TWO NEW MUSICAL COMEDIES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 490, 20 October 1928, Page 15

TWO NEW MUSICAL COMEDIES

AT HIS MAJESTY’S SHORTLY The next attraction at His Majesty’s Theatre is the first visit here of the J. C. Williamson New Musical Comedy Company headed by the favourite London musical comedy actress, Anne Croft, the opening production being the latest long-run London musical show, “The Girl Friend.” The second production is "Hit the Deck." Of "The Girl Friend,” a critic of the "Herald,” Melbourne, says ‘‘Plainly nice things about ‘The Girl Friend’ preceded her to Melbourne. First nighters at the Theatre Royal on Saturday night took her to their discriminating hearts. They greeted the new show warmly as an old friend. They knew the music already, and they quickly found the show as bright as a berry and as full of life and twitter as birds at daybreak. Really ‘The Girl Friend' is full of amiable qualities. First of course is Annie Croft, graceful, tail and most divinely fair. Her sweet voice adorns a little music box of songs, while her dancing with her English gracefulness is distinctly refreshing.” The second production. “Hit the Deck." is described as “a nautical musical comedy,” in which their figure and varied selection of characters, including missionaries, mandarins and other Chinese, sailors, and men from along the waterfront. The scenes are enacted in a coffee house on the dock at Newport, the forward part of a warship, a seaport town in China, and inside a mandarin’s house. The piece provides plenty of opportunities for. scenery and spectacular effects, and has the tang of the sea.

The company supporting Annie Croft includes Reginald Sharland, Leo Franklyn. Irvine Rose, who are aIS newcomers here direct from London hits. People sure of a hearty welcome are Gus Bluett. Lance Fairfax, May Beatty, Lorna Helms, Les Donaghey, while the chorus is said to include all the joy of youth and beauty. The box plans for the season of 32 nights open on Monday, October 29, at Lewis Eady. Ltd. Brandon Hurst. one of the best character actors now in Hollywood, will appear as a London police inspector in the screen version of “Interference,” which is now being produced in the Paramount studios. “Interference” is well-known as a stage play in Australia.