COMPLIMENTARY CONCERT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 153, 24 March 1920, Page 8

COMPLIMENTARY CONCERT

TO MR. W. AV. CHAWFOED,

Tlio general regard in which Mr. \V. W. Crjawford is held In Wellington was shown by the very large audience, which filled every available yard of space in the Town Hall last evening. For soma years past, Mr. Crawford lias been a consistently sound performer as on amateur, and his jjehial temperament, willingness' to oblige, and ability had tlie/r reward Inst evening in a. bumper house. As evidenced last evening, Mr. Crawford possesses varied talents. His farst essay was a garbled excerpt from JJickens's "Christmas. Carol," in, which lie •impersonated Scrooge. The performancewas better than the version. It would have been better had the performer adhered to Dickens in the pure. Encored, he gave a clever musical sketch, ineFakwand the Heal," which raised shrieks of laughter, and "Simple Johnny, a "«illy bov" sketch, with an eccentric •dance-, appended, also pleased, the big audience immensely. The, dainty charm of Miss Helen Givd'.ncr was not reatad to the full in the big hoi....Her reined comedv work, which last evening included the musical sketch "Pierette in p.erro costume) and "My Partners" (a :iiuis eal comedy excerpt) were both delightfullydone, and earned encores. Mr. Albert K««ell's exuberant broad comedy sciisi) .found adequate expression in ' Cap ain Sammy," "Signora," and the rec <ilion "Alnhonsc." "Tip from Somerset va» s „» Mr. Verdi' Mackenzie, who was not V successful in the comic encore number. M.r. Martin Duff's pretty tenor voice was heard to advantage in O Saul of Mine" and Take 'air of Sparkling Eyes" (from 'The Gondoliers"). A good contralto voice of uncommon quality w.s displayed by Cleon Fernanda in a ballad entitled "Threnody" (Holmes), but her diet on made' it difficult to comprehend the au■tor's argument. . As nn encore she ■»«» "Fly, Biftterfly,' n a commendaMP W mi/ delicate spirt. iMr. Culford Holl S his Senearoan- recital "Jlnrcellus to the Mob (trom ■% us Caesar"), a larely-lieaxd but very effective excerpt. As an encore he reKudyard JCipling'B gloomy apo • traphe, t'Boots." Mr. Rupert Meates, H*eo profmulo, sang "Blow;, Blow Thou WnteJ Wind" (encored ; Mr. Norman Aittcn--recited with melodwmatio * nhnsis '"Bnekwood' Tenanco" and l«o TnSTrnil." and Mr. Hamilton Hodg« contributed the "Minnie Song and Son o ? Jf no" from Wallace's 'freebooter Son 4" In the first Wirt the Ule,C,Vn Society's Pipe Baud played » Aduir nnd danced a. Highland »e The Diggers' Pierrots (with whom Mr.'Crawford is to be, associated in Anatralin) contributed substantmUy to » programme. Mr. Stanley Lawson M.o gifted soubrctto impersonator), with Mr. Oliver Perkins, whs heard onccmore in ■ho giddy "Wild Thyme duet and dance, which Was doubly recalled. Mr, S. 1.. T.xton sang very sweetly, and Mi. U..1. Hanna executed some clever lightmw sketches in" chalk. "The Pride o Ho Pier," by Stanley Lawson and Tano Fnmn (with chorus), concluded an exceedingly agreeable and popular enterZTZ'A 'Mr. M. T. Di'xon played the accompaniments for the local performers', and the Diggers' Orchestra for-.ita members. ' • ■ ■