GYMNASTIC OARNIVAL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 192, 23 November 1910, Page 8

GYMNASTIC OARNIVAL

A CAPITAL PERFORMANCE. The gymnastic display given by the Now Plymouth United Gymnasium Society last night drew a gathering thai iilled every portion of the Theatre Royal. The large number of young people gave a display that was excellent in almost all details, the only noticeable weakness being a lack of smartness in the "finish," especially in squad work. The actual gymnastic; work was of the highest excellence, and creditable to all concerned. From the opening march, in which a very realistic "elephant" tools, part, to the comic march ot men before the final curtain, the performers were in close sympathy with the large audience. Among the many novel turns, the one given by the two little Lints brothers (Gordon and Ronnie) stood out as the star item. These two boys were excellently made up as white bears, duly imprisoned in a big cage, and trained by Mr. Lints, the instructor for the Society. The whole act was excellently arranged, and the detail clever and interesting. The boys' "bearish" demeanor, their fine horizontal and parallel bar work, and their tumbling, were smart, finished and comical. A particularly interesting exhibition of hand-bal-ancing and walking was given by Mr. Philpot, whose remarkable deftness in performing unusually difficult feats was applauded loudly. A perfect balance on a pile of small boxes—each probably measuring 7 in. by 4 in.—was a fitting climax to a neat and clever performance. Mr. Philpot's hand walking is more rapid and surer than that of. most gymnasts specialising in this branch of display. In the squad work the men\s caMsthenic dumb-bell exhibition was the most finished and precise performance, the time being excellent, the dressing good and the general smartness creditable. The ladies' squads, particularly those giving dumb-bell and club exercises, were marked by grace and precision. Mr. Lints' exhibition of electric globe swinging was a highly picturesque incident, especially as he was backed by a revolving mechanical device, also bearing electric globes. Fire club swinging by the ladies was a notable variation from the ordinary gymnastic item, and the ladies' lantern march, in which intricate figures were skilfully effected, was a most popular item. In the bar work, both horizontal and parallel, and the statuary tableaux, all the squads gave good; displays; and a graceful exhibition of the use of an elastic developer by four ladies was an admired turn. The High School girls' squads showed efficient training and capability in fancy angle and counter-marching, and their club swinging was a good feature. The clowning supplied merriment, and the clowns happened 1 to be good gymnasts', while some occasional songs kept the audience amused during changes "behind." Mr. Lints, the director and stage manager, is not only a capable instructor, but understands the value of effects and the necessity for keeping the interest of the audience from flagging. Mr. C. H. Lawn conducted the orchestra, and Miss A. Whitaker was the pianiste.