"WHOOPEE NIGHTS"

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 36, 13 February 1933, Page 3

"WHOOPEE NIGHTS"

NEW REVUE' PROGRAMME

Capacity audiences at the Grand Opera House on Saturday afternoon and evening saw the third programme of the Frank Keil-J. C. Williamson vaudeville-revue company, and adjudged the new version one of the best of the series. "Whoopee Nights" certainly justified its title, being a pot pourri o£ comedy, near-drama, spectacular ensembles, sprightly dancing, and sensational acrobatics. In a gay carnival setting of giant balloons, the company introduced its amazing .variety of turns, put on at lightning speed, with background ever changing, and ballet girls who provide as pretty a frieze, as has ever been seen on the theatre stage. Two performances a day seem not to tire the performers, who must be complimented on their vitality.

Every appearance of diminutive George Wallace brought deafening applause, the audience being assured the maximum o£ tun as soon as he mooched on to the stace and took everybody into his confidence. Whether impersonating a millionaire pending, mythical millions with a lavish nand; dancing a neat step-dance with his collaborator Maurice Barling- or burlesquing with the same conspirator a classical balloon dance (both dressed as ballet girls—Cascara and Magnesia—cutting ridiculous capers while solemnly intent upon their rhythm), Mr. Wallace was the gallant little fun-getter. Disguised more like a tram conductor than "Ambo the Ambulance Man," in a hilarious sketch on resuscitation, he was exceedingly funny, the final strychnine scene being shared by Messrs Maurice Diamond, Billy Moloney, and Maurice Barling. As the count in a and William Liddle, he was as nenrlysenousas a comedian is allowed to be His part as the bibulous husband in a bedroom sketch with Maida Jones was tunny, and in a telephone tangle he was a patient subscriber resorting to long dis-s tance to get his number "just round the corner. A new angle to his versatility Caml\ n an unexpectedly good exhibition or chalk work on a board, whereon he filled in a pictorial scene described in song by Miss Maggie Buckley. Rounds of applause greeted this novel act. An amusing burlesque on Ottawa,was included under the title "Propaganda." Miss Ella Shields had the audience with her i'ronx the moment she stepped on to the stage, to sing, in faultless male attire, such tunfeul songs as "Sing a Song of Sunshine]" "Sitting on Top 6£ the World," "If You Knew Susie" (in French, German, and English), and "Burlington Bertie." Her vocal contributions, were varied with jaunty dance,■' clever miming, and whistling. With Murray and Walton, dancers, and other members of the company, Miss Shields introduced "Georgia," which was the excuse for a spectacular finale. Salvoes of sincere applause followed Mies Shields' turn. ■■-.■'■.-

The Four Diaboloß varied their sensational acrobatic act by'movements that made the audience gasp, and the svelte little lady, who is used as a skipping rope or thrown about in perpendicularl or horizontal positions, also showed terpsichorean talent in a tango with a partner in the "Sunny Spain" group, and an Apache dance in the Chinese den scene. Miss Miriam Lester's well-trained soprano made the most of her "Sunny Spain" number, the ballet girls lending colourful. animation with tambourine and shawl dances. With William Liddle.she sang a charming "Angelus" number in a rural setting of wheat and poppies, and with Ray Trewern, a Wellington singer, the Miserere duet from "II Tiovatore" —an exceptionally good item. Miss Lester was dainty in crinoline in a "Blue Danube" song, the ballet girls again enhancing with their full-skirted movements. She was soloist in a Chinese scena to "Limehouse Blues" and in the Indian scene introducing some gorgeous headdresses manipulated by models from the ballet and chorus. Messrs. Barling and Moloney were excellent foils to Mr. Wallace in a number of sketches, and scored personal hits in several acts with the ballet girls. Maida Jones sang and danced with vim, and was always happy and bright. Murray and Walton contributed simultaneous danciDg in their usual expert fashion, as well as comic relief.in an "On Deck" ballet with the girls,, whose hornpipe was a joy to see, Tlie ten girls who comprise Maurice Diamond's beauty ballet again gave per-fectly-timed dance steps of amazing variety; changed at quick-speed tempo, and were on and off in a bewildering array of costumes. Misses Buckley and Molloy pave valuable aid in sketches, and Wally Reynolds and his players were in complete harmony with every act. The programme will be repeated every afternoon and evening this week.