PRINCESS THEATRE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19994, 11 January 1927, Page 13

PRINCESS THEATRE.

Just comma lea autres I A little farce, a little fun, a lot of laughter and not a little 'wit, to say nothing of Hector St. Clair’s age-old but irresistible make-up, are the features of this week’s revue at the Princess Theatre. The playette type of revue appears to have been superseded on the stage at the Princess Theatre by the not less popular series of vignettes and burlesques. The Hector St. Olair Revue Company plays well up to standard this week in “Contrasts,” which consist of » number of humorous and clever little pieces interspersed with interludes by the comedian himself and enjoyable musical numbers by other members of the company. In an opening chorus set to a familiar, if elusive, air the whole announces the opening of the programme. The first farce is entitled ‘‘lntroduce Me,” in which “the Two Mugs (Hector St. Clair and Victor Roberts) confer on the matter of the most effective and unobtrusive method of forcing one s attention upon a lone and attractive young lady in the park. Two rebuffs and the loss of a pocket wallet, which has been used u a means of opening up a conversation, convince “the Mugs” of the futility of their system, but the last straw is watching another man accomplish an introduction with ridiculous ease, and taking the maiden to squander the contents of the wallet- “ The Listener In” follows soon after, and here “the hero” (Hector St. Clair) in saving a damsel m “stress from the strangling hands of the villain, spoils a film m the struggling pair he encounters are the central figures. The feature of the piece is the clever repartee of the comedian, who heckles the villain from behind a tree, as that worthy is announcing his fell purpose to his victim. A clever little sketch is “Solitary Confinement,” in which a convict a warder, a chaplain, and a vapid youth named Norman, are the players. The convict (St. Clair) is fed up and is “quite sure there are better, jails somewhere.” handcuffs are too. big, and his neighbour in the next ceU insists on coming home at 4 a.m. and bringing girls home and dancing to tbe gramophone His complaints are of no avail, but the warder (Victor Roberts) secures a pardon and gives him a termer to help {dm on his way. For this he is shot because “he’s too good to live. The chapfain (Roy M'Lean) makes a great effort to save the convict’s soul, but Tie will not think of the future In Keep to the Right” there is the mother (Lillian Grey), the son (Leslie Pearce), and the two pals (St. Clair and M‘Lean). The son returning home from abroad, with his two pals, after a term in gaol, makes fervent resolutions to keep to the right i ,n three arrive home to find the motners house mortgaged to the local grocer and the note due. The two pals piomise to Seat the obligation. . They wb the s safe and the moneys paid to j juffhiie creditor. A receipt is demanded, and while the unsuspecting grocer agOßha name the nals remove the wad and return it to tne safe from which it was stolon, renewing then their vows of probity. The art piece is certainly not the best. bt. Mair has thrown aside his make-up and appears with Leslie Pearce, Victor Roberts, and Nettn Rodney in a crude burlesque on “White Cargo,* 1 entitled “Black Baggage. Two drink-sodden Englishmen, a voluptunative girl, Ungainlee, and a youth fresh from Home occupy the stage. And although the element of humour is not altogether lost sight oh a .few mcKients am l lives might have been omitted without abetting the programme greatly. Throughout the sketches the comedian was well suppoi.ed by the remainder of the company, .and the audience was kept greatly amused the sparkle, and free-and-easy nature of the entertainment. Hector St. El air, in a solo turn, entiled “Just Himself, was very funny, and by his spontaneity and impromptu wit indicated no small degree of talent. Some excellent musical items were rendered, the most acceptable of which was “ Always, a duet by Hylton Osborne and Maylin Maguill. assisted by six crinolined chorus girls. Miss Maguill is a singer of no little merit. Leslie Pearce was well received in tell tlic Bose,” and “Just Around the Corner, while the Rodney girls had plenty of admirers in two excellent turns. Ray M'Lean and Dot Creswell were distinctly popular in their mirror dance. Hylton Osborne sang “Just a Cottage Small to good effect. The curtain drops with the entire company singing I hat s All mere Is There Ain’t No more. “The first half of the programme included some very popular turns. Ihe opening item is an interesting gazette of topical news, and is followed by. a reappearance of Grant and Bates in new nigger melodies and witty cross-talk. A new turn is that of the two Daleys, whose musical tete-a-tete provoked great merriment. Throughout their .musical patter and parody was characterised by a clean wholesome, and a virulent condemnation of the genus “ ‘wowser.” The Scottish entertainers, M'Donald and Payne, had another good night, and lost none of their popularity as a result of a breezy and clever turn. The programme will be repeated each night this week.