N.Z. Variety for BBC

New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 784, 30 July 1954, Page 6

N.Z. Variety for BBC

| AST year around Coronation time the BBC planned a series of light programmes called Commonwealth Variety, which was to include performances by top variety artists from every part of the Commonwealth. The programmes didn’t go on the air as planned, but now the idea has been revived and the NZBS recently airmailed to London tape recordings of some of New Zealand’s popular radio entertainers for inclusion in the series. Those selected were chosen as typical of what this country has to offer in the field, and different from what listeners in Britain would normally get from their own cabaret and other performers. Commonwealth Variety will be broadcast in the BBC’s Light Programme, _and repeated in the General Overseas Service. New Zealand’s contributions will not be used to make up an individual programme, but will be studded the series among those from (continued on next page)

other countries in the Commonwealth, Items were recorded in Auckland by the Keysters, a light combination featuring Nancy Harrie (novachord) and John "Thomson (piano) with rhythm accompanimient; the Duplicats, a team of close harmony specialists comprising Esme Stephens, Ena Allen, and Dale Alderton, with John Thomson at the piano; and. the hillbilly singer Johnny Granger, with Dick Hobday (guitar) and Bob Ewing ,"1ss) sings such songs as "SWfhg That Old Lassoo." From Wellington items came from the Capital Quartet, whose members are Frank Malthus, Joe Miller, Bruce Chandler, John McDonald and Henry Rudolph (piano), with Ken Macaulay as soloist. John Parkin (piano) and> John "Hoskins (Baritone), also of Wellington, provide further items for. the series.