlicr Machree," "Birth of Morn," and "Thine Only," and other ballads worth while. Miss Mona Thomas has a, light sweet soprano, and song "My Moon," "A Perfect Day," and "I Do Love You, My Orango Girl," very sweetly. Mr. Harry Borrodailo is a versatile performer—merry and bright in a subdued manner, and became popular at once tiirongfi his excellent choice of comic songs, whicli included "Mr. Conductor" (a two-step ditty), "Cupids in tho Briny," and "Gladys." Later he became aggressively dramatic in- tho 1110110loguo, "Devil May Care," and Henry ClTappell's "The Day." Mr. John Wei. by lias a baritono voice, tho peculiar tone of which suggests bf-.sso profundity without ever realising it. He sings carefully with' excellent enunciation suob songs as ."The Veteran's Song" and "The Deathless Army "- Tlio "Reels'/ possess all able violiuis'; in Mr. Cyril Connolly. The "business" and support 0110 artist accords the other points to ;rood stago management, and a clever head at work behind tho footlights. The ensemble, "Who Killed Bill Kaiser,' is cleverly comic, and the "Nancy" trio, "Cilthbert, Clarence, and Claude" by Messrs. Borrodaile, Wclby, and Connolly was nonsensically amusing, as was also "If the World were Ruled by Girls." In Miss Rima Young, the Red Dandies possess an accompanist and solo pianist) of artistic distinction. She is a tower of strength to tho show. Tho "Reds" aro here for three wcoks to come.