"CAN YOU TOP THIS?"

New Zealand Listener, Volume 13, Issue 334, 16 November 1945, Page 14

"CAN YOU TOP THIS?"

Jack Davey To Tour The Main Centres Telling Tall Stories

lately?" "Yes, stop me if you know it, but have you heard about the girl who... ?" And a roar of laughter follows. Where do all the stories that amuse groups of men — and gatherings of women-come from? Commercial travellers are often given the credit or the blame for concocting and spreading the yarns one hears in the bus or the train about family benefits, the sergeant-major, or the rumblings of Ruapehu. And probably they aré entitled to it, for a good commercial traveller keeps a stock in hand to put difficult clients into the right mood for signing on the dotted line. Topical stories differ a lot in quality. There are the immoral but clever ones, the drawing-room and clever ones, the just plain dull ones, and the merely disgusting ones. Really bright ones are as 6 | EARD any good stories

scarce as cigarettes, and, like smokes, are often kept under the counter, to be produced surreptitiously for favoured customers. However, the concert chambers of the town halls in Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin, and the Civic Theatre in Christchurch will become "yarn factories" when Jack Davey, Australian radio comedian, assisted by New Zealanders, will tell tall tales- but not broad ones-in the eourse of a tour under contract to the "C.B. Show." , Jack Davey, whose father (now retired) was master of the Awatea, took to the air instead of the sea. He left New Zealand 12 years ago and became successful as a commercial announcer,

compere, and actor. His voice is frequently heard in New Zealand cinemas when he does the commentaries in. Australian newsreels. This will be Davey’s first tour of New Zealand. He came here once before but, as his voice gave out, he was unable to complete a round of the Commercial stations. On his arrival in the Dominion the other day, he was joined by Henry Rudolph and five of his players, Jéan McPherson, of Wellington, and Jack Maybury, of 3ZB, Christchurch. All are well-known radio performers, Mr Rudolph and Miss McPherson through their connection with the 2YA Camp entertainers and National station broadcasts and Mr. Maybury through his work for 3ZB. The title of the show is "Can You Top This?" It has been running for some time in Australia and has the reputation of being the best quiz programme there. The two Jacks, Davey and Maybury, will each choose a story from selections (continued on next page)

(continued from previous page) sent in by listeners. Whichever joke scores the highest figure on the "laughmeter" set up on the stage, will win a cash prize. Every "gag" used will net the sender 10/- and the winning joke each night a prize of £2. The quiz part of each programme will be recorded for broadcasting later from all ZB stations. There is to be no charge for admission, but tickets can be secured from local ZB stations. . The itinerary is as follows: Auckland, Monday, November 12, and Tuesday, November 13, at 8 p.m. in the Town Hall Concert Chamber. Wellington, November 15 and 16, in the Town Hall Concert ‘Chamber. Christchurch, November 21, 22, 23 and 24, in the Civic Theatre. Dunedin, November 26, 27 and 28, in the Town Hall Concert Chamber. Wellington, again, on December 4 and 6, in the Town Hall Concert Chamber.