“BITS AND PIECES.”

Taranaki Daily News, 29 July 1921, Page 5

“BITS AND PIECES.”

I ENGLISH PIERROTS’ REVUE. The English Pierrots appeared in their entertainnment, “Bits and Pieces”, at the Empire Theatre, New Plymouth, last night. The company, which has been very well received on previous occasions, present an entirely new revue this time, and the personnel has been strengthened by the add'tion of a numbr of*artists who have 'joined for the Pierrots’ latest tour. The “Bits and Pieces” are very well staged, and the programme is a pleasing com(bination of solos, sketches, dancing and : instrumental numbers, music and good, ■ lean humor being provided in plenty. The , entertainment is carried through with a swing, and last night’s programme rejeeived lhe hearty approbation of those

present. Concerted work was the company’s chief feature, as far as the singing was concert ed. an illustration being the rendering .of tne “Soldiers’ Chorus” from “Faust” by [the male members. This was splendidly I given, and immediately earned a recall, 'The Pierrots’ quartette was equally suc--1 cessfui, their first item, “A Piece of liarimony”, nt once establishing (!..•• i with the audience, and several other numbers followed in response to encores, including a couple of novelty items. Of the soloist.-:, Miss Ena Gordon, Mr. David J. Lyle, and Mr. Roy Cooke all showed merit. Crisp ; merriment was created by the company’s : comedians. Mr. Leslie Austin “got home ' i frequently with his work in “The Worse You Are” and “The Thought Reader”. Miss - Lillian Colenzo created roars of 1 tughter ‘ with the eccentric “bit”, “Poor Old Faj ther”, and Mr. Chas. E. Lawrence proved i a droll actor in some very funny im- ’ personations. The foregoing penormers | were much in demand individually, and also appeared in a number of sketches, I i “The Choice” and “The Deal”, in each of [ ; which a short plot, carefully worked out, is | made the vehicle for much fun. Miss Iza Crossley and Mr. Lawrence must also be included in this department, their scene, “Why Didn’t You Tell Me?” being a laughable one.

I “Bits and Pieces” concludes in a whirl 'of laughter with ihe presentation of the • military sketch, “A Dud Dream”, written ’by Mr. E. Warrington, and originally pro|duced by him in England. The leading .characters are: “The Aussie” (Mr. LawIrence) and “The Tommy” (Mr. Waning- . ton), and the piece portrays the trials of • these two, who are much harassed by a sergeant-major in their billet in France. They have a dream ir. which they are [both depicted under very comfortable circumstances. The sergeant-major brings (breakfast to the billel • the C.O. visits them 'to announce that they have won decorations. and a young mademoiselle comes to welcome them. They have just realised again that they are not so favorably situ- ■ atod in real life when the sergeant-major I arrives at the billet to bustle them off [before the C.O. for breaches of military law. The-characters portrayed by Messrs i Lawrence and Warrington respectively are 'delightfully humorous, and the’others engaged, Mr. Roy Cooke (as the sergeantmajor) .Mademoiselle (Miss Iza Crossley), I 'and the C.O. (Mr. Leslie Austin) play good supporting parts. ( Other items o'. “Bits and Pieces” were “Highland Mary”, a humorous song by Mr. Harry Schofield and company, and . some clever dancing work by Miss Joy Rolls and Mr. Leslie Austin. Violin solos by Miss Moya Crossley were, very capably 1 rendered, and proved highly popular. [ The season will be continued to-night and to-morrow night.