THE COMPETITIONS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 127, 22 February 1919, Page 8

THE COMPETITIONS

MUSIC, SONG AND STORY CLEVER DICKENS TURNS The competitions at the Town Hall continue to attract large and intensely interested audiences. The classes taken during the daytime yesterday ■included one involving characterisations from tlio immortal stories of Charles Dickons. This class produced a fairly numerous list of competitors, and the talont, m most cases, was of a high order of merit. Another interesting class was the vocal solo, with accompaniment and obblignto. There were only four entrants, but tlio rosult was well worih the inclusion of such'.a.class. Results were as-follow:— Vocal Solo, with accompaniment and obblignto. Own selection: 'Miss Edith M. Patorson (Wellington), Miss Piclcthall and Mr. Tucker, Mr. William Brittenden (Christchurch), Miss IT.ealy and Mr. Brodie.

I Diokens Character Sketch, lady or gentleman, Onen class. Own selectionRecalls: Mr. V. Evans, "Uriah Heep"; Miss Fanny Kutner, "Miss Mowcher"; Miss Flo. (low, "Dolly Varden." Highly commendedMl'/L. P. Inch, "Sydney Carton's Farewell"; and Miss L. C. Adams, '"Uriah Ileep." Final: Miss Fanny Kutner. (Wellington), 168 points, 1; Mr. V. Evans (Lower Hutt), 162 points, 2; Miss Flo. Gow, (Hataitoi), 157 points, 3. i Contralto Solo. Own selection-Re-calls: Miss Mabel Dyer, Mrs. Myrtle Hayward,' and Miss Ida Snelling. Piano Solo, open class, lady or gentleman, "Ballade in A ' Flat" (Chopin).— Recalls: Miss Gladys Loriber and Miss Dorothy Talbot. Girls' Champion Recitation, girls under 10. Own Miss Pearl Jacobs (Wellington), 145 points, 1; Miss Ngairo Phipson (Wellington), 143 points, and Miss Aggie Atkins (Lower Hutt); 143 points, equal, 2; Miss Mary Cooley (Wellington), 142 points, 3. Song in Character, lady or gentleman. —Final:-Miss' Cicely Andibert (Christchurch), 1. Musical Monologue, lady or gentleman under 21 (own selection).—Final: Miss Paulino Shotlander (Wellington), 169 points, 1; Miss Fanny Kutner (Wellington), 166, 2; Mr. L. H. J. Power (Wellington), 162, 3. Scotch Song, ladies (own selection).— Final: Miss M. Dyer (Christchurch), lj Miss Cicely Andibert (Christchurch), 2; Miss Jean Nicholas (Wellington), 3. Impromptu Speech, gentlemen.—Final: Mr. Vi Evans (Lower Hutt), 1; Mr. G. Saker (Wellington), 2. EVENING PROGRAMME, There was a large attendance in the evening, and a very interesting programme was provided. The first item was an entertaining children's play, "The Sewing Society," excellently played by Misses Mclvio' Drummond, Dorothy M'Dowell, Ngaire Coster, Betty Menard, . Eileen Searlo, and' Jean Ashby. The final of the championship recitation, girls under sixteen years of age, ivas we'll con--1 tested. Miss Pearl Jacobs gave a dra- ■ matic composition, "Killed at the Eord," 1 with nice liMU'eciation of its points. Miss 1 Ngaire Pliipsbn's selection, "The Fool," was also in the dramatic vein, but the > audience appeared to prefer Miss _ Mary l Cooley's "Butterflies." Miss Aggie AtI kins gave an attractive version of "The s Gift of the Tritemius." The standard

was excellent in this class, and the marks indicated that the judge had not found .it easy to separate the competitors.. Miss Cicely Audibert, who has a well-controlled ! voice of pleasant quality, sung in chari ter- the "Maritana" st.lo, "Scenes Thai j • Are, Brightest." Three Dickens 6elecj tions were given, Miss Fanny Kutner ap r ! pearing as "Miss Mouther," Miss Fit j | Gow as "Dolly Varfe." and Mr; V . ! Evans as "Uriah Heep." All three per ' j formers had a good conception of tin ! characters they were portraying, and Misi ! Kutner .in particular showed excellen a ! stagecraft; Mi.-s Pauline. Siiotlande:

('•Behind the'Vcii"), Miss Fanny Kutne ("Mad Carew"), and Mr. L. J. H. Powe (''Crossing the Bar") appeared in th final of-tho recital, with musical accom puniment; Tho standard set was pav ticulurly high, but Miss Sbotlwuler hai an easier win than, tho points allottei by the judge indicated. Miss Mabe Dyer and Miss Cicely Audibert tacl ssv.g "Angus Mac Donald" in the final o the Scotch song class. Miss Jean Nichola sang "We'd Better Bide a Wee" ver, sweetly. '. Tim mnct fintfirtnininp nortinn of th

The most entertaining portion of the programme was provided by the competitors ia the impromptu speech classes. The subject was "Does Modern Dress Need Reform?" The competitors were brought to the stage one by one, mado acquainted with tho subject, and required to speak for five minutes, after one minute of which the judge described as solemn thought. Mr. "V; Evans,.who .was called ■ first, plunged into his subject without any delay at all, and made a spirited and amusing speech. He approved of present fashions, noted that an. "uplifting movement had already set in," and concluded that there was no reason why men should deny themselves tho pleasure 'of seeing woman prettily and I daintily dressed. . Mr. L. Jones followed

in a more subdued vein. >. He discussed war dress, and expressed his own preference for the costumes of' pre-war days. Mr. G. Saker considered the'question of dress from, the historical point of view, traced a link between dress and morals, and proceeded to clothe men in the Roman toga as a suitable substitute for trousers. The time limit did • not allow him to get further. Mr. J. Thomas, who took a chatty line, thought tho reform of dress prices was the really important matter. Mr. F. Hargreaves approved of modern fashions on grounds of. beauty, convenience, and healthfulness in a, fairly fluent and' occasionally ivitty speech. The judge endorsed the verdict of tho audience in awarding the first prize to. Mr. Evans. Mr. I'. Hargreaves and Miss Flo. Gow played cleverly in a. story without'words relating to a. racecourse incident. The ■ programme concluded with a comedietta, "The Boy's Proposal," played by Miss Aynsley, Miss E. Aitcheson, Miss N. Lee, and Mr. J. E. F. Perry. TO-DAY'S PROGRAMME, To-day's programme consists of the following classes:—Piano solo, under 10; piano duet, 10 and under 13; boys' song, under 1G; girls' song, under ■ 1(5; piano duet, J3 and under 1G; action song, boy or girl under !); song in character, boy or girl, 12 to lfi; action song, boy or girl,. 'J ami under 12; song in character, boy or girl, !) and under 12; action song, boy or girl, 12 and under 16; son, in character, Iwy or girl under 9; Reel o' 'l'ulloch, in costume,under 12; Irish jig, ill costume, boy or -gill, 12 anil under 1G; and ioe dnnee. under 12. By the foregoing it will-be seen that' tho progilanime constitutes at "children's dinv," which should ensure large audiences at all three sessions