CENTRAL SCHOOL CONCERT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 46, 16 August 1911, Page 4

CENTRAL SCHOOL CONCERT

''You havn't a chance," was the greeting a party of parents received at the door of the dress circle at the Theatre Boyal at about ten minutes to eight o'clock last night, and when the curtain rose on the first item of the Central school pupils' concert there wasn't an empty seat. The hotly of the theatre seemed to be a mass of children of all ages and sizes. It was a glad "house." There was a blood relation between the stage and the auditorium. The wee tots who danced and Bang and marched and swung on the stage' were the brothers, sisters, and playmates of the hundreds of crowing kiddies, delighted daddies, and smiling mothers there, and all were brimming over with enjoyment and excitement. That's one reason why n school concert always goes with a swing, the other being that it docs us good to spend an evening now and again with juivenilos, for it has a rejuvenating tendency. The seriousness of the children in the stage business, their correctness and precision now and then—those dear little inaccuracies that showed that showed them to be just children, touched the high-water mark of entertainment last night. The little ones did their part well, and gave the thoughtful person an idea of the vast amount of work that had been put in by the ladies and gentlemen who were responsible for their dressing and training. Little girls and iwys sang "The Soldiers in the Park," the Tom Thumb drum-major causing great fun as lie led his hand. Hornpipe dancing was interspersed in the chorus ''Jolly Tars" by the boys. "The Dear Old British Flag" was' a patriotic item. Marching, singing, saluting, and waving flags, they pledged themselves to their country and the charmiiw "Britannia," which formed the central figure of the living picture. Boys SMQ| a bowling chorus, and introduced some "hits" concerning "old-timers" tin the local green, and some dainty damsels pave us a pnrasol song. The doll item, "Dolls for Sale," was pretty, about fifty baby dollls, Dutch dolls, dusky negi'csscs and Jap dolls all pleading their claims for purchase. "Good-night, number one," with the solo by Miss Fenton, "caught on" well. Tn fact, up to this time every item had been encored, and this was the rule of the evening. "Swings and see-saws" introduced elec-trically-lighted swings, and "Blarney College" threw some light on history, ancient and modern, besides affording many a hearty laugh. The Boy Sconta performed their "good turn," which was so well received at the Coronation concert, and the item was again very popualr. The "Coach and Four" was most ingeniously contrived, and at same time a good spectacular item. A good thing had been saved till the last. It was "Britannia, the March of Nations," anl was n piece of pageantry of a standard seldom attempted and still more seldom achieved amongst, school pupils. The school came out of its concert with the greatest credit to all concerned,