Mel. B. Spurr.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 134, 10 June 1904, Page 2

Mel. B. Spurr.

\N WTIMJTABLE ENTERTAINER. After his appearance at the Theatre Royal last evening there will, it is certain, be only one opinion of the ability of this veteran entertainer. Mel. 11. Spun- is one of those exceptionally talented artists the like of whom, as some one has said, one, may travel far afield to match. His uiui'ualilied success was too definite and spontaneous to be mistaken for anything else, The audience were in sympathy with him from the outset, followed his versatile efforts with /.est, laughed or grew pensive as he willed, and at the end were loth to let him go. Musician to his linger tips, wit, mimic, humourist, he combines thu arts of each, and superadded is a gift of facial expression seldom, if ever, equalled. To those who hold the theory that an artiste single-handed cannot entertain an audience throughout an evening without the Interest a nd amusement slackening, Mr Spun- will prove a ruvelation. His repertoire •ontaftis a cure for well-nigh every craving of the amusement-seeker, Iroiu the epicurean to the most, cureless. Were the theme comical one

might close one's ears and yet be reduced to uncontrollable laughter, merely to look at him. Similarly he compelled a serious bearing with a glance, and thus, clever us they were nil themselves, his contributions were en-hanued by the way they were illustrated from beginning to end. J l was the perfection of interpretation allied with aptness) of demonstration. The whole performance was something to admire. Its nature ■nay best be gauged by a glance at the programme submitted, First came -a clever little vocal satire of •Mr Spare's own "Quick Work," a telling song instinct with wit, and hitting slyly at the foibles of tin"ge. A remarkably g„,„| recital of Lonan Boyle's humourous " The Groom's Story" followed, the artsi s really marvellous facial continuous broadening i.h o ludicrous *f :t () a f T Mnig in,cnfie <"""« : - ment Quite the gem of the evening was Mr Spurr's ensuing m . i(nl to £ keenly sympathetic zither nccompunimiiit (beautifully modulated to the spirit of tho poem) of Thomas Bracken s the New Zealand poet, exquisito lines, "Not Understood." Tli c verses were given with ineffable lendernpss. The musical sketch, " A Little Music," came next, and revealed Mr Spurr's n.usicianly talents as emphatically us it did his versa"lly. Ihe sketch was exceedingly V /,,' r \., and il ''"''"duced the song ri.e World Wont Wry Well Then " which alone was a gem. "When 'l Was a Hoy at School," "The Owls and Mice ' (humourous song) "Mr* 'tan 1 "V-I'l l >" < h,, ™» - 1 tal), and "A Fancy Fair" (musical sketch), all served as delicious mor"n'rt°'li,,lpt I lv - Tho l'"rf-namcd was remaikably clever, and included Mr Spurrs very popular song "The Tin--ee-gee " which the composer sung mmuably well. He concluded with '"s original musical sketch, "Af...,Burner," in which lie gave a series- ,f ■no*, ludicrously nliniicked p„s prandial