AN HISTORIC CONCERT

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 2 October 1919, Page 2

AN HISTORIC CONCERT

A concert held in Authie Wood, Picardy, during the " Stunt " of 1918, is graphically described by a writer in "The Chronicles of the N.Z.E.F," as follows :—

Great excitement last night at the concert. Imagine a huge cratar about 150 feet across and 35 feet deep, big trees all around and a perfect canopy of green overhead. On one side ©f this they have built a stage, and you cannot imagine a more perfect theatre. Last night this basin was filled right up to its brim with Diggers—nearly all 2nd Brigade and "Dinks "—roughly 3000 men, and it did look " bon." Thousands of pipes and cigarettes gleaming everywhere in the twilight, and everyone tickled to death to be out of all that rough stuff for awhile —the N.Z. Pierrots put on a show, "Eyes Front" —my word, it would open your ayes to see the shows they put on here. Well, while everyone was waiting for the curtain to go up, there was a commotion on one side of the crater, and down the track came our Generals Richardson, Young, and Johnstone,' followed by two civilians. Suddenly it dawned upon the Diggers who they were ; (the pin was out) it was Bill and Joe (Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward). It was ten minutes before the orchestra could get going ; the crowd cheered and yelled themselves eilly. All sorts of questions and gags were fired at them —absolute barrage— Bill and Joe stood there with their hats off and grinned like schoolboys.

A Tommy sitting next me asked, "Don't you fellows like your people in Parliament?" I suppose it did seem a funny reception, but then one had to yell out something to ease one's feelings in a case like that—it was just like old times back in N.Z.—but Tommies can't "compree" that. They would cheer by numbers, I suppose, if Lloyd George and Windy Churchill happened along,

Well, as to the concert. Jt was a Revue and a jolly fine show, staged as well as the very bast in New Zealand scenery, dresses, electric light—everything complete—Lawaon, who impersonates the principal lady, makes up as a pretty winsome girl—makes you homesick to see him—fact; Sergt. Perkins, the baritone, has a voice which rings across the crater like a bell; Exton and Proctor in a duet got the Diggers very excited, and the comedian who runs the show is that clever devil, Sergt. Tana Fama.

To see a show like that run by soldiers was a revelation to Bill and Joe, who congratulated the troupe, and said they had never seen better at Fuller's and had often paid ten bob in London and not seen such a decent revue as they got that night " back sheesh."

For all Ford Accessories, J. F. Lambert The Accredited Ford Dealer. * Hazel Dawn in " The Saleslady," next Saturday at Everybody's, ; A Jersey heifer, strayed from Ohirangi,. is advertised for. Little Madge Evans in "Wanted, a Mother," Lyric Pictures, Tuesday. " Bab's Burglar," (Marguerite Clarke), adapted from Mary Roberts Rioehart's famous "Sub-deb." stories, will b-3 shown on Tuesday next at Everybody's.