DICKENS RECITAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 1, 26 September 1919, Page 5

DICKENS RECITAL

To interpret Dickens as Dickens deserves to be interpreted is not a task for the first-comer to attempt; for he wlio would make a success of a Dickons recital must bo endowed by nature with such a fund of genial humour and human sympathy a-i no amount of mere literary culture.- can , bestow. lhe "Christmas Carol" confronts the reciter with peculiar difficulties, because its beauties are so familiar and so dear to British people that the public will not readily tolerate a feeble or ineffectual presentment of them. The Rev. A. Ji. Hunt is to be accounted fortunate in his proved possession of the faculties that a popular rectal of tho piece depends upon. In the Concert Chamber last evening he he'd a good-sized audience spellbound with as masterly and ns happy an interpretation as any lover of Dickens could have wished. When the rimer is as thoroughly imbued with his subject as Mr. Hunt undoubtedly it the story is bound to come as fresh and vivid us though no covers of a book had ever prisoned it. Mr. Hunt gave his' recital in four p«ts-"Mnrle,B Ghost," "The Spirit of Christmas Past, "The Spirit of Christmas Present and "The Last of tho Spirits. IDs style was quietly effective-never ovwjcotouft ctl: his voico musical and pleasing, and his facial expression just. Perhaps he was at hi*- best in his picture ot the party that Scrooge's nephew gave on Smas Day, but his whole pe.-fonn-ar.ee was most thoroughly enjoyable. To support him, Mr Hun had four well-chosen artists, contributed excellent musical items. Mr. H. F. Wood sag Buzzi-Peccia's beautiful tenor so o, "Lolita," which inevitably earned him a recall. "II Cnmeval di Venezm" (Br.ccinldi) was charmingly played upon the fluto by Mr. Claude Tucker, a youn- performer who is obviously endowed with considerable talent. Mr. Sydney AUwr g t was heard to advantage in two selections. Besides acting as accompanffl other performer.. Mr. George piano of Grteg's "March of the Dwaits. A eta 1 woithy of remark in conn ction wth tho entertainment was the daidfT dressing of the sage, which had evidently been executed by no inartistic hand.