“DON’T TELL THE WIFE”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 819, 13 November 1929, Page 15

“DON’T TELL THE WIFE”

NEW SHOW AT ST. JAMES PERFORMERS EXCEL “Don't Tell the Wife,” Jim Gerald’s new show at St. James, is full of his j happy ideas from opening chorus to | finale, and the happiness does not end i at the ideas or with their exponents —last evening’s house of patrons readily absorbed the cheerful atmosphere radiated by the principal and his cheery and accomplished company. The farce which gives the show its name occupies the greater part of the programme. A bishop who rejoices in the distinctive name of Smith has died and his lawyer is to read his will to the interested parties at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Among the interested ones are Howard Pottlebury and Pat Flanagan, partners in business. They are in urgent need of £I.OOO “for business reasons,” but when the will is read they find the testator has left them nothing more than his good wishes. But he had bequeathed £50,000 to his nephew, Thomas Smith, provided he does not become entangled with any woman before 6 p.m. that day. If he does the money goes to Pottlebury and Flanagan. The two thereupon bribe Lu Lu. a vamp, to engage Thomas’s affections, promising her £SO out of the proceeds. She agrees, but in her own heart decides to protect the simple country j boy for whom she conceives a liking. | These two fall in love with each other, and Lu Lu just manages to | stave off the ardent Thomas till ! p.m.. when the lawyer calls and prorn- . | ises that the £50,000 shall be paid j over next morning to Mr. and Mrs. j Thomas Smith. i Throughout the farce runs the inij imirable byplay of Jim Gerald as ; j Howard Pottlebury. “drunk again.” He j convulses the audience in his well- ; i known style, accomplished foolery be- ; j ing his forte. As the anxious relative who cannot sit still while the will is being read, he is a scream. Gerald is a past-master in the art of provoking mirth. .V feature of the show is the supersyncopated step-dancing broken j time, “and then some,’’ was demonstrated by numbers of performers, : prominent among whom was Ron Shand, the "Lilliputian” member, whose slight build in no way ham- : | pored him in the execution of the most ! I difficult stepping, contortions and ac- ; robatics. : | Of the singers, Linda Foy and Tom j ! Dale were outstanding in several num- ; 1 bers, both solos and duets. Linda Foy I has a very charming stage presence ; | and Tom Dale’s voice has an appeal I ; that won warm applause for him. ! j Of Olivette, the acrobatic danseuse. | not much was seen. Her dancing is I an eye-opener in that type of work ; and the audience would have liked to j have seen more of her clever stepping. | To speak of the performances • th< | ; other members of the company would I t too long. Suffice it to say that \ | they were all top-notchers in a top- : j notch show. The chorus was excel- : ! lent throughout. \ A feature of the programme is the s scenerj and gorgeous lighting effects ; i