ALEXANDER WATSON

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 162, 29 September 1927, Page 17

ALEXANDER WATSON

RECITAL ON SATURDAY Mr. Alexander Watson, the popular entertainer, who is giving a series of recitals at the concert chamber, Town Hall, commencing Saturday next, is again weaving his spell over the New Zealand audiences. Referring to his. opening recital in Melbourne recently, the “Argus” says: “As the last items on his opening programme at the Playhouse on Saturday night, Mr. Alexander Watson, who is on his fifth and final tour of. Australia, gave two from Mr. A. A. Milne’s. Wnen were very young.’ Mr. Milne’s happy title for his book might have well served to describe the delightful entertainment which Mr. Watson provided. All the world loves a story, and to many people there are no pleasanter memories; than those of the days when, as youngsters, they curled themselves up in front of the fire and listened in rapt attention to an account of the adventures which befell some hero or heroine who had been created for their special benefit. His ability to tell a story is one of the qualities by which Mr. Watson has won the wide popularity which he enjoys. The manner in which—seemingly unconsciously, he invites the confidence of his audiences, proves him a master of the art. One imagines him, for .instance, not as telling his audience that he will relate Mr. Masefield’s ‘Bill’s Ghost,’ but rather as saying, ‘I will tell you now about ‘Bill’s Ghost.’ Almost immediately he has his hearers hanging on every word, and responding readily to every inflection of voice, facial expression, gesture, and accent. It was because of his delightful naturalness and restraint, and of the many other qualities which he possesses, that he was able to play upon the feelings of his audience, and to keep it amused for an hour while he told the; story of 'The Little Minister.* ” The box plans are at Lewis R. Eady and Son, Ltd.