" LADIES' NIGHT."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1187, 24 July 1911, Page 8

" LADIES' NIGHT."

SAVAGE CLUB AT THE TOWN HALL, A BI!ILJ,IAXT SCENK. It is doubtful if the big Town Hall has ever worn such a brilliantly guy aspect as it did en Saturday evening when the member ft" the Wellington Savage. Club i-sued from tho m-esses of their whare lo entertain on the marae (so to speak) their squaws, present nml In be. There had been a. .siicce.-.-ian "1" gay scenes at the Town Hall last week, but they were all pclip-eil on Saturday evening, when Ibis great hall canopied with red and while >lreamers, and festooned with red ra-ps and Ivcopodiurri, was tranformed into a magnificent cai'p chantaiit, warmly carpeted v.ilh red cloth. Koch I able was surrounded with easv chairs, and Ihe Vice-Kogal party luxuriated on a regiment of "Chesterfields," immediately in front; of the. stage. The parly consisted of Lady Islington, who was accompanied by Mi's Slapleton-Cotton, Mr.-. Guise, Captain "Shannon. A.D.C., Mr. Guise (private secretary), and .Mr. Day (assistantprivate secretary). The Hon. Dr. Collins M.L.C. (vice-president of the club), and the Hon. Gpo. Fowlds and Mrs. For,-lds and General GckMpv, also occupied ieats of honour. Tho stage- was framed with a specially-constructed proscenium, in the design of which was cleverly worked a likeness of Lord Isliugton, who is Chief Savage (at present in Auckland), on one side, and Ins totem (or coat of arms) on tho other, and across the arch was inscribed the cheering welcome: "Xau Jlai e Hine Ma. "Te Menu" took the place of tho ordinary tirograinnic, and was just as effective. It consisted of a number of huge sheets on each of which was the name of tho item and the performing Savages. The first part took the form. of a popular concert of unusual diversity. The club orchestra played the overture "linymond" very well, under Mr. D. J. Kenny. This was'followed'by the Peers' Chorus, from "lolanthe," lustily sung by 25 male voices 110 an orchestral accompaniment. This fine swinging example of Sullivan's undying music carried with it all the. original freshness and charm that is an attribute of the music he wrote when associatod with the late SirW. S. Gilbert It is in the "Peers' chorus which tho latter wrote Iho lines—

"Bow, bow, yo lower middle classes Bow, bow, ye tradesmen, bow ye masses, Blow (lie trumpet, bang the brasses, Tan-tan-ta-ra, Tzing—boom 1"

S?uch lines, written, a quarter of a century ago, may bo read with amusement in View of the British Government's avowed intention of creating 500 new Peers in one batch. Savage Leslie Hill sang a pretty love song from tho German by Jirik Meyer-llelmund. The number was carefully, studiously sung, but lacked life and passion. .Savage Stevens scored in "Tho Cautious Lover," and "I Like You in Vclvel J, (from ''Lady Madcap".) How "Tommy Atkins" was selected by the Duke of Wellington as the name to typify the British soldier was told by Savage George Toogood in elocutionary style. Laughter spluttered all over the big hall during Savage Kenny's singing of "Tis Spring," and he had to append a comic ditty which dealt' with the. customs in vogue "when Richard the First s-at on the Throne." "Home, Little Maori, Home," a melodious l)it of sentiment (written by Alfred Hill) was nicely sung by f-avoge Fletcher, supported by a quartet consisting of Messrs. H. Mayer, 11. I'limmer, A. 13. Mabin, and ,Tas. Dohorty, who made pretty harmony of the refrain. Savage Frank .1 ohnsl'ono played a 'cello solo charmingly, and Messrs. 13. Kenny, E. T. Robertson, A. W. Newton, and. G. Parsons got a lot of fun out of the humorous .quartets— "Simple Simon," and "They Kissed—l Saw Them i)o It."

After an' appetising supper the revels were resumed, in the form of a capital performance of Gilbert; and Sullivan's frollicking operetta "Trial by Jury," so meritorious a performance that it should bo'given again for the edification of the public at large. The caste was a strong one nil round, but the. characterisation of outstanding brilliance was Hie , Angelina of Mr. li. T. Robertson, who from dainty veil and orange ' blossoms to satin shoes was the fair plaintiff in all her maiden modesty and extravagant emotionalism. Mr. liobertson, who is gifted with a soprano voice of great range and excellent' quality, sang the music perfectly and ncted the part with a delicious r.bandon which surprised and delighted the large audience. Mr., A. \V. Newton made an excellent judge, showing a fine appreciation of the. Uilbcrtian humour which calls upon' him to toll from the bench how ho made his first rise as a barrister. The defendant—an awful rascalwas played with capital spirit by Mr. E. J. Hill; Plaintiff's Counsel was represented by Mr. H. Plinimer; Mr. Gco. Parsons was the I'sher! and Dr. Isaacs the Foreman of the Jury. Kot a little of the success of the operetta was due to the chorus of jurymen, and "bridesmaids," (he latter eight perfectly-gowned niiilcs, some of whom made bewitching niaids, thanks to the effect of pretty dresses and a judicious u;e of t'hosc artificial aids to beauty which none cares to admit: the use of. From beginning to end "Trial by Jury" was played with a iino comedy snap, and at the iall of the ciirtain the performers received an ovation. Much of the credit of the production was due to Savage Kenny (musical director), and Savage Xewt'on (stage manager). The general arrangements for ladies night" were carried out by the committee with IJr. J. Dykes as secretary; the decorations which were really very fine were planned and carried out by Savage Walter Leslie, and the musical programme- was solely directed by Savago Kenny. There must have beeu about 1,100 peoplo present altogether, for not only was the ground floor fully occupied, but somo hundreds of guests peopled the gallery, from which point of vantage- a splendid view- of the gay eceno below was obtainable.