Kenneth McKellar Show Opens In City

Press, Volume C, Issue 29502, 2 May 1961, Page 15

Kenneth McKellar Show Opens In City

The Scottish community and their friends filled the Majestic Theatre last evening to hear Kenneth McKellar and his associate artists in their thoroughly delightful show. Everything about the performance moved with precise efficiency, and every performer was a highly-talented and technically-skilful artist. There was a pleasing informality throughout the evening, and a strong impression that all performers were really pleased to be entertaining their most appreciative audience.

The programme began with the Caledonian Society’s Pipe Band marching in colourful fashion on to the stage and letting fly. Their work was efficient, both in playing and in drill. Of course, a listener needs to be acclimatised to this sound, but it certainly seemed popular with the cognoscenti.

The compere for the programme was Alex. -Finlay, a grand comedian in any company, whose work throughout the evening was a rare delight. The Scots have, for a long time, realised that jokes against themselves are good publicity, and Mr Finlay has a splendid stock of them. In all that he did and said, he was extremely funny. Denis Wooiford. a pianist with a musical touch, was the accompanist for the performers. and carried out those duties with sensitive regard for the requirements of that art. He played a Scottish Rhapsody—his own composition. It had a strongly Lisztian character and in it he was able to give the old Abbe a few digs with the dirk. Jimmy Shand Popular Jimmy Shand and his Band, consisting of another accordion player, a pianist, and a double bass player, were very popular with the audience. Their performances were often accompanied, by the audience, with what might be called “cat-calls” that is (as Mr Finlay might have said) if a cat could scrape up a living among a

crowd of Scots. The playing was highly rhythmical and precise, but only one level of expression was used. No doubt it was more economical that way. Bobby Watson danced with superb technique. He seemed to have overcome the attraction of gravity both in dancing and in manner.

Lucille Graham has a coloratura voice of most attractive quality and a splendid technique in the using of' if. Her singing of popular Scottish songs was very, pleasing, and always interesting. She sang Mozart's "Alleluia'’ with beai tiful control and clarity, but someday some critic is going to tell her that she is a bad girl to hold that high C quite so long just for the effect of it. Kenneth McKellar has a splendid tenor voice which he uses with distinction. It has a warm quality, and is even throughout its range. Although the songs, which he and Miss Graham sing, are light musically, there is no doubt that they are very difficult to put across as well as these artists manage to do. It takes very good singers to sing Scottish songs really well, and the audience was left* in no doubt about these singers’ ability. The Caledonian Society’s Country Dancers gave a very pleasant display of their national dances; and it is greatly to their credit that tl.ey should have stood up so well to the very high professional standard shown by this touring company from Scotland. C.F.B.