Successful Concert

Chronicle (Levin), 22 February 1949, Page 2

Successful Concert

Entert'aihment of: a ■ fairly high staiidard was presented at the Civic Theaore, Ot^ki, on Sunday night, when the Maori Queeh Committee . staged a vaiiety concert.' . Local ■ 'and visiting artists were ' heard and see'n to advantage :anu,( if the appiause is any crit,eri'on, 'fehe programme was one of the 'best presented in Otaki. '• ■ First to entertain was the'f.1oca:Maori party in action songs and poi dances. Comprised largely oi' : juveniles, the paiTy continues to impress, and its leader, the popular Maori Queen, ivliss Makuini Ransfield, 'deserves credit for the improvement eft'ected since the last appearance in public. ■ Miss P. Fogden rendered humorous recitations m her usual inimitable style, and was roundly applauded, as was the next artist, Mr. Sam. Tahiwi, the latest and a very worthy member of the family which has at all times won the admiration of listeners everywhere. His numbers were excellent and his powerful voice will be looke'd for often in the future. The versatile Murray family carried • all bef ore them, and were twice recalled. There seems • tcj be no li'mit to the h'eights to Whicn this popular quartette will' go. A juvenile dancer in Eddie Durie was seen to advantage in tap numbers and encored, his action dance 'and soio bringing sustained appiause. An outstan-ding stage personality m Miss Ngaire Butler was heard next in a bracket of whistling numbers. Mrs. G. Hesp s'ang "Ave Maria" and "Love I Give You My Heart." She was recalled time and again, the high quality of her numbers winning the . unstinted appiause of the large crowd. An elocutionary number by Eddie Durie was very well done, and a local trio, Messrs. M. and F. Rikihana and H. johnson, added more variety with a new number, "Rackoo," and an old evergreen, "Chicken Pie." Another bracket of action songs and poi dances closed the first -half of the programme. The Maori maidens were agam on the stage following the raising of the icurtain for the.second hali, and ". -piany .-m'a;]© yoices assistea them in the latter ; pa'r't of their presentation. . A local favourite :n Bob Makaraia followed with a pieasmg ^olb,1 Fnd -l^r. " Dan Rikihana returned to his old haunts to delight his listeners with a recitation. Mrs. Hesp followed, singing two further numbers .■ again to susstained appiause. Miss Butler aisoi, m^de a reappearance in the seconc: half, as did E(|die Durie, on tn:s" pccasion as a Matador doing ' a Spanish "dance, and the vocal trio Messrs. Rikihana and Johnson gave qdded pleasure with their numbers.; 4 Tne: family who have ^.eh^l'bwied'^as a concert on their. o$fi'r%Vfe'd;Y?p to the claims made for them in no uncertain manner in their second appearance, a,nc: they were recalled no less than five times. The family of four sang, the two sisters brought the house down doing a huia and nex; the imperturbab. e elder boy with his banjo, impsrsonating George Formby, co.qld not satisfy the demands of the audience, and finally the quartette reappeared to sing again. A delightful programme was concluded with another juvenile, Tommy Johnson, singing "Bubbles" and "The Day I Met His Majesty." Accompanists who helped to make the show were Mrs. Fraser, of Feilding, and Miss Weno Tahiwi. Mr. H. Jackson carried out the duties of compere in his usua: satisfying manner and Miss Ransfield and Mr. R. Carkeek thanked the performers and the public for attending in such good numbers. Gifts to the visitors by the Maori Queen in appreciation of tbeir help were made, and the curtain was rung down to the strains of the National Anthem.