ELOCUTIONARY ARTIST

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 945, 11 April 1930, Page 15

ELOCUTIONARY ARTIST

ALEXANDER WATSON’S RECITAL

Making full use of those skilful touches of expression and voice that distinguish the artist from the elocutionist, Alexander Watson entertained and enthralled a large audience in the concert chamber of the Town Hall last evening. A short and interesting explanation of the selection or its author —a pause two or three lines are rendered —and one is lifted into the atmosphere of the event being painted by words made as expressive by tlieir author, as rich by Mr. Watson, as a descriptive masterpiece from the brush of a genius. This was no ordinary elocutionary recital. It was character-acting—an outward expression of personal magnetism. For each character number Mr. •Watson assumed the voice inflexion, dialect, and facial appearance of the subject to such perfection that he lived each part and made most of the audience live it with liim. Such a number was Gunga Din. One cannot imagine a better portrayal of the soldier’s vivid description from the pen of Rudyard Kipling. The first part of the programme was chosen from Kipling’s works. “The Explorer” was the most impressive item from this author. That number so powerfully dramatic: and yet “My Lord the Elephant” was treated as if this artist had specialised in humorous sketches throughout his career. In the second part of the recital Mr. Watson acted S. Orme Jewitt’s “Sheltered.” One cannot describe the emotional reactions to this portrayal of elocutionary genius. Suffice it to say that one took two or three seconds to “come down to earth” enough to join in the applause. The programme finished with three amusing dialect numbers. This is Alexander Watson’s farewell appearance in Auckland, and only three more concerts are to be given here—a matinee this afternoon, a performance on Saturday evening, and the final recital on Monday evening.