ELOCUTION AND SONG

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 52, 25 November 1929, Page 6

ELOCUTION AND SONG

MR. CLEMENT MAY AND MISS HILDA CHUDLEY Elocution as one of the intellectual, entert‘lining arts is not so generally practised as it used to be. At one time there were eight or ten reciters in Welliimton sound enough to hold any audience, men such as Cecil Keyword), James Read, J. M. Clark, I'. G. and IV. Haybittle, H. E. Nicholls, 8. Raterson, Marcus Marks, Byrun Brown—the type of men that could be called upon al short notice by visiting dramatie companies to fill roles in the casts of the classical renertoires and could do so with credit. But those days are past. There are very few amateur reciters of merit now and the platform is the poorer for it. Mr Clement May, who gave a recital at* tlie Concert Chamber on Saturday evenin'', is not an amateur. He brings the experience of a varied life tv bear upon the art of entertaining in a very pleasant manner. He has a suave, ingratiating manner, a certain natural dry humour, and the gift of characterisation. His selections for Saturday were of the li"htlv sentimental order, enriched here and there with character types, more or less familiar. There was no venturin'' into the greater deeps of the seriously'’ dramatic or tragic. Dickensian sketches (in costume and make-up) and the poems of the late Mel. B. Spurt constituted half the programme. Mr. May is peculiarly happy in the Dickens characters— Scrooge (from "lhe Christmas Carol”) which was not Dickens at all but rather a sketch giving the spirit or essence of the character, and conveying in a few minutes the change from the despicable miser to the most benevolent old gentleman wrought by the visitation of the three spirits. With the aid of the Christmas chimes, and the carol-singing of the "waits’ .the effect achieved was quite good. Mr. May very deftly etched the cringing Uriah Heep, the jaunty optimist Wilkins Micawber from "David. Copperfield,” and Nell’s grandfather from “The Old Curiosity Shop.” Of the miscellaneous poems the palm was borne off by Mr. May’s capital reciting of John Drinkwater’s delightful fantasy, "The Crowning ot Dreaming John,” a very delicate piece of imagery in lovely language. Mel. B. Spurr is. still remembered. He wrote many lyrics, grave and gay, and though they are extremely simple, yet always entertaining, they have never been done so well by others as by the author himself. They are part of his quaint whimsical self. Nevertheless, Mr. May was quite entertaining in "What a Fool You Would Be,” “What is a Gentlennui?’ and the monologues “The World Went Very Well Then,” "Snowflakes,” and the "delightfully humorous “When I Was a Boy at School.” Probably as popular as anything were the famous toast sketches of Spiirr’s, viz., "The Army, “The Navy.” “The Volunteer Forces” and “The Ladies.” which created great amusement. The gently humorous was represented by "Hoodoo McFiggaii s Christmas” (Leacock), “Christopher Robin” (A. A. Milne) and the songs “A Warrior Born,” "That’s Why I Love the Sea,” and "The British Volunteer.’ Very able assistance was gracefully rendered by Miss Hilda Chudley, a richlyendowed mezzo, whose songs at the piano were greatly enjoyed. Miss Chudley always sings with good taste and expression, and her clear diction made each song fully understandable to her auditors. Slie sang the beautiful “Sylvan” of Landon Ronald, and the reposeful “Lullaby” of Cyril Scott with admirable feeling. As an encore was added “Thou Standest Like a Flower” (Liszt). Miss Chudley was tohcfully effective, too, in Tschaikowsky’s lovely song “None But The Lonely Heart.” The.encore was “Star of Me.” Later she sang the spirituals “Deep River” and “I Got a Robe.” Miss Chudley’s accompaniments were a further endorsement of her artistry. . Mr. May intends to make a tour of the North" Island early next year.