THE COMPETITIONS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 45, 17 November 1919, Page 5

THE COMPETITIONS

THE NINTH DAY SECOND DAY FOR CHILDREN t In adopting the policy of reserving the Saturdays for i tho children exclusively, thd management of tho "Wellington Competitions Society showed its wisdom, for both halls wore well filled morning and ai'tonioon on Saturday, and naturally V tho evening performance drew a very i large audience. The sections during the \ day consisted of songs in character, ac- '. tion songs, choruses for children, and, - i'l the Concert Chamber, there was a . gathering of the clans, to compote in the , ilin» the Mel, and tho shenntrublias (a annco that is as difficult to execute as it is to spell). The entries were excellent in ea'fch caso, and the audienco were ?;iven their full money's worth and a itble over. In tho courso of his remarks on the. children's vocal sections, the judgo (Mr. H. Gregson) said that ho would like ' ' to suggest that greater care should bo taken in choosing songs for the children. It was desirable to get away from vaudeville songs; which wero really written to be sung by and for the entertainment of adults. Mr. Grcgson's remarks wero received with a round of applause. 'Hie results wore as follow:— • Character Reoitation, boy or girl, under \ 9 years. Own selection. Marks for \ < costumo. First prize, 10s.; second, ss. Tinal—Mavis "Winson, U points 1; Jean ( Eiw, 73 points, 2; Joyce Whitehead, 72 > '■ points, 3. ' Piano Sdlo, 13 and under 16. "Valse Mauresque" (Coleridge-Taylor). First ' prize, trophv. £i 2s. ;i second, 10s. Recalls-Ada L. Huggins, K.ilbirnie; Marinella Picchi, "Wellington; Prank Mullins, Eastbourne. Highly commended —Lucy Girling-Bntcher, Kilbirnie, \ Final-Frank Mullins, U0 points, 1. , Ada Huggins, 137 points, 2"; Marinella Picchi, 132 points, 3. Character Dance, under 12. First prize, 10s.; second, ss. v Final—Sinclair Breen, Wellington, 90 \ points, 1; Clara Niohols, "Wellington, 86 I'\ points, 2; Betty Carr, "Wellington, 3. / \ Boys' Song, under 16. Own selection. ( ' First prize, 10s.; second, ss. ' Recalls—Thomas .George, "Wellington, • "Last Rose of Summer"; John "Wattera, ■• 'Thorndon, 'Hoses"; and Cecil "Watters, "Roses." . Final-John "Watters, 145 points, li Thomas George, If 3 points. 2; Cecil "Watters, 132 points, 3- -. , , , Bon? in Character, boy or girl, nino and "under 12 years. Own selection. First prize, 10s.; second, ss. Recalls-Winston Macarthy, Phyllis M'Millan, and Hazel Johnstone. Finnl—Hazel Johnstono, Dunedin, 194 points, 1; Winston Macarthy, "Wellington, 193 points, 2: Phyllis M'Millan, , Wellington, 186 points, 3. | Shcantrubhas, in costume, boy or girl, under 12 years. First prize, 10s.; eecond,' ss. Recalls-P. L. H. M'Millan, Rita J. Peterson, Edna A. Ve'ar.' Final-Rita Peterson, 60. points, 1: . Phyllis M'Millan, 57 points, 2; Edna Vear, 53 noints, 3. Contralto Solo, "Threo Fishers." First prize, Jil; seennd, IDs.' Final-Miss Olga Wacked, Cbristchurcn, 138 points, 1; Miss Ida Snelling, Wellington, 135 points, 2; Mrs. Edward '• Cameron. Dunedin, 133 points, 3. ! Humorous Character Sketch, lady or gentleman, open class. Own selection. First prize, trophy, £i 25.; second, 10s. Final—Miss Norah Lea, Wellington, 81 points, 1; Miss Maisie Burt. Lower Hutt, 79 points, 2; Miss E: R, Aitchison, Wellington, 76 points, 3. Sailors' Hornpipe, open, over 16 years. ■' Recalls—Rita Hands, Kilbirnie; Alice Campbell. Wellington. Final-Rita Hands, 1; Alice Carapbcil, j 2.. Action Song, boy or girl, nine and under 12 years. Not in costume. Propertics permitted. First prize, 10s.; second; ss. ' '~,,„ Final—Hazel Johnstone,. ICS points (42 points for action), 1; Winston Macarthy, 151 points (32 points for action), 2; Betty Chit, "Hiwh-a-Byo, Baby," HI points (33 points for action), 3. ■ ■ Song in Character,, boy or_ girl, under nine years. Own selection. Marks for costumo. First prize, 10s.; second, bS. , Final-Meg Cimino, "Oh, Prenchy," hi points,'-1; Lawrcnco Searle, 162 points, 2; Alice Chapman, 158 points, 3. In this class Meg Cimino. a sweet litthe dot, not more than five years old, was, as tho Americans say, "awful 'cuto" W "Oh, Frenchy," both as a singer and dancer, extracting, too, every ounce of comedy from tho number. Children's Chorus, under 16. Minimum 12 voices. Own selection. . First prize, £2; 6carad, £1. Final—Thorndon Marist Bros., "Sweet Vale of Avoca." M 2 points: 1. (Only competitor.) The .judge (Mr. H. Gregson) commended the choir for Doing nicely in time, for its good tone, and the purity of its diction. Children's Play (Final). . "The Woouen • Shoe" (performers: Ina Farquhar, Rita Arnold, ' Thelma Perkis, Hazel Davies, Ada Thompson, Gertrude Austin, Phyllis M'Millan. Dora Heyward, and Maimie Heyward. 77 points, 1; "Paddly P&ols" I performers: Fay Smythe, Thelma Perkis, Marie M'Carthv, Eva Clay, Jean Drew, Eileen Moms, Ethel Brice, Betty Hoare. Aoa Thompson, Kathleen Rhodes, and Noela Stevens), 75 points, 2; "The Sewing Society"- "(performers: Betty Menard, Dorothv M'Dowell, Molly Madden, Eileen Searle. Mariory Dempster, Verona Nash, and Mavis Winsor), 71pointa, 3. Highly commended—"The Rose and the Ring," 73 points; and "A Raid on the Pantry," 72 noints. Action Song, Boy or Girl, .12 and under 16 veais Not in costume. Own selection. Properties permitted. First prize, 10s.; second, ss. .Recalls—Mavis King, i Wellington, "Wav Down in Iowa"; Mavis Ritchie, Chrislchurch. "Dear Little Jammy Face": James Grieve, "I'd Love to be a Sailor." Reel o' Tulloch, in costume, boy or girl. 12 and under 16 years. First nrize. 10s.: second, ss. Recalls—Willie Brown, Newtown; Thelma. M'Kenzie, Wellington; tMarcaret O'Connor. ■ Melrose. Junior Champion Recitation, boys under 16 vears. Omi selection. First prize, ,£1 Is.; second,.ss. Recalls—H. Warring, John Watchman, L. Jliddell. Action Recitation, boy or girl, 9 and under 12 years. Own selection. Marks for actions. < Properties permitted. First prize, 10s. Od.; second.' ss. Final—Jovco Staff, 1; Sinclair Breen, 2: Hazel Johnston, 3. National 'Dancing. The judge of the national dances (Mr. W. H. Kilgour) made the following observations noon tho work that came before him: "I have been disappointed i" tho display of dancing. There have been a few nice performances, but generally they have not conic up to tho standard I expected. There is a leni denev to introduce movements which, while correct for fancy or stage dancing, are out of place in Highland' dancing. Competitors do not realise that in performing the Highland 'fling or sword dance, or any other Highland dances, thev should endeavour to portray the character of the dance. . . '. The manner of •wearing the kilt also calls for remark. As worn bv some competitors ... it certainlv caused me annoyance, and seemed to bring ridicule and disgrace upon the tartan. . . . They might as .well appear in bathing trunks as with the kilt just below the hips. ... If you will not wear the kilt properly then uvnot wear it at ! all." The Eveninn Programme. The onening item of the enjoyable entertainment presented in the evening was a prettily-dressed children play embodying a quaint Christmas conceit. Tho ' nieco (entitled "The Old Toys") was quite a pretentious little production, with, an element of pageantry which, if it did not dazzle, was at least attractive to the eve. No fewer than eighteen childion took niirt in it. I Joan Drew, Joyce Whitehead, and Mavis Winsor, threo tiny girls who all live in Wellington, disputed very prettily the honours of the character recitation under nine. They respectively presented "Litf/.e Lord Fauntleroy," "Cupid," and W x "The Little Mushroom Girl." Pleasing renditions of n "Valse Mauresnue" were given by Ida Huggins, Marinella Picchi. end Frank Mullins. Quite a remarkable performance wa» that of Sinclair Breen in' the oharaoter

dance for competitors under twelvq. Garbed in most ingenious costume, tho youthful artist portrayed u spider, and did it in a way to make a house-fly shud'der. Her competitors (Olam Niohols and Hetty Carr) attempted nothing so ambitious, but confined themselves to tho more conventional style. Sinco audiences do not roadily tiro of tho pure, sweet voices of young boys, the. house listened with evident pleasure to Thomas George and tho brothers Cecil and John AVatters, between whom was tho final contest for places in tho boys' song competition. In the song in character seotion, little Winston Macarthy scored quite a hit with his rendering of "Breakfast in Bed." 'This diminutive Lauder is invariably amusing, for his good, broad Scotch and his imperturbablo smile wouCd be too much for tho gravity of the most blase. Master Maoartliy found himself, however, compotinj on Saturday with two other clever performers, in the persons of Phyllis M'Millan and Hazel Johnstone, Tho latter cut a particularly delightful figure in tho quaint Dutch costume she had donned. "Littllo Mister Baggy Breeches" was her number, and she sang it sweetly, with a simply delightful variety of facial expression and gesture. There was nothing astonishing in the fact that tho judgo , placed her first. Tho diffioult sheantrubhas gave Drucy Turner, Jean M'Kenzie, and Annio Cur- ' rie the opportunity of exhibiting commendablo and agility. The first item for adult competitors was the contralto solo "Three Fishors," sung with varying effectiveness by Miss Ida Snelling, Miss Oiffa Wacked, and Mrs. Edward Gamoron. The brightest of tho bright trio that contested tho humorous character sketch was Miss Norah Lea, who amusingly described "Them Penny Readings"; but although she out-topped her fellow performers in technique, she had few advantages, as a laugh-maker, over Miss Maisio Burt. Tho latter diverted tho audience very considerably with tho moral beauties of "Mrs. Brown on Honesty." Mrs. Brown commended the age-old motto that "Honesty is tho best policy," and she urged that it be practised .... with Miss B. R. Aitchison's selection told against her somewhat, as it'was boisterous rather than funny. Other items included in the entertainment iv'cre: A sailor's hornpipe, performed by Rita Hands and by Alice Campbell; an Italian ballet and n golden ballet, each danced by a number of daintily-garbed juveniles; and a one-act playj "Nono San," in which tho roles were filled by Misses Leah Hvman. Lottie Harris, nnd Annie Plan. •The Wesley Sunday School juvenile choir was conducted by Mr. W. B. Strong, not Mr. W. Strom, as staled when tho result of the competit : on wag nnnbunced.