Amateurs Had Night Out In Two New Shows

Press, Issue 32333, 26 June 1970, Page 3

Amateurs Had Night Out In Two New Shows

“Amateur Night” vaudeville had a firm place in the scheme of things when live theatre was regular, and before television; the average “Amateur Night” used to throw up a weird mixture, of performers, from the skilled to the comically inept.

Television had a sort of amateur night on Wednesday, with “Studio One” and “Moving”; but there were firm indications of a fair depth of talent among New Zealand entertainers and would-be stars.

It was a pity, however, that both these programmes were scheduled for the same evening. “Moving," a live show designed to give local performers an opportunity to display their gifts, suffered by comparison with the much more slick, pre-recorded “Studio One” programme. The public, which is asked to vote on the performers in the first half of the smoothlypresented “Studio One” each week—there is a panel of judges to assess the new songs submitted for the second half of the show—will already be in difficulties. Each week one of the three performers is recalled, by vote, for later in the series. On Wednesday, in all probability, the vote was split between the Society Jazzmen and Richard Bonsall. The Society Jazzmen were delightful, a very professional group in the style of the

George Chisholm ensemble which used to enliven some of the earlier “Black and White Minstrel” shows. The bouncy, Dixieland music was crisp and clean and in normal circumstances the Jazzmen would almost certainly be assured of a place in a later programme.

But the impact of Richard Bonsall must have been considerable. The 14-year-old boy has a beautiful voice, and it was not difficult to imagine thousands of mothers wiping away sentimental tears and reaching for their voting coupons.

Perhaps it was only an assumption, but the history of “Studio One” rather suggested the programme was a quest for performers for cabaret and pop-recording work, and little Richard Bonsall would not fit into either of those categories. But there must be a strong probability that he will win more votes than the other competitors from Wednesday’s programme. Some may hope he does not, for the further he goes in the contest, the more (publicity he is likely to receive, and, at 14, that could be a burden.

From a purely personal (point of view, we found the ' second half of “Studio One” (dragging a little. The judges’ comments on the songs were (interesting, but there was an i over-elaboration of it all, which left this viewer thankful that only a handful of songs could be included, from the 1000 entries received. “Moving,” the Christchurchproduced programme, had a good deal to commend it, for there were some simple but effective settings, and if the standard of performance was considerably below the “Studio One” programme, not too much could be expected when the field was comparatively limited, and when all the complexities of presenting the show live were remembered. The show began and ended very abruptly—no preamble,

no explanation of the format, i and Ken Ellis, a somewhat; uneasy compere, seemed i relieved that it was all over.! The sequence of doors swing-; ing open (except for one which gave a little trouble) to introduce “The Beggarmen” might have given “Moving” a better, less bald sort of start, and the guest star, Craig Scott, suffered j somewhat from some eccentricities in the lighting arrangements. But all in all.; “Moving” overcame obvious! difficulties satisfactorily, and! with, perhaps, a little higher level of individual performance should be a popular ■ addition to locally-produced shows.

There is nothing certain in( this world: who would have thought that Alexander Mundy, in his final appearance, would have abandoned all the beautiful ladies who usually find him so irresistible, and gone on his last: mission with the tea-drinking, about-to-be-pensioned British agent played by Elsa Lanchester? It was good to see Elsa Lanchester again: she can give the most trifling! piece of writing some distinction. Many will be sorry Alexander has given way to the “Mission Impossible” I jteam: some may not notice (much change.

Not many evenings are (marked by as many as three new programmes. The third one, on Wednesday, was (“Hark at Barker,” introducing (the extravagant comedy of Ronnie Barker, the man who probably did most to make Ithe “Frost Reports” such a I success. As Lord Rustless, he !meandered on like a modern (Gillie Potter: and in his freIquent little sketches, he outjdid Lon Chaney. He had eight different roles in a 25-minute programme which had some wonderful moments. The series will be well worth watching. PANDORA.