“THE NAUGHTY EARL"

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 831, 27 November 1929, Page 17

“THE NAUGHTY EARL"

JIM GERALD IN HAPPY MOOD REVUE AT ST JAMES Mr. Jim Gerald still continues to be a warm favourite with Auckland audiences. East evening the popular comedian and his entertaining company appeared at St. James Theatre in a fresh change of programme and it was received with the enthusiasm that has marked all his presentations. “The Naughty Earl” was the title of the revue, which occupied the second half of the programme, the first portion being devoted to a series of •Happy Ideas” on the part of Mr. Gerald * and his company. An original opening was provided with a demonstration of rehearsing a show. Mr. Howard Hall was the loudvoiced producer and from the audience ho directed the artists in a manner which, one understands, is peculiar to producers. It was a bright idea well carried out. The Big Nuisance, alias Jim Gerald, provided entertaining comedy in his own inimitable style. Mr. Gerald, despite the many appearances he has made in Auckland, never appears to lack freshness and his entrances are always the signal for a round of applause. His version of the Eternal Triangle, in which he was ably assisted by Linda Foy. Tom Hale and Joan Graham, provided some excellent comedy. In the first portion of the programme Letty Craydon, Mercia Elliott, Lily Coburn and Linda Foy, assisted by the ballet, danced and sang their way into the favour of the audience. The country scena in which Linda Foy. reclining on banks of daisies, sang of the charm of a rural existence, was particularly well staged. If made an impressive finale to the first half of the programme.

In “The Na.ughty Earl” Mr. Gerald had a part very much to his liking. As the Earl he was very much in the thick of things and his delightful foolery kept the audience in a continual state of merriment. Before attaining to an earldom Jim Gerald was an electrician and his strange behaviour on entering the ranks of the blue-blooded is distinctly diverting. On his upward journey the comedian at one stage is a chemist, or rather he is mistaken for a chemist, and with very entertaining results. Customers suffering with various ailments receive ready treatment and Mr. Gerald revels in the comic possibilities provided.