AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 300, 19 December 1922, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS.

; NELLIE BRAMLEY DRAMATIC CO. ' I The Nellie Bramley dramatic scasou has , been extended, and will now terminate j with the performance on Boxing Night, and • : not Saturday as previously announced. ! "The Land 'of Promise" will hold the . boards up to and including Friday night next. "Within the Law" will be presented on Saturday night only and Tuesday (BOX- . ing Night and last night of season) will b« devoted to '"Bought and Paid For." "A NIGHT OCT." Wednesdav week, December 27. will see the reappearance here of the popular .1. t • Williamson New Musical Comedy Company, headed bv Maud Fane. The initinl attraction of the 17 nights' season will be the brilliant musical play, "A Night Out. to be followed bv two other new attractions In "Oh, Ladv, Lady," and "Mary." "A Mght Out" is a particularly sparkling achievement from the French, and gives Maud Fane manv exceptional opportunities vocally and'as a comedienne. Mr. \VS. Percy is also splendidly placed as Pinglet " Others of importance in a long cast are Messrs Field Fisher, Cecil Kelleway, Cvril Ritchard, Rolntd Hogue, and Misses Sl'adge Elliott, Millie Engler, Cecil Bradley, and Rita Nugent. "A Night Out" will be played for the first five nights, the box plans for which will be opened at Lewis 11. . Eady and Son's, Ltd., on Thursday next. There will be matinees, Wednesday and Saturday week. SONG AND PIANO RECITAL. Music lovers assembled in large and I representative numbers at the Concert Chamber on Saturday evening on the occasion of ' the annual song and piano recital by the senior pupils of the Walter Impett studio. ' Miss Violet Lambert, a soprano vocalist, displayed keen vocal discernment and evidence of sound traiii- ' ing in everv phase of her work. "Oh My Fernando." from the opera "La FavorHa" (Donizetti) was delivered with enviable ease and. on being vociferously recalled, 1 Miss Lambert gave a delightful rendering ! 1 of " .Love's a Merchant" (drew). The eii presslve and beautiful contralto song 'Yondor" (Oliver) received a finely judged rendering in the hands of Miss Llllls Walker, and , '■ ! the hearty applause which followed testified ; 1 to the sustained popularity of this gifted artist. As an encore Miss Walker submitted i a fine conception of Homer's "Requiem. ' I Mr. Edward Buxton, the lyric tenor who I created such a favourable Impression some ' weeks ago, quickly found favour with Satur- ' day's audience. Fairly revelling in the intricacies of the aria "..Vi'Appori Tutt 'Amor,' i from "Martha." Mr. Buxton was equally at home In "A Spirit Flower" (CampbeilTlpton) which, In its way. must be regarded I las one' of the gems of the evening. An I ovation was accorded Mr. Kenneth Impett, and his refined treatment, of a bracket comJ prising the negro spiritual ''Nobody Knows I de Trouble I've Seen" (Cameron-White), and John Ireland's stirring "Hope the Hornblower." elicited demonstrative approval. As an encore be gave "The Crown of the Year" toy Eoschope Martin. A bass singer of undoubted ability was found in Mr. Maurice Ballance whose masterly interpretation or Schubert's' fine song "The Erl King." and "Myself When Young" from the cycle "In a Persian Harden." gained hfm many admirers. The madrigal "Brightly Dawns Our Wedding Dav.' from the "Mikado." bv Misses Daisy Hlslop. Florence Nightingale. Messrs. Edward Buxton and Maurice Ballance, and the closing duet "Trot Here and There." from the comic opera "Veronlque," by Miss Violet Lambert and Mr Kenneth lmpc;t, also earned much favour from those In front, and recalls were insistent. Equally enjoyable were the pianoforte solos "Lihestraum" (Liszt), and "Impromptu in A Flat" (Choplul played re- , spectively by Miss Ella Hutohine and Miss Tui Scai'ly, a salient feature being the sound technique of the executants. Mr. Waltpr Impett. at the piano, accompanied with his usual 'musicianly skill. THE FAMOUS DIGGERS. Chaperoned under Jimmy Norton, a clever comedian-producer, well known throughout America as "That London Boy." the I Famous Diggers, new real girl show, takes | on a distinctiveness that makes it even nxre | attractive than ever. Among the old favourites who still remain with the show : are Joe Valli Uie Scottish comedian, GUB l Dawson light comedian and dancer. Tano Fama comedian, and Stan Lawson the "Misleading" Lady. The latter is going to take , an important engagement in America next year. The ballet and chorus consists of "The Superb Six." a beautiful bevy of reai girls. Their dresses should challenge comi parlson with the best, as an experienced | theatrical modiste was brought over Melbourne for the purpose of superintending the designing and makin;? of them. A eom■pany such as The Diggers present, with i its unlimited laugnter, its glamorous scenes, amazing dresses, its dancing girls, its roseate spotlights and the lively Hits of a first-class I orchestra, are warranted to help us to forget | that troubles are near us or about us, in : the realms of make-believe. Briniancy is the keynote of The Diggers' new production. The new producer, like his predecessor, has a penchant for a quick pro--1 gramme, wherein can be crammed smart items which follow each other so rapidly that patrons are astonished to find that the programme has taken two and three-quarter hours. Among items are "The Bride's Trousseau," a miniature musical comedy: "The Rest Cure" (the hit of De Courvllle's London r**ue "Pins and Needias"): "The Follies Fancy Dress Hall" in the roof garden scene; "Breaking Into G«ol" a real scream. "The Butterfly Ballet." and a number of other items which serve to introduce the latest song hits. OPERA HOUSE. The piece de resistance of the new programme at Fuller's Opera House this week 1b the musical comedy presented by Walter George's Sunshine Players. It is a thing I of nlry nonsence, catchy music, and general I gaietv. in the colourful cherry blossom 1 atmosphere of Japan. In this "Trip to I Yokohama" the action of course has to do I with geisha girls and sailor-men, and the 1 production is characterised by a delightful air of irresponsibility, sweet nothings, and tunefulness, wilh the rusty-thatched George Storey as general mischief and laughtermaker in the passing "affairs" of the naval Lotharios. The subject is not new, but Mr. . George has his little ballet and chorus right I up to concert pitch, and his principals were ■ well placed and suited in a generous musiI cal programme, so that the whole went I with a swing that held the interest and ' nttention of the audience. In the roles of . waiter and sailor George Storey got off i some of his best comedy work, and Miss | Dulcie Milner appeared to advantage as I the head geisha, her song "Japanese Sandj man" being one of her best efforts locally, and one of the prettiest scenns of the number of prettv effects given throughout the piece Other musical numbers which caught : the fancv of the house were "Lantern : Land." "Mv Oriental Moon," and "Jabherj wocky " The vaudeville portion of the I programme included new statuesque balancing and strength feats by Marzon and Florence, an excellent act of novelty juggling bv the Brackens, a change of song ' and sketch work by the popular musical ' and comedv artists Carlton and Kosslyn, I and a fresh budget of Hawaiian music by i the Kiddic-Kladdie trio. This programme ! will be presented nightly, and at the Wed- ! nesdav matinee this week, and on Tuesday next Fuller's Christmas panto. "The Babes In the Wood" will take the boards. MURIWAI SOCIAL. On Saturday evening last a very p!ea6anr social evening and jazz was held at the new accommodation bouse at Muriwai, to celebrate the opening of the house. The large social room was artistically decorated with native ferns aud Xmas flowers, for whi hj the bea<-h bush is famous. Mr. .Stephenson i' addressed the large gathering of Muriwai Reach enthusiasts, and declared the house open, and songs were rendered by Mrs. . Payne and Mrs. Blythe, and Messrs. Camp- > bell. Payne and Jones. The evening finished up with Jazz dancing. It is the intention : of the management of the accommodation bouse to hold a social and dance every Satur- . day evening during the summer months.