"THE PUNCH-BOWL" AT THE DUKE OF YORK'S.
THE first of the three parts 'of The Punch-Bowl, which began last week at the Duke of York's, is at present undeniably weak. Of the ten turns only three are good and two of them owe their goodness very largely to the-quiet, off-hand; irresist- ible humour of Mr. Alfred Lester. The third, "The Break- fast-Time Follies" (breakfast-time, as one of the troupe explained, is the only - time of day Still' unappropriated by entertainers), is an amusing entertainment provided by a -bleary and pyjamaed troupe still insufficiently awake to sing or "talk with either clarity or conviction : in fact, one of them actually tries, during the show, to get a few minutes' more sleep in an improvised bed on top of the grand-piano. Of the other turns," Six Characters in Search of Shakespeare" is a good idea too superficially exploited to come off.
Happily Part 'IL, " Punch-and-Judy-uprto-Date," is alto- gether delightful. In Phase I., an old: showman returning to home and wife after a--tiring day falls asleep in his chair and dreams of a new-style Punch-and-Judy—a Punch-and- Judy actually "produced," as he scornfully remarks after- wards—which takes `the form of a sort of Russian ballet (Phase II.). It is very 'well done : scene, dresses, and miming have distinction and delicacy and Mr. Norman O'Neill's music is enchanting. In Phase III. we are back with the old showman and his wife : he wakes up and treats her to part of . the real, orthodox Punch-and-Judy show which, it is interesting to note, seemed to delight the audience more than anything else in the revue. In the first and last phases Miss Norah Blaney -and Mr. Alfred Lester show how well they can take entirely serious parts. Mr. Lester is indeed always a serious actor. Into his most flippant part he always puts a character and reality which make it, behind all the comicality, a genuine and serious • creation. -Nothing is stressed, nothing overdone, he never makes an effect at the expense of artistic consistency : his touch is always quiet, assured, and con- vincing.
The brief third part contains some very good stuff. "Telling Benny" is extremely funny, and Mr. Billy Leo: strd as Benny, a fat and fatuous school-boy in knickerbockers and Eton- collar, is superb. Those Who have seen Miss Norah Blaney and Miss Gwen Farrar work together will- not need to be reminded of the original Innnour and finished artistry of this incomparable pair. Miss Ilermione Baddeley has not in any of her various parts much opportunity to show her quality. She is best in a spirited and -brightly coloured ballet called "Chill Born-Born" suggested, obviously, by her recent part in The Forest. In this, with Mr. Sonnie Hale, she shows herself a very good dancer.
In short, a delightful show which, when Part I. has been drastically remodelled, will be more delightful -still.
MARTIN ARMSTRONG.
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