MUSICAL TREAT

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 85, 1 December 1931, Page 6

MUSICAL TREAT

school concert PUPILS ACHIEVE NEW HIGH LEVEL AT ANNUAL ENTERTAINMENT. AUDIENCE ENTHUSIASTIC A crowded house, enthusiastic performers and a still more enthusiastic audience all contributed towards making. the annual concert of the Rotorua High School held on Friday evening last 'in the Majestic Theatfb a complete success. Every item was received with marked approval and it augurs wrell for the future of the school that with only five years' experience behind them the pupils can stage a programme of such general excellence as the one given on Friday evening. A feature of the programme was the extremely fine rendering of the j overture, "The Crown Prince," and I the entraete, "Sweetly Dreaming Serej nade," both by the school orchestra. ' The undoubted success of the orchesi tra marks an important step for Ward j in the progress of the school, and its ; recent performance fully justifies the j amount of time and interest devoted j to it by Mr. J. Buchan, most capably l assisted by Miss Grace-Cameron-John-son, who has taken a considerable interest in the orchestra. To assist the S more inexperienced players in their j first appearance in public, the services of Miss Hemis, and Messrs. Norris, Tattersall, Dixon and Hill were generously given, I11 connection with the dances, Miss E. Cainpbell is to be congratulated upon the outstanding merit of the performances, while the exhibition of tennis drill given by the junior girls of the school under the direction of Miss E. Simmers was received with I marked enthusiasm. A humorous sketch organised by Mr. C, Noble met with decided approval, while the short play, "Between the Soup and the Savoury" was a credit to the amount of time spent upon its production by Mr. W . Evans. The school choir was in the hands of Mr. Buchan and Miss Came-ron-Johnson arranged the violin performances. During^ the evening, Mr. R. G. Webb arihounced the winners of the House competition for the sale of tickets as: Agincourt, 1; Crecy, 2; Blenheim. 3. School Choir. The second item on the progranune •vas given by the school Choir which always a feature of school concerts, his year reached a standard never oefore attained. The first song was che Soldiers' Chorus from Faust (Gounod), and the second a German folk tune entitled "The Fairy Glade." Both were well executed and the folowing song, "Fair Shines the Moon fo-night" from La Traviatta, (Ver!i), lent itself admirably to the part inging. In the next item, "The Soldiers in .he Park," the choir again showed to idvantage and Roma Steele as solost mads a most effective soldier, singng with ease and vigour. The ballet II the same number was strikingly iffective. j Two violin solos by Andrew Brown ollowed, and the young player, reniering the "Gavotte" (Gassec) and 'Bourree" (Handel), proved himself )ossessed of decided musical ahility, : Lying, despite his inexperience, with .•ase and artistry. ! Physical drill items by the junior oys and girls were next on the pro;ramme. The Swedish drill was first, ol.owed by cricket and tennis exer•ises, and both items were extremely well done. An exhibition of folk iancing by both boys and girls folowed and in the execution of these favourite dances the boys proved hemselves in every way as efficient is their partners. I A rendering of "Drink to Me Only .vith Thine Eyes" and "Londonderry lir" by a double quartette comprisng senior boys and girls and coniucted by Mr. Buchan was greatly ippreciated by the audience. j Humorous Sketch j The eoneluding item of the first ialf of the programme took the form ii a humorous sketch entitled "The Lost Wig." The performers, II. bainton, D. McAdam, A. Brown, M. oiarriock, and A. Nicholson were all very much at home with their parts rnd suceeded in keeping the audience aughing; the very absurdity of the )lot and the clever interpretation of ;he spirit of the slceteh being an asset. i

After the entraete, "Sweetly Dreamng Serenade," by the orchestra, conducted by Mr. Buchan, the choir sang three songs, all vastly different .11 character but all equally well renlered. The first song was the "Morn;ng Invitation," the second "Rio Grande," and the third "Good King Wenceslas." ."Ihe Vesper," an item by the newly established school cadet bugle band L'ollowed, and under the able control of Lieut. Tregilgas the boys acquitted themselves admirably. In fact, ■50 well did they play that the audience had good cause to regret that encores were not permitted. Clever Acting A play, "Between the Soup and the Savoury," was the next item on the programme. This play, difficult in itself, was one of the outstanding features of the evening. Only three .'haracters were portrayed and upon them rested the responsibility of holding the interest of their audience throughout. The scene was set in a kitehen during the serving of dinner. Betty Johnstone made a very realis;ic ccok. Betty Keane, as an overvorked, ignorant and idealistic little kitchenmaid, succeeded in doing that most difficult of tasks, keeping the audience wavering between a feeling of silent pity and laughter. As the j serving maid just a little higher up he iadder than either the cook or the kitchenmaid, Billie Harvey suited the art to perfection and her visits to he dining room and the following confidences to the cook formed the basis of the play. The part of cook was :xcellently intsrpreted, neither overmr under-acted, with the traditional goniality and superiority of the cook iraintained throughout. Betty Keane ;howod a tendoney to over-act, but 'ier very realistic erying and her well mstained air of pathetic subjection Hmost overcame this fault. The very jupsriority of the serving maid was in itself humorous. j A voilin duet, "Serenade D'Amour (von Blon;, played by Jessie Moreland and A. Brown, was next oh the programme. • This item was excep- I

tionally well rendered, both performers giving a vivid and sympathetic in- I terpretation of the melody and play- ; ing with distinct regard to time and j general -techniqife. Their perform- ! ance was, in fact, well worthy of j wider experience. The eoneluding item on the even- j [ ing's programme took the form of a j Hawaiian dance by R. Steele, P. i Brooker, J. Allen, H. Paul O. Dal- j gliesh and G. Le Grice. Dressed in j appropriate costumes, the girls exe- j cuted a difficult dance very well and I provided a graceful and bright finish | to a well arranged evening's enter- j tainment. At the conclusion of the j dance the school choir joined in and. j the curtain fell upon the singing of j "Aloha Oe." . ! The thanks of the school are due 1 to the Rotorua Furnishing Company j and Mr. F. Briggs for their generos- i ity in furnishing stage properties and ] to all those who assisted in any way j with the provision of costumes. \