VAUDEVILLE DE LUXE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 154, 17 July 1937, Page 14

VAUDEVILLE DE LUXE

Variety Entertainment in Hastings GRACEFUL TOE-DANCER The Vaudeville de Luxe organised by Mr P. H. Luke and the Methodist Jtinior Boys? Bible Class played to a well-filled house in the Hastings Municipal Theatre last evening. A- wide variety of items was presented by talent specially selected- from all parts of the province, with "star" turns by Wellington performers. Miss Shona Bennetts, of Wellington, the champion toe-dancer of New Zealand, was seen for the first timo in Hawke's Bay in a number of delightful numbers. The toe dance as executed by this clever young artist is something not often seen in Hastings, and her displays proved very populaf. Miss Bennetts 's foob-work is carried outj daintly and with extreme grace and ease. Madam Margaret Mercer 's choir from Napier possessed sweet and pleasing voices and were heard in a number of delicate airs. A more lively touch was given to the programme by the piano-accordeon band of I(j players, which rendered popular solections. Miss Vida Hayes, a talented young Hastings artist, delighted with severai tiancc numbers, and Miss Barbara Towers, of Waipawa, appeared* as a bttle Shirley Temple. Conjuring and card tricks demonstrated by Mr T. Thornburrow provided an amusing interlude, and Mr L. H. Searl's character sketches' deserve mention. Plenty of variety was provided, and each player's work showed polish. Frequent cbanges of scenes added to the interest and effeetiveness of the vaudevilie. Frequent encores were demanded by a large audienee and, although Hastings has had almost a surfeit of good entertainment lately, the audienee last night lacked nothing in genuine enthusiasm. The proceeds are in aid of the Methodist Home and Foreign Missions. This is the second annual performance for this cause, the first havmg been staged iast year in the Hastings Assembly Hail. The programme was as follows: — Overture, selecti,on from "High Jinks, " orchestra; Dickens character sketch, "Squeers," L. H. Searle; selection, Sutcliffe 's Piano-Accordeon Band (10 players) ; tap dance in costume, Miss Yida Hayes; Napier Junior Choir (Madam Margaret Mercer, teacher), (a) "Hark, Hark the Lark," (b) "I Know a Bank," (c) "Blowt South Wind Blow"; banjo solo (selected), E. Mulvanah; toe dance, "Sur Les PointeB, ' > Miss Shona Bennets, champion toe daneer of New Zealand; solo, "April Morn," Miss Margaret Probert; sunshine ballet, "Here Comes the Sun," Miss G. Wiggins (soloist) and chorus; Shirley Temple song, "Kings Horses," Barbara Towers; piano accordeon and banjo duet, C. Neil and E. Mulvanah; solo (selected), Mr Mills; duet, "Drifting and Dreaming," Misses Malken and Wiggins; overture, "Floral," orcheetra; humorous sketch, "Speech Day," L. H. Searle; Napier Intermediate School Choir (Madam Mercer, teacher), (a) "Whurther," (b) "I Would That My Love.," (c) ".The First Violet"; duet, "The Good* Ship Lollie Pop," Barbara Towers land Jean Kittow; conjuring and card tricks, "Professor" P. Thornburrow; piano accordeon solo (selected), C. Neil; solo, "Angus McDonald," Madam Margaret Mercer; toe dance. "Czardus," Miss Shona Bennetts; humorous recitation, "Bad Sir Brian," Brian Hasler; selection, Sutcliffe 'e Piano Accordeon Band; solo, "Love's Garden * of Roses," Miss Rachel Schoefield; ballet, "By the Zyder Zee," Miss F. Malken (soloist) and chorus; skipping dance, "Skipping," Misls Vida Hayes; solo (selected), Mr Mills.