THE COMPETITIONS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1909, 18 November 1913, Page 10

THE COMPETITIONS.

DEMONSTRATION NIGHT. By far tho largest audi.cncc of the competitions season at tho Town Hail assembled to hear the winners last evening, nearly every seat ia the hii hall boing occupied. A highly delectabie programme, ' but' ono of extreino length— there, wero. thiriy«for& •items—was Sttb* pitted, and throughout tho long evening tho enthusiasm was unabated. II would bo impossible to notice each individual number, bi.tfc there were fea- ! tares of outstanding merit which call aloud for special note. Olio could not but. admire tho subtle and splendidly dramatic powers of Miss Lilian JViehard in W. S. Gilbert's fantasy "Comedy and Tragedy." Tho performance was that of nil accomplished actress—no Jiiei'O struggle!' along tho elocutionary way, blazed by t'ho competitions. With consummate art she portrayed the agony of the womafl endeavouring to entertain a company of men even, whilst her husband is fighting a'duel to tho death in the garden, outside, changing her humour in brilliant, flashes, but ways holding tho dramatic interest tense and taut. The versatility of Dr. 'Nbrmaii Hales was another feature that was made apparent last evening. At. one moment ho was singing and dancing del.ightfi.iHy with tiny C'eeile Haines ; immediately afterwards Was heard to good effcct in Ingcrsoll's "Napoleon 3 !? Tomb," and later he appeared ones more as an- American '-'rube," singing "Wall, I Swan" inimitably. Ccciie Ha ins showed ail abundance of precocious comedy as "Sairey Gamp.,'- and little Jean i'limmer danced sweetly to the musie. of Mendelssohn's "Spring Song." Mr. Norman Aitken created a good deal of amusement in a. skit of "Napoleon's Tomb," in which tiio judge of elocution figured in place of "Tho Little Corporal/' and Mr. Harold Gregsoil (judge of music) played as organ soli tho overture to "Laymond" (Thomas), and a fantasia oil Bizet's opera. "Carmen."

Others who performed wore: Misses Kathleen Wheeler, M. E. Wilson, Marjory Jones, Brittain, Kathleen Crosswell, Zita Chapman, Gertrude. M'Meriio.v, "Wj'ono Haybittlo, Doris S.vmes, Lily O'Leary, Rita Ohegg, Freda Beale, Ethel Lissack (in a smart sketch without words, with Dr. Hales), Ethel Jones, Mrs. Symes, Messrs. Frank Tnnloy, Geo, Blackio, C. J, Spjllane, A. 6. Thompson, Ernest Luks, ijasters It. Power, L, A. Biddell, B. O'Brien, Win. Rogers, and L. Brown.

: The championship winners will be announced this evening, when an even hotter programme than any of the forerunners is promised. Among the items to bo performed will ho the playing on the grand oi;.gan of "The Storm" (Wel.v) by Mr. Harold Gregaou. v