"HAWAII SINGS."

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 217, 12 September 1940, Page 10

"HAWAII SINGS."

DANCING, MELODY, MIRTH. ', To j!* e muffled throbbing of drums and Eg W S»R ch ?, n * of their theme song, Hawaii Sings' presented by Momi Kaaimoku and Aliiloa Lincoln's Aldhakni Hawaiians, last night opened the Auckland season at Hβ Majesty's Theatre. The nouse was, a large and contented one, and d ? ub , t,eße humming some of the tricky Hawaiian melodieS which have a way of lingering on a ,a B ..<* tfee ehow are Momi Kaiimoku and Aluloa Lincoln, the former by virtue of her dancing and the latter because of his glorious, .voice. Of that, however, more anon To most of us a hula simply means the waggling of some of the more prominent portions of one's anatomy in a loosed free and easy fashion. But as explained—and illustrated—by Miss Momi the dance takes on a new aspect. Each movement is symbolic of some natural happening—birds in !? e /, trees ' rain in the valley, the picking of flowers, and so forth. All are interpreted with grace and ease by Miss Momi, who also possesses an additional charm in her voice. Aliiloa Lincoln is a male soprano—a falsetto, and in his renderings of such hauntas "To You, Sweetheart,' Aloha," and Hawaiian Paradise," as well as the more modern, "It's a Sin to Tell a Lie," he completely won the heart of hie audience. He also showed a creditable knowledge of other interesting forms of entertainment in his comedy burlesque, "The End of a Perfect Day," illustrating the art * .of interpretation by gestures only. Two other members of the troupe, Johnson Alia and Dan Kaeka, were heard in instrumental and vocal items, the latter "pleasing--with"-his steel guitar solos, and the former playing with ease on any instrument that came to hand. There is little doubt that "Hawaii Sings" will find, favour with true lovers of Hawaiian ■':■■ melody, dancing and mythology.