GRAND OPERA HOUSE

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 36, 12 February 1930, Page 5

GRAND OPERA HOUSE

It is not surprising that "The Maid of the Mountains" has retained its popularity for so many years. It is one ot the few musical comedies in wincn the music outweighs the pomedy, and, as it was presented last night by the J.y Williamson company headed by Miss Lilian Crisp and Mr. Jack Ralston, it went very well indeed. Miss Crisp, as Teresa, saucy, vixenish, and tender by turns, gifted with a sympathetic voice/ and musical artistry, together with Mr. Edward- Butterworth as Beppo. a lieutenant of Baldassare's. who fruitlessly loves' Teresa, saved an otherwise weak cast vocally, and in that respect earned the whole comedy on their shoulders, but both were equal to it. "My Life is Love, "Farewell," "A Paradise for Two, and "Love Will Find a Way" .were some of the best musical numbers, while Mr. Butterworth was at his best in "Though Curs May Quail" and "A Bachelor Gay. Mr Don Nicol was the life of the play as the humorist Tonio, and invested the character with his own specialities, burlesquely terpsichorean and pseudo effeminate. Mr. John Byrne, as General Malona, made an excellent senile lover, but showed considerable agility in the dance during his duet with Teresa, When You're in Love." ■ One of the most humorous scenes was the duet and clever business, "Dirty Work," between Malona and Tonic Another good piece of work was the crying duet between Vittoria (Miss Edna Ralston) and Tonio. Pat and Terry Kendall in a tango dance Specialty were all fire and glide, and were in a class of their own. The brigands were duly burly and brutal, but the large chorus was rather poor in volume. As Baldassare, the brigand chief, Mr. John - Ralston was the centre of many happenings.