The Comedy Was Musical
Y a misprint in the programmes, a particularly good, play from 4YA was credited to the BBC when it was actually an NZBS production. This was The Savage Breast, a really amusing comedy by William Barrow, and it con-
cerned the rival activities of a town brass band and a _newlyformed orchestral society. As one who has had some practical acquaintance with musicmaking in small local groups. I appreciated to the fullest extent the perfectly accurate picture of jealousieés, partisan strife. and
gernieral heart-burning among musicians and townsfolk alike. Musicians are a proud, bigoted, envious, temperamental lot, it must be confessed, and Mr, Barrow has made good capital out of these traits. and their complementary ones, tolerance,. kindliness, and __ sincerity,
which can be found in everyone when occasion demands. The accents of the players were so well sustained that one might be excused fof thinking them BBC personnel; and the amateur musical groups skilfully managed a difficult feat in performing so nicely just off the beat and slightly out of tune. The only false note (metaphorically speaking) was in the grand finale. Surely the rendering of Land of Hope and Glory was just a little too powerful, too resonant, too perfectly in time and pitch for the supposed amateur singers and a town band performing on new ‘instru* ments which they, hadn’t yet had time to. try out? eee
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19481112.2.36.6
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 19, Issue 490, 12 November 1948, Page 19
Word count
Tapeke kupu
233The Comedy Was Musical New Zealand Listener, Volume 19, Issue 490, 12 November 1948, Page 19
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in