STUDENTS' CARNIVAL

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2156, 23 May 1914, Page 6

STUDENTS' CARNIVAL

BURLESQUE AND LONG.

THE TOWN HALL PACKED

Students in tho past have often given enjoyable entertainments ia connection with their annual carnival, and it is therefore not to be wondered -at- that tho Town Hall was filled in e.vcrv part kst night. As in past years, tlio entertainment was featured by a WioMjuo play, with a series of parodied musical items intervening. This year's programme, however, was on <t rather more elaborate plan, the bill embodying a two-act musical burlesjjuo, entitled "Bondicca." This was 1 quite a goad effort, for widen Mr. 1,-. P. Loary was responsible, as author, The dialogue was quite smart in pnris, and was embellished -with local Juts. Everyone has, no doubt, heard of! "Boadicia," yet probably not -more than ©no person in a hundred could toll mora about her than tluVt she was a British queen of about tho times of the early Caesars, and that she was flogged arid eventually drank poisen and died. As to further facts about this warlike. personage, however, the ordinary citizen probably knows nothing. From last night's. extravaganza lie would ImoAV less.

Boadicia <Mr. L. P. Leary) arrived ' on tho stage, last night with breathless ' speed carrying a portmanteau and ion-' brella. It was very soon evident that tho latter article was to' bo her sceptre, sword, and protection. She meets the Chief Druid, who has just completed juggling with a rather sbafcey moot), represented by a calico circle with a wicked, schoolboy-drawn face engraved on it. Then cornea Crassus, red-head-ed, with a.- vocabulary, abounding in rich twentieth, century slsng. Bfiadina take's this . individual to bo Caesar, and they have just reached the stage'of flirtation .when the real Caesar a'rrives, accompanied by a posso of Roman soldiery. Boadieeii is embarrassed and Caesar annoyed. Other developments, fellow, and tlio first- itet ends with a banquet, at which a wellknown stage dancer (impersonated by Mr. LcaryJ' and a comic trio performBoadieea appeared rather subdued in the second act, and ancient Britain was thrust *sjfie in all but attire, while ragtime, a mock capping day, and other amusing nonsense held > sway. After the finish the curtain again rase, and an ensemble of all the characters sang a song, ."Britons and. Homahs.." I'ho play ; was fairly well interpreted by tho following cast:—Caitts Julias Caesar, Mr. H. St Bwart: Chief Deputy Assistant Aug-ttH, Mr. C. W. latten; CrassßS, Mr. ■L. A. It-egerS; Boadicea, Mr. h, V, Leafy; Chief ]>ruid, Mr, P. B. Broadj I Llewellyn. Mr. A. V. Meldtmn, Misses j Still, Gill, and Mellor, and . Messrs. Seddon, Jowott, and Evans todk subsidiary parts. Sir, Leary. as Boadicea., was'fiw Iii ! o -and eoul of the whole pieoo, and acted admirably, tough at times his vocal indistinctness was noticeable. Ho was ably seconded by Mr, L- A. Rogers and Mr..P. G, Bread. Ihcstago i knowledge of some ether jiiemtes of : the caste left a little to bo desired. The chorus singing was very good throughout the playlet, and an orchestra, accompanied, *Br.- Kington Pyffe conducting. The prologue to tfee 'piece was given with effeet' by Mr. A. B, Siev* wright. who was attired as John Bull. The 'remainder of the pragraanne consisted of the following clwr-uses, sung by tho students' choir:—"Gaudeamus ' '■ ! Our ijibrarian," "Farewell to David ML,' 8 and "The Green and, tho : Go!d. : Tlie stage manag.sment (partieidarly of Bondipea) 'was escellent, and was in two hands of' Mr. It. M.,.Cf. Butelscr. Un&tfttmately alt accident"occurred at tte raar of 'fhe stage before the interval, and one (of tho students had his arm dis.located.

STUDENTS IN THE STBEEtS, TEE FRIVOLS IN 'MIS DAYTIME. Tha rain was most considerate to the Victoria College students yesterday, tor: though th'o early nwriiing was un.pro-: raising tlio clouds rolled abide punctually at 11 ti'dec-k, and allawesj tiis sua Id shine- down—with a rather sickly light, it is true—aii tho damp awl muddy streets. Immediately, telephone Messages to muster Were dispatched to as many of live students wlw taid intended taking part in the carnival procession as ware •-available, tin-fortunately, how-ever, quite a number of %ni had formed the impression that the had weather had set in for tlio day, and , that, in eosisetruinwo, tho f'VHffitio-n had ' been postponed. However, by midday, a fair gathering of stadont-s, -piotaresO(Uely and, in some eases, rather air* ' ily, attired, busied themselves at Imrrk'd'ly "furnishing" the line ofinoter and Wso lorries drawn up outside St: J Peter's Hall, in {Hmsiice Street. Tlio sun waxed brighter and warmer, and tho spirits of this- students rose in consequence. TJp till half-past twelve the large, interested crowd lining GbiiM.ce Street smilingly watched the scene- of '• activity, wiifln ©very moment tho i'anib of the students were increased by breathless c-mqs, who, with -masks in hand and awkward bundles wider arm, hurried to thq. scene in answer to tho summons. Then came the splutter of a motor-bicycle, and a Btraagc-tooltjftg individual, arrived, ~ One's first impression of iiiot was ' that- he might have hailed from the time ©f the ancient Egyptians, «r be inigiit even have been attired in Ned Kelly's amour, ftnd bo was aecora.puttWKl by a cotisort, whose, feminine, attire bespoke the

spangles and sawdust of (ha circus

ring. | At tenet!} the felting of the lorries I was completed, tire wardrobes in order, I and. after a series of disjointed -starts, each of which was nigh to precipitate ins-its shivering ffeijihfc to the ground, tire procession moved *({'. Tbero was ■noithiug strikingly original or reward ably humorous in it. The whole thing, in fact, was chiefly notable for tho pw>domiiianco of extraordinary -caricatures of women. For the mosi part the'toma-imfer rrf ■the procession Blight have been anything or .everything. Troupes (if taiiaoists Maoris kept *■"* cwnulr. iMimswl and themselves warm, by far* salci-ng their wheeled platforms, and indtdging in absurd antics. Quite a. number of embarrassed people, not on tho alert, found themselves the c.vnos«w of nil eyes, midst a rifig -of pseitdo. Maoris, wlwi joined hands awl danced mid shouted rftund fhe-m. allowing no escape. Then the tango tknccTS. d\ilivkras to everything—even to, advancing ears and policemen, tangoed nil ami down the streets at ilw way rf the

procession. After paradins the mnfn strrnts, n halt was mndo in Prist Offifto Sijnai*. when anuisniij speeches wore delivered bv the students, white others clambered ovo? thfl'-tops of-ears, rushfd Onwi"!) Hir' crowds of onlookers, and generall.v fats'fiirljpfl tVi6 ordinal; citrrent, of conrenHonalHy,