A Bright Show with all Mod. Cons.

Radio Record, Volume IX, Issue 15, 18 October 1935, Page 25

A Bright Show with all Mod. Cons.

"Roberta" Shows a.Fine Turn of S peed and Colour-Ccmparison With the Talkie — Marie Le Varre’s Comedy — Locally Written Play in Chr istchurch. .

AMONG Auckland critics the fash-ionable-thing seems to be to compare "Roberta," the stage play which concluded ‘a sticcessful season. at His Majesty’s Theatre last week and is shortly due’ to charm audiences in other parts of New. Zealand, with the talking picture version. Being, I hope, i Young Man of Fashion, I’m going t> do-exactly the same-thing, except that ny comparison will be tabulated in such a manner that the unsuspecting reader. maybe led to believe that the table has something to do with the Italo-Abyssinian war. Here it is:

‘NOTABLE GALNS’ The colour of the stage show, especi~ ally the Uate Russe, Paris. The "Shadows of Silver". ballet at "Roberta’s" fashion show, The effective and lavish use of rich blue velvet in one ot two scenes. The glorious Yooling of Leo Franklyn. and. Marie le Varre. The polished performance of Wthel Morrison as Roberta.

NOTABLE © LOSSHS The dancing of Ginger Rogers and red Astaire.: . Yhe singing of Irene Dunne, especially "Smvuke Gets In Your Hyes," © although one must admit that Madge Elliott was not — given Irene Dunne’s opportunities. The brief treatmént given "Lovely to Look At," one of the best songs in the pieture., In the play it appears as a slight interlude:

OBERTA" is the slickest musical comedy since Madge Hiliott ani Cyril Ritchard were here tast in "Bine Roses’-and that’s more than three years ago. It is an American playmusic by Je.ome Kern-and if it hadnt been for the opt.mism and faith of the producer, when the show was first tried out in Boston, the world in general would never have seen this deiightful show, and our young things would have been robbed of ‘the pieasure of dancing to and "singing the everdelightful "Smoke Gets in Your fives." Boston greeted "Roberta" coldly ; in fact in six weeks: the show. had lust 25,000 dollars. But the producer wus sure that it had both meat.and music and, bravely enough, decided to give it a try-out in New York, The big: city was equally lukewarm-for the first few days. And then people began to talk, "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" was whistled by a few message boys, the "Shadows of Silver’ ballet became a subject of discussion-and ‘Roberta" was launched on a_ record-breaking career, Two big factors helped the successful Auckland geason (the house was book ed out every night); the big success of the talking picture version and thé muth published marriage of Cyril Ritchard'and Madge Wiliott. These tw) musical comedy favourites got a gréut ‘hand from the audience each night and they can certainly act and dante and play the fool. Applause Number 2 went to Marie le Varre and Leo Franklyn for their comedy bits, Marie has

all those things that have made Mae West. the: butt of a million stories--and she didn’t let-a comedy. line silp by uneared for. A newcomer, Diana du Cane, played Sophie, the part played in Australia by our own HBiaine Hamill. "Hthel Morrison, formerly uf Wellington. is Aunt Minnie, known to fashionable Paris as ‘Roberta," modiste. She dies early in the pro-ceedipgs-a strange situation for A musié@al comedy. Frank Leighton plays John Kent. the American footballer, who inherits his aunt’s dressmaking establishment in Paris. Auckland lasses lent plenty of sophistication aad what-have-you. to the. mannequin parade-one of the big moments of "Roberta." The settings are . splendid-and changed at a speed that might make sur Maleolm Campbell envious, The music is light; but tuneful-especially "Let's

Begin." Altogether the sort of show that reminds us of the good oid days of "Irene" and "The Cabaret Girl." ORH than ordinary interest was associated with the producvion of "fxit’ Sir Derek," "which was presented at the Little Theatre, Canterbury Collége, recently. The play was written by Dr. Henry Jellet, of Christchurch, being dramnatised from the novel, "Death Follows a Surgeon," in which Dr. Jellet and Ngaio Marsh collaborated. There are a dozen members. in the cast, and the play is a thriller, but contains plenty of coniedy. When a Minister of State dies on an operating table, suspicion falls on everyone present, and each suspect, in turn, stispects one of the others. In spite of the small stage and other handicaps, ‘the play. Was excellently produced, and the Little. Theatre was crowded. 7