ENTERTAINMENTS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 16, 29 October 1938, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENTS

ST. JAMES THEATRE. “FIREFLY.” Foremost musical picture of the year Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s adaption of Rudolf Friml’s operetta, “The Firefly,” opened its four-day season at the 'St. James Theatre this afternoon. Jeanette McDonald is starred ana Allan Jones and Warren William are in featured roles. The dramatic story of Spain in the era when Napoleon was conquered at Victoria by Wellington, provides a. moving plot. And, artistically, it provides a vehicle for the Friml score. Jeanette McDonald appears in her seventeenth musical triumph and it is unmistakably her finest. Allan Jones emerges as a star in his own right. Warren William performs with his accustomed artistry. The excellent supporting cast includes Billy Gilbert, Henry Dauiell, Douglass Dumbrille, Leonard, Ffenn, Tom Itutiler furd, Belle Mitchell, George Zucco, Corbett Morris and Matthew Boulton, with an enormous group of costumed extras. Miss. MacDonald dances with rare grace and sings “Love Is Like A Firefly,” “He Who Loves and Runs Away” and “When a Maid Comes I Knocking at Your Heart.” Jones sings “A Woman’s Kiss” and _ “The Donkey Serenade,” and they join in duet in “Giannina Mia” and “Sympathy.”

DANCE RECITAL AT MAYFIELD. There was a large attendance in the Band Hall on Thursday evening, when a very enjoyable dance .recital was given by the pupils of Miss Gladys Bushell’s classes, to augment the funds of the Mayfield Swimming Club. Mr A. H. Gurney presided. Mr G. Robertson, with his bagpipes, supplied the music for the national dances, and Miss Sutherland was accompanist. A vote of thanks to Miss Bushell and her party and all who had added to the success of the entertainment was proposed by Mr G. N. Harrison. A dance followed to music by Misses Sutherland and N. Whiting and the local Harmonica band. Mr-L. Liiley was master of ceremonies.

A waltzing competition was won by Mr and Mrs Kerr, of Ashburton. Supper for the performers was provided by the parents of the pupils of the local dancing class. The dance recital programme was as follows:

Highland Fling, Mayfield Pupils; ballet (Butterflies), Ashburton Pupils; tap dance, Esna Harrison, Margaret Chambers; song and dance (Ten Pretty Girls), Maisie Wilson; Irish jig, Mayfield Juniors; song and dance (Little Wooden Shoes), Shirleys James and Ballet; skipping dance, Billie McKic; waltz tap, Olga Whiting, Norma Harrison, Annio Hughes; recitation, Joan Sheehan; tap duo, Peggy Robertson, Peggy Eaden; operatic dance, Bernice Day; Irish reel, E. Harrison, M. Chambers, B. Fowke, and Wanaka Wall; character dance, “Military,” Joyce Welch ; story without words, Peggy Robertson; Bavarian dance, Wanaka Wall; song and dance, “The Love Bug Will Bite You,” M. Wilson and Senior Ballet; sailor’s hornpipe, Mayfield Pupils; operatic dance, Esma Ingram; character duo, “Punch and Judy,” J. Sheehan and S. James; seaun triubhais, B. Fowke, B, McKie, L. Smith; character dance, “Russian,” Bernice Day; tap duo, Wanaka Wall, Mavis Wall; sword dance, Maisie Wilson; too dance, Shirley James; song and dance, “When I Was One Year Old,” Joan Sheehan; military tap, 0. Whiting, P. Eaden, P. Robertson, D. Stayt, and B. Cullen; “Dutch Doings,” E. Ingram, B. Day; “Jack-in-the-Box,” Wanaka Wall; tap dance, Yvonne Kerr; ballet, “Gipsies,” Ashburton Pupils.