AT HIS MAJESTY’S

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 679, 3 June 1929, Page 15

AT HIS MAJESTY’S

MUSIC AND LAUGHTER CLEM DAWE’S FAREWELL Hilarious sketches, and a well selected musical and vocal programme, are Clem Dawe's farewell gifts to Auckland audiences. This week’s programme, which is the last the company will present in New Zealand* is well calculated to deepen Auckland’s regret at parting with artists who have been so long in the Dominion. Versatile Clem Dawe, who is one of the few comedians happy in the possession of an attractive singing voice, kept the audience in a high goodhumour on Saturday evening. Perhaps the most popular frolic on | the new programme was ‘'An Oldl'ashioncd Song Scena,” in which the "wild” numbers of 40 years ago were put on with all the original trimmings. "Peer, Glorious Peer,” and "The Lily of Laguna,” fell to the lot of Lric Edgley, and Clem Dawe, "Waiting at the Church" and "The Man Who Broke the Pank at Monte Carlo” were the most popular of the other numbers. The costuming was carried out with I typical Probes’ thoroughness, and the ( old music-hall atmosphere was recaptured for the occasion. Old friends are the best friends, it is said, and the reception a packed house gave to this turn should substantiate the saying. Modern numbers received full attention from the "Prollickers,” and Dorothy White and Mona Magnet had selected some of the best of this season’s hits. Mona Magnet is a comedienne of no mean ability, and her numbers had that snap and sparkle that are so essential on the vaudeville stage. "There’s Life in the Old Girl Yet” was a number that met with decided approval. Some pleasing numbers came the way of William Perryman, who makes good use of a refreshing tenor voice. Oscar Peck was also of a lyrical turn of mind, and his "Less Than the Dust” was among the best individual efforts of the evening. Gregory Ivanoff charmed his hearers with the liaunt- ! ing strains of his violin. * The same artist, until ho yielded his post to Clem Dawe, conducted the Probes’ jazz band, which entertained j with rhythmic dance numbers and I operatic fragments. i As always, the mainstay of the pro- | gramme was the number of rollicking ! sketches put on mainly by Clem Dawe, : Lric Edgley, and Dorothy White. Perhaps the best of these was "Accidents Will Happen." The clever plot deals with newspaper free insurance, and the efforts of a London family to see the "head” of the house suffer an injury so that he may participate in the benefits of the scheme. A clever climax left the man floundering on the floor with a broken leg, while the solicitous family gazed sadly at the insurance coupon, which somebody had forgotten to post. Modern sentiments expressed through old-time music were heard in the "Opera Burlesque.” “Proverbs” was an original olayette, in which the actors maintained a brisk dialogue, and worked out to its conclusion a coherent plot through the medium of proverbs. The “Lie Indicator” was a mirth-provoking interlude, and the programme concluded with "Fun in the Harem.” ! At intervals, the pleasing Frolics’ Ballet tripped on and off in a bewildering number of dainty frocks and special steps. John Loder, British war hero and well-known stage actor, has been given the leading role in Me.tro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s screen version of Ben Hecht’s "The Green Ghost,” soon to go into production.