"NO, NO, NANETTE”

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1004, 21 June 1930, Page 16

"NO, NO, NANETTE”

RADIANT COLOUR, MUSIC AND LAUGHTER FINE SHOW AT ST. JAMES “No, No, Nanette,” has everything one has learnt to expect in a big singing, dancing and colour production—and more. It is a blaze of gorgeous colour, a whole songbook of catchy music, and just packed full of fun and laughter. “No, No, Nanette,” easily tops the list for this type of show, and is another spectacular success for the St. James Theatre. r JTHIS exceptionally lavish production was received with enthusiasm last night by an audience which enjoyed every minute of it. Even in these days when picturegoers are accustomed to the spectacular and the tuneful, there were more than a few words of warm appreciation heard around the theatre as the technicolour scenes were unfolded. The effectiveness of technicolour for pictures like “No, No, Nanette,” was proved last evening. Scenes take on the naturalness of life, and one forgets one is looking at a reproduction. The big colour numbers are the Mars, New York, Molland and Japan ensembles, each with appropriate music. They are featured by brilliantly colourful settings amid which take place the novel dances and many beautiful features, such as the really startling trip to Mars in a rocket-plane. CHARMING STORY But the story is by no means slighted. It is about a good wife who wouldn’t spend her millionaire husband's income. So he let other women spend it instead—all in a nice and well-intentioned spirit. One of his outlets for surplus cash was to finance a musical show composed by the sweetheart of his latest protege, Nanette. with Xanette as the leading lady. .It is a charming, whimsical story with hilarious complications find an excellent background for the big numbers which occur on the stage. The last great scene is particularly outstanding. Although one’s mind is almost overwhelmed with the richness and magnificence of many of the earlier scenes, it is the last scene that takes one's breath away. The rows upon rows of dancing girls in different coloured frocks—there are hundreds of them—and the unusually fine specialty dancers are really something to remember. This scene, like the others, has movement, action and rhythm. The whole piece is chock-a-block with music. Quite the most popular is “I Want to Be Happy,” which was all the rage a few years ago when the musical show was here. Then there is the stirring “King of the Air,” also “The Dance of the Wooden Shoes,” the Japanese ballet., and “Tea for Two,” and many more. What makes "No, No, Nanette,” such a perfect show is the- delightful humour and all-round good acting of the principals. As Xanette, Bernice Claire was ideal with her strong singing voice and winsome personality. Another newcomer from the stage, Alexander Grey is Tom. Then what better pair of character actors is there on the screen today than Louise Fazenda and Lucien Littlefield for the eminently respectable and somewhat Victorian couple, Mr. and Mrs. Jimmie Smith. Finally, Bert Roach, Zasu Pitts and Lilyan Tashman acquit themselves well in their respective parts. To complete an already fine programme the St. James Theatre is showing a. number of short talkie featurettes. One. “The Hunt,” by the Rollickers’ Mule Quartet, was fine. Another was a novel sketch in which Mere introduced most of the leading theme-song composers in Hollywood.