“THE HONEYMOON GIRL”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 801, 23 October 1929, Page 17

“THE HONEYMOON GIRL”

MUSICAL COMEDY AT ST. JAMES •JIM GERALD’S LATEST ‘•The Honeymoon Girl,” a complete musical comedy which makes a pleasing change from the usual revue, is Jim Gerald’s latest hit at the St. James Theatre. A good house fayoured the opening night of the new production last evening. The show, characteristic of all Jim Gerald’s programmes, is bright and cheerful throughout the two acts and four scenes and is broken here and there by snappy song numbers and dances in which the graceful “Twinklers” troop on and off the stage amid loud applause. And the story unfolded in ‘‘The Honeymoon Girl” is one of romance, in which all the. happiness of Hulce and Reoni on the eve of their marriage is shattered by a scorned Russian dancer. Reoni had once shown extreme love for the dancer, but on meeting Hulce his attentions had taken ! a turn. Rut it becomes a matter of ' love to hatred turned,” for the Rus- I sian dancer arrives on the scene un- ' expectedly and with much success, compromises Reoni before the eyes ! of his fiancee. A French hotel, with a decided and other members of the staff display I accent and pronunciation to perfee- ! tion, is the scene in which the stirring : events of the broken romance take place. Throughout the show, Jim Gerald is forever on and off the stage, finding plenty of opportunity for his unlimited supply of witticisms and humorous turns. He is the “boots” at the hotel and goes by the name of Mumps, and in this role his familiarity with the guests is the cause of roars of laughter from the audience. Perhaps the most amusing of all scenes was that at the wedding-table, where he uninvitedly occupied the end seat at the table and kept off those who attempted to disturb him with the aid of a table-knife. Interrupting the speeches at the wedding and making wild endeavours to cut the cake, he soon turned a solemn ceremony into a screaming farce. The most popular of Jim Gerald’s vocal numbers was, “I Said *Oh,’ ” while he also made a hit in “Hush. Hush, Hush” and “The Visitors’ Book.” Reg Hawthorn exhibits an abundance of clever work in taking the comic part of General Zonzo, while Tom Hale, using his voice effectively in solos and duets with Miss Rinda Foy (Hulce), is well suited to the part of Reoni. Miss Mercia Elliot as Cherie, the Russian dancer, was always a favourite with the audience, while Miss Joan Grahame and Ron Shand made a hit with their specialty dances. i