ST. JAMES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 585, 11 February 1929, Page 15

ST. JAMES

GEORGE WALLACE’S REVUE

A new programme, which maintains the brightness and humour which has made his company such a firm favourite with the public, is presented this week by Mr. George Wallace at the St. James Theatre.

It would seem that Mr. Wallace’s fund of humour is inexhaustible, for he is still to the forefront in nearly every scene with a picturesque wealth of new anecdotes and fooling.

“The Sparklers,” the title of this week’s show, is really the name of the delightful set of fooling which comprises the second half of the programme. It is primarily the story of a prince and his fair companion on board a liner bound for America, but as with most revues it also deals with amusing sidelines, such as customs red

tape and an artist’s studio, the whole j plentifully interspersed with singing, music and ballet dancing. George Wallace shines both as a bath steward, valet to the millionaire, and as a customs officer, and is generally known as “The Wrecker.” Several splendid vocal numbers, some of them of Mr. Wallace’s own composition, are contributed by Marie Nyman. Marshall Crosby and the Dudleys, whose performances reveal the vocal strength of the company. “The Flaming Youths,” otherwise the company’s popular jazz band, play a “round the world jazz medley” that is unusually interesting. A typical George Wallace short sketch, "The Woop Woop Railway Station,” and much graceful dancing by the beautifully frocked Six Rascals Ballet, completes an enjoyable programme.

Esther Ralston, the Paramount star who has been with that company ever since her entry into motion pictures, has signed another contract. Her latest picture is “The Case o? Lena Smith,” which is being made at the present time under the direction of Josef von iSternberg.