VAUDEVILLE TRIALS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 157, 29 March 1920, Page 5

VAUDEVILLE TRIALS

P.OWDY SCENES AT THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE. Doubtless anticipating a lively evening, the Grand Opera, House was packed to the doors by 7.M p.m. on Saturday for the vaudeville trials arranged by Mr. V. Spencer, and. after that hour probably a thousand, mostly young men rr.d voiiths, had to be refused admission. The first part of the programme, devoted to children's trials, was allowed to pass off without any marked demonstration, but- when announcing the last item of the first part, the stage director said bo would like to tell the audience a story. An over-ripe tomato of generous size, hurled from the gallery, splashed messily at his feet—and the story was left untold, the curtain being lowered .oven before the final child competitor had her fling. During the interval the scene was unedifying, to put it mildly. Tomatoes, being cheap, were thrown from the gallery to tlva stalls.' Some landed in the orchestra, and others in the boxes. A group of rowdies in one of the dress circle boxes became very offensive by dropping tomatoes on to people in jhe stalls. As the result of this fusilade, some ladies left 'ho theatre, and most of the others put their coats on. The second part of the programme was i&erved for adult competitors, some of whom were made, targets for all manner of fruit. One seminude demonstrator of physical culture made a tempting target, and though hit several times, went through his welly interesting act with praiseworthy stoicism. Such was the condition of things during the second half of the programme- that dancers had to pick tl eir steps to avoid the litter on the stnge. Before the 'entertainment commenced, thp stage manager bespoke a fair hearing for all competitors, and mentioned that some had never faced an audience before. The first child ' sang "That Tumble-down Shack" very well, and was generously applauded. Mi.w Buby Weir danced an alleged Apache dance. The tiny Grey sisters, thoroughly well prepared, sang with good rhythm and action. "There Goes My .Soldier Boy." and diminutive. Vera Houston was childishly cute in "When Paderewski Plays the Baby Grand." A young girl wiis announced to sing "That Wonderful Mother o' Mine," but as she failed to make good in the first two lines, the clamour of the audience silenced the song, and the performer, with all the irony she could summon said' "Thank you very much I'' and walked off. Next ti:o cnflrtroii essayed a duet, but were only permitted to sing four bars when the audience—mostly the gallery-called llicm ofl. 'Little Joyce Julian held the crowd with a prettily-executed fairy dance, but two singers of "The Kose of No Man's Loud" failed to. impress. A neatly executed Irish jig passed inusiyr, and Betty Gut's pretty voice and stylo in "lowa," gave general pleasure. Wlien it. came to the vole of the children's section, the iiudienco singled the competitors out as follows:—Grey sisters, t; Vera Houston, 2; Joyce' Julian, fl. "Spc- < cials" were given to all the others. In ' the adult class Mr. (I. Henderson, a ' voting tenor who sang with great hearti- ' noss, scored first nrize in "A Toasl. to Erin" and "An Old-Fashioned Town.'' ' Mr. J. V. Farrell gained second plaeo ; with a banjo solo; and Miss Irene Byrne ' (and vocal partner) en mo third with the vocal duet "Till T .Mel You." The big hit of the evening, however, was made ' by "Little Meg," a child of exlraordin- ' ary intelligence and natural ability, who , sang "On La-La," and "Frenrhy." in 1 perfect rhythm, tune and clarity of diction. Mavis King, another "special," also pleased in "Mv Little Dream Girl." and Joyce Julian contributed a musical monologue. One young lady was announced to sing "I Hale to Leave You," bill -n couple of wcll-placod fomalolw | altered her feelings—she left alter the ( first, line. The singers of "Bubbles" and | "Oo La-la" also had a brief run. An i orchestra under Mr. Andrew Williams '< rendered valued assistance, ■ j