HIS MAJESTY’S

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 83, 29 June 1927, Page 17

HIS MAJESTY’S

To-morrow morning at Lewis R. Eady and Son, Ltd., the box plans will be opened at nine o’clock for the approaching representations of the stupendous musical comedy, “Lady, Be Good,” which is to be staged, for a brief season, beginning at His Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday afternoon and night next, by the very popular “No, No» Nanette” Company, which includes those brilliant artists Miss Elsie Prince, Mr. Jimmy Godden and Mr. Charlton Morton. The unqualified success won by these and the other members of the company in “No, No, Nanette” has naturally whetted the appetites of playgoers to witness them in another piece, so it is quite likely that there will be a very heavy demand for seats tomorrow morning. “Lady, Be Good” is said to be a very swift-moving comedy, sparkling all the way, with numerous musical numbers, brilliant dances, beautiful ensembles and the comedians have unlimited scope for funmaking. “Lady, Be Good,” which proved a rec-ord-breaker in New York and London, was purchased at an enormous figure by Sir Benjamin and Mr. John Fuller. There were other Australian managers out for it but the Fullers had to purchase it because its principal characters they realised were exactly the type suitable for Elsie Prince, Jimmy Godden and Charlton Morton. That they were right in their judgment has been borne out by the fact that these three brilliant artists scored their best triumphs in “Lady, Be Good,” in Melbourne, where it ran for over 15 weeks. All of the modern stage tendencies are embraced in “Lady, Be Good,” one of the dominant features being an unceasing sequence of dancing, both specialty and ballet. In many of the numbers the Charleston movements are introduced with wonderful effect. Mr. Leonard Rich, who was sent over from Australia for the part of Dick Trevor, has scored a sensational success in it, and another new member of the company is Mr. Jack Smith, whose sensational specialty dance is one of the features of the production. THE STRAND HUMPHREY BISHOP CO. An excellent programme of pictures and vaudeville is now being presented at the Strand Theatre twice daily. The Humphrey Bishop Company appears in numbers from its extensive new repertoire. “Scratcher” Ross gives a new version of his “Scratcherisms,” first as the “Mocking Bird” and “The Pickled Porter,” while Arthur Hemsley has the assistance of Marie Landon in a screamingly funny sketch, “Arguments,” and he also appears in a new comicality. Charles Albert is heard in an entirely new role as “Dismal Desmond,” and in association with the ballet, presents a pretty song scena, “Six Pretty Maids.” Thelma Trott and Doris Pretty have a delightful musical specialty, and John Montfort and Elaine May have a pleasing duet, “It’s Too Late to be Sorry Now”; the former is to be associated with Walter Kingsley in another of their popular duets. An operatic excerpt from Tannhauser” is rendered by the complete company, Mr. Walter Kingsley contributing the solo items. On the screen is shown “She,'’ an adaptation of Sir H. Rider Haggard’s famous novel. It telle the story of “Ayesha—She-Who-M uet - Pe- Obeyed,” an immortal queen wh* rules a catacomb city, and who :• awaiting the reincarnation of her lover, for whom she has waited for 1% o thousand years. Miss Betty Blythe plays “Ayesha,” while Carlyle Blackwell plays Kallikrates, her lover. REGENT BALLROOM LONG NIGHT TO-NIGHT A long night will be held in the Regent Ballroojn this evening when the latest in popular “hits” will be played by the orchastra. To-morrow night the usual popular session will take place, prices for ladies being Is Gd, upd gentlemen 2s Gd.