HIGH SCHOOL CONCERT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 17, 17 October 1944, Page 4

HIGH SCHOOL CONCERT

FULL PROGRAMME PRESENTED 1

KXERPTS FROM "H.M.S

PINAFORE,"

Following the initial success of the well known light opera "Patience" which was produced and staged by the High School last year, a further touch of Gilbert and Sullivan was introduced at the School Concert held on Thursday and Friday of las't week when exerpts from "H ? M.S. Pinafore'' were presented. The play which contained sufficient of the main theme to enable the public to follow the thread of the story was higjily and stipplied yet further proof that the coming generation is

not lacking in either talent or ability.

Although all the characters' in the plot were well the honours went largely to the. girls whose acting and singing reached a high standard. Anne Littlejohn ) found r pleasing voice and did full credit to the part of "Buttercup"; little could anyone suspect her of .the dastardley crime allegedly performec by her of "switching'' the two babes so that Ralph in time became a deckhand instead of the Captain of the "Pinafore." These two parts play ed respectively by Bruce Bell and Alan Mundy were, rather startlingly portrayed. The. latter appeared to experience some difficulty in find ing the right note at the right- time ? while the former juggled inexpertly with his hat when making to Josephine. Dick Deadeye (Russell Law) was the villain, of the piece and gave an excellent imitation of a seaman 'carrying tales aft' wher he went and reported tcf the Captain that Ralph was making advan ces to Josephine and intended tc elop ewith her. Romola Winstone.was entirely successful 'in the part of Josephine, the. Captain's daughter loved by both Ralph and the Admiral 2 but in love herself with the former.

The Admiral Sir Joseph Porter, as played by Mervyn Tiepa supplied a lighter side to the play. The story of his life, as sung by himself was an education in itself. Apparently he had experienced a meteoric rise to'fame and fortune from a mere office boy, and his ability to per. form every task set him with s-uct remarkable aptitude right from the time he was polishing the handle of the big front doori (He, polished up the hanelle so successfully that in time they made him ruler of the Queen's Navy) to when he enterec 1 •into partnership (the only ship he ever knew) was nothing short o amazing. Choruses to the solos were supplied by the crew of the "H.M.S. Pina | fore" and the Female Relatives of Sir Joseph Porter. Those, boys whe constituted the former were: C.( B. R. Eggers, M. Davis, A. Pryor, I. Law B. Thomassen, R. Muir, J. Cam eron K. Carter, N. McDonald, R. Parry, G. W. Kirk, 8.l Symmans while the girls, in the lat ter were.: B. Shaw, M. Hill, K. Laugliton, J. Farrell, Z. 'Moore., L. Shaw, P. P. Forbes, J. Riddell Betty Shaw, A. Gooelwin. J. Wilson R. Carr, C. Gomiskey. B. Starnes B. Cairns, M. Bennett W. Keepa, B. N. Black.

Although .perhaps not quite up t.c the pitch of "Patience," "H.M.S. Pinafore'' was nevertheless of a high standard, and credit is due to Miss N. Kemble wlw produced the play, and also to the pupils who actec' in it. Gilbert and Sullivan play: are apparently popular in Whakatane and we hope that the t\ve oxjeras. which have already beer presented will be followed by oth ers in the near future..

A first half, to "H.M.S. Pinafore' - which made the blood of the audiof a number of items' which were presented by the various; forms in the school. Perhaps the most popular among these were, the Maor Hakas and Action Songs a led by Make Rakuraku Joseph Te Maipi. Mervyn Tiepa and Polly Ra tap air which mad ethe blood, of the audi ence run alternately hot and cold Certainly, all those, taking part, and there, were not a few pakehas; were past masters at the art and sup plied the public with a lively inter lude. Folk dancing was well to the and Forms 4 t 5 and 6 girls gave good demonstrations of the

dances Chelsea Reach, Shepherd's Oranges and Swed. ish Schottische Oaken Leaves ant 1 *9 I Selenger's Round.

Two full length plays were featured, these being "Patience is a Vir, tue" and "The Poetasters of Is-ap ban''—both popular items, while two Crazy Plays were presented by the Third Form boys. These dealt, one with the difficult art of gather ing news fresh enough to satisfy t very exacting -editor and the othei with the correct method of taming a Hon. Both were very well re, ceiveel.

Interludes in the nature, of the Sword Dance by Pat Ferguson and a Waltz Tap by Leslie Bell received hearty applause while an instrumen tal duet by Bruce Skelton and Dick Ward proved also to be popular.

Form singing, drill and the pre sentatioii of bouquets to the star*of the. evening (including the boy: who received an odd and variegated asortment of vegetables and bone. " K J etc.) concluded the programme ant brought to a close yet another very enjoyable High School Concert.