"DIANE DEVELOPS"

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 118, 11 January 1932, Page 6

"DIANE DEVELOPS"

ROTORUA AMATEURS IN MUSICAL COMEDY Well drilled, attractive ballets, bright choruses, abundant humour, and capable stage managing, all contributed to the appeal of the threeact musical comedy, "Diane Devel-, ops" which the Rotorua amateurs staged again last Friday evening. The production which was under the direction of the well-known amateur producers, Messrs. O. Cardston and J, Davidson-Baxter, was one of the brightest amateur shows which Rotorua has seen for some time. The ballets were charmingly dressed and for this credit must go to the wardrobe mistress, Mrs. Duncan Steele. They were also excellently drilled and danced with a unison that is not always apparent in amateur performances. Various popular numbers were interpolated and were very well rendered both in solo and chorus. The plot, like all musical comedy, was incidental to the music but it offered abundant seope for intriguing and amusing situations. In the cast one character was outstanding and that was the socially aspiring and matrimonially ambitious Madame Pazooti, proprietress of the hotel and mother of the fair Diane. Mr. J. Davidson-Baxter played this comedy role in a manner that itself ensured success. His verbosity never flagged and his appreciation of the humorous made the most of many 1 entertaining opportunities. The part of Diane was well taken by Miss Gay Thompson. Opposite her was Mr. Colin Shorter as the Prince disguised as a bell-boy, a part which he took convincingly. Mr. F. Jones as the_ designing Prince and villain of the piece was on occasions very i good. The two attendant and excessively polite counts were well characterised by Messrs. N. Steele and T. Carnachan, while the part of the excitable and ultra-Gallic hotel manager was well played by Mr. C. Cottrell. Another charming lady was Krusha the telephone girl,. played by Miss Avon Hawkins, while Miss Rose Campney was a very satisfactory Paris modiste. With the bright singing and ballets, and a gay mannequin parade the i whole production was a very presentable effort on which the Rotorua amateurs are to be congratulated. The final two performances are to be given next Thursday and Friday.