SPLENDID VAUDEVILLE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 101, 20 July 1927, Page 15

SPLENDID VAUDEVILLE

DICK HENDERSON’S SUCCESS AMUSING THEATRICAL FARE An all-vaudeville company'no longer consists of one good turn sandwiched between several of the mediocre variety. Last evening J. C. Williamson presented a company at His Majesty’s Theatre, which contained at least four “top-liners,” and none of which was without merit in its own particular way. From a spine-tickling trapeze act which opened the bill to another which ended it, the programme was one of excellent entertainment, and at times exceedingly fruity. First of all, meet Mr. Dick Henderson, a comedian who obtains his laughs with loss f'ffnrl -

with less effort than any other comedian we know’. A plump little man in a bowler hat, devoid of the usual comedy make - up, gathered in the laughs like a reaper in harvest time. Apart from his ability as a humorist, he possesses a remarkably fine singing voice and showed its worth in a

straight song. But Mr. Henderson is the born comedian. He eddied on to the stage and poured out a torrent of confidential and domestic patter, which left the audience rather helpless. It was done with a simplicity which is the hallmark of ability. The patter drifted into a song, with Mr. Henderson kittenishly skipping round the stage. This gave way to a speech of thanks which w*as as intentionally amusing as the patter. Another song and another speech of thanks, still more amusing, ended an excellent performance. Mr. Phil Rich, of the Rich and Adair duo, is a master of make-up and another fine comedian. His old man grown young is a thing of joy. He has turned rheumatism into comedy as no other character comedian has done, and his collection of jests is new and refreshing. Miss Alyce Adair is his decorative assistant, and in addition to imbuing his with young ideas, joins in a sentimental song number which is not without charm.

Two light-footed young Frenchmen, "Les Zenga Freres,” present a simultaneous dance turn which is magical in its perfection and vastly amusing. One member of the duo adopts a Harold Lloyd expression and is responsible for most of the comedy. Their description of the origin of modern dancing was highly diverting, especially the origin of the Egyptian dance —an impersonation of a traffic inspector on duty in Queen Street. These dancers have the inimitable French faculty for burlesque. Valencia was responsible for one of the hair-raising trapeze acts. It was something new in this form of entertainment and certainly alarming in its recklessness. Swinging out over the audience on a loose rope Valencia suddenly decided to lie at his ease, or, suddenly twining his feet in the rope, swing his head only a few inches from the stage.

Lovers of canaries will certainly appreciate Belmont’s Canary Opera. Dozens of these little feathered songsters join with Mr. Belmont and his filmy-frocked partner in a burst of mfilody, though, truth to tell, Air. Belmont’s voice and the piano got the upper hand at times. Like most American acts, the scene was attractively set and lighted.

The Lee Sisters present an amazing aerial turn, which makes one wonder just how much the so-called w r eaker sex can endure. They clung from swinging bars by leg or arm, performed eccentric evolutions while in mid-air, supported each other by the teeth and did all sorts of things ladies are not wont to do. One of the athletic young things tied herself into complicated knots, walked round the stage on her hands and whirled in a ball, face foremost, from wing to wing.

Miss Marie Lawton plucked sweet melody from a harp and sang songs of