“A RUNAWAY GIRL”

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20950, 1 November 1939, Page 9

“A RUNAWAY GIRL”

OPERATIC SOCIETY ANOTHER FINE PERFORMANCE LARGE AUDIENCE ENTERTAINED The second performance of “A Runaway Girl” by the Hamilton Operatic Society drew a very large audience (including a contingent of soldiers from Hopu Hopu camp) to the Theatre Royal last night. The show went with a splendid swing, and though a shortening by half-an-hour in its running time (say by the cutting out of those old-fashioned “asides” and the shortening of one or two comedy scenes) would be an advantage the performance was keenly enjoyed, as was evidenced by the responsiveness of the audience and the enthusiastic applause bestowed. The tuneful music, the merry humour, the charming romance, the clever dancing, and the colourful costuming made it a very entertaining show. The spectacular number, “Oh, Listen to the Band,” again created much enthusiasm, with the solo taken by Miss Leonie Swarbrick, followed by a march by the chorus, gay dance by the Ballet, and then the stirring music by the Waikato Regimental Band, led by its drum-major.

Mrs J. Crawford was a winsome Winifred Gray and Mr J. Crawford a dashing Leonello. Mr David Reid (Flipper) and Miss Gwen Foster (Alice) kept the audience chuckling, and scored heavily in their specialty numbers, “The Courier” (in which they “boomped” the “Boomps-a-Daisy” very realistically) and “Piccaninnies.” Miss Sandra Tassell (Carmenita) and Mr Burnett Ross (Brother Tamarind) revelled in their parts, and made the burlesque Spanish dance, “Barcelona,” a gay interlude. Good work was also done by Mr Brassell Harder as Guy Stanley, Miss Joy Crozier as Lady Coodle, Miss Leonie Swarbrick as Dorothy, Miss Gwen Le Grice as Mrs Creel, Mr Malcolm Burdis as Lord Coodle, Mr Ernest Chell as Mr Creel, Mr Stanley Carroll as Paloni, Mr Jock Churton as Bobby Barclay, and others. Some Clever “Bits.”

The importance of “bits” in a production was proved by the work of Miss Patty Blake (a girl with a radiant personality who is always an asset in Hamilton productions) in “Not the Sort of Girl I Care About;” the amusing little skit by Mr Keith Prisbott as the masculine woman iii the same number; and the facial expression of Mr Ken Martin (the waiter) as he watched the staid society people follow the man from Cooks. A couple of players—Messrs J. Crawford and Brassell Harder — covered an awkward moment very cleverly last night. One of the characters failed to arrive to time, but these two players made conversation and covered the hitch so well that the audience was not aware of it.

Two dance duos—“ Two Hearts in Waltz-time” by Miss Leonie Swarbrick and Mr Jock Churton, and “The Carnival” by Miss Bernice Choat and Mr Kenneth Wright—were given with charming grace. The chorus, orchestra and ballet did splendid work, and altogether it was a fine production that well deserved the applause bestowed upon it at the final curtain.

Another Performance To-night

The season, which should be a very successful one, will continue tonight. Performances will also be given on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights and Saturday afternoon.