DRAMA, MUSIC, COMEDY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 837, 4 December 1929, Page 16

DRAMA, MUSIC, COMEDY

“DESERT SONG” AT H.M.

THEATRE Gorgeous dressing, haunting music, excellent singing, delightful humour, and a host of dramatic situations combine to make "The Desert Song' 1 on* of the most appealing musical piirs that has been seen in Auckland for many a long day. So uniformly satisfying is the whole production that it is rather difficult to single out any one feature that makes a special appeal, but the splendour and richness of scenery and s.ttenlion to detail by the producer evoke admtni. tion. In some scenes there is suer a riot of colour and grandeur that it is hard to assimilate it, and one it left wondering. Lance Fairfax, as the Red Shadow, and pseudo simple son of a French general plays a dual role with distinctlon. Marie Bremner is t. fascinating little heroine, who plays a big part with distinction. Herbert Mandin. the newspaper correspondent, gives a laughable and clever performance. Even when he is not speaking his expressive lace and amusing body movements cause convulsive laughter. His sparkling partner, Renee Ward, plays up to him well. She makes the most of many humorous situations, and is particularly funny when lifted from a live donkey alter a long and trying ride across ihe desert. Marjorie Maxwell is a realtsuc native girl, and -Cecil Pawley a convincing French general. Others play tlio respective parts with distinction, while the ballet and chorus add pleasure to a most excellent produc-