Variety Of Real Talents in Paris To Piccadilly
By Eric Shorter
NOW and again it is good to come clean to admit to a prejudice, a weakness in taste. Mine was for, or rather against, the average, over amplified, underwritten, half-cut variety show which turns up seasonally, say, at the Prince of Wales Theatre under some such title as “Paris to Piccadilly.”
Well, last night such show with just that title turned up rather rowdily at (of course) the Prince of Wales. And I surrendered utterly.
Why? A good critical question. In the first place the programme, which was sensibly planned, comprised a variety of real talents.
Not just Sacha Distel, the well known Parisian heart-throb crooning tactfully in English and dispensing, not to say oosing, Gallic charm by the gallon, but also a pretty girl singer, Olivia Newton-John, who should be discouraged from introducing her own songs but whose presence behind the microphone is other-wise very pleasant.
Then there is the veteran jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli who does wonders for “Sweet Georgia Brown”: a bevy of vivaciously directed dancers; and the unforgettably witty animation in the dark of Philippe Genty’s illuminated cartoon puppets whose brilliant antics are so skilfully timed. This turn alone is worth a visit.
Then we have Ted Rogers whose charms not being Gallic are more coarsely familiar and less obvious in their rougher, reactionary jocularity. But he works hard to some effect. And Aldo Maccione with his Italianate interruptions also dis-plays a music-hall sense of humour.