ALEXANDER WATSON'S RECITAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 31, 31 October 1918, Page 6

ALEXANDER WATSON'S RECITAL

A rare treat was given to the audience, which gathered in the Concert Uuunner of the Town Hall last evening to listen to the recital given'by Mr Aleiandrf Watson. The eading feature of e programme Which he presented on H.is. occasion was n condensation of the tuteedy "Macbeth," and he hold Uis audience spellbound with the intensity of the tragedy so vividly portrayed before their mental vision. Stop by step the main features of the downfall of the two ficuros, Macbeth and his wife, were given, from the .description of the dwohte heath upon which the three witches first made their appearance and hailed Macbeth as Thano r.f Glauiis and lhano of Cawdor, through tho cauldron sctnea (surely tho quintessence of tho icarsomu in wizardry), the dagger and murder scenes, the drunken porter scene, which camo as a welcome relief to the intensity of horror and strain which were aroused" by the preceding tiro, to the' sleepwalking of Lady Macbeth, and the teatn of/Macbeth at the hands of Mneduff in battle. Wonderfully fine though Mr. Watson was throughout, it wn.s the sleepwalking sceno that he niado his mdience fathom tho uttermost depths of guilt a guilt that nothing, not even sleep couldi obliterate. In sharp to the tragedy was "Sinking Soldiers (C J. Dennis), in which the Sentimental Bioko explains why the Australian soldier is always singing, the reason being that .m carries the sunshine of Ins country bottled up in his heart This was followed by "Tommy Atkine in Jx)vo" (Ldgar AVallace). and "Early Rising," a tale of the coaching days, by J. poole. To-night Mr. Watson will give a second Kipling recital, with an entirely different programme from the first. Tho selections this evening include "M'Audrew's Hymn," "Gunga Din," "Tho Ballad of the Bolivar," "Fuzzy WuKzy,"

"Oonts," "The Knglish Flag," and, in conclusion, Mr. Watson will repeat, by desire, "The War-timo Trawler," 'by Captain Ilopwood, R.N., and add J. -M. BiU'ric's peep from "A Window in Thrums," entitled ''The Courtin' of Tliownhoad's Bell."