UNIVERSITY RECITAL

Press, Volume C, Issue 29553, 30 June 1961, Page 16

UNIVERSITY RECITAL

Presentation Of Operetta Yesterday afternoon at Canterbury University a large audience thoroughly enjoyed Dr. lan Parrott’s operetta. “Once Upon a Time.” which was first performed here at a recital of his compositions last year. On that occasion the charm and irresistible humour of both the story and of the music delighted the hearers, .this this repeat performance was eagerly hoped for. The cleverness of Dr. Parrott's treatment of the work was even more deeply appreciated on this occasion. Lighthearted wit is combined with a fluent technique and the result is a splendid example of humour expressed through the music itself, quite apart from the funny situations of the story and of the acting. All three elements were perfectly combined in the performance, and it will long ba pleasantly remembered by the hearers.

Marie Sutherland sang th* part of the Russian peasant’s wife whose sole interest was hearing fairy stories. Her husband (Ned Bohan) was, naturally enough. rather bored with this and was delighted when a stranger (Winston Sharp) appeared and cured her bv means of exacting a promise that she would not interrupt his story. His endless repetitions of the introduction to th* story (in the form of da capo treatment of aria form) were too much for her. and her inevitable Interruption gave her husband the right henceforth to enforce her undertaking not to ask for any more stories.

Within this framework Dr. Parrott, largely by caricaturing many quotations from standard classics with great skill but also with original music of happy inventiveness. has produced a little work which is a sheer delight.

The three singers served him and the operetta splendidly. and gave performances which were marked by excellent singing and which created exactly the right atmosphere. The chief interest, however. probably lay in the piano accompaniment, which was played with great skill and eclat by Dr. Toovey. Humour bubbled forth from the piano, and the instrument became a most important member of the cast- By unobtrusive but very effective stage-play. Dr. Toovey himself added much to th* fun.

No matter how many times this little work were heard there would always be some new point of humour appearing.