TALE OF OLD EGYPT

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 221, 15 June 1931, Page 5

TALE OF OLD EGYPT

“Tutankhamen’' by Amateurs CLEVER PRESENTATION ‘‘Tutankhamen,” a musical lyric of ancient Egypt. Written and composed by L. P. Leary and Eric Waters. Cast: — George Washington Blatant Norman Aitken. ■Lady Veronica Blatant .... Gretta Stark. Tutankhamen Ray Kemp. Annubis Ethel Oldbury Jones. Tjl Rita Kemp. Seti Um Cooke. Zinonfl George Power. Nopheret Mabel Turner. Patriarch Dudley Alexander. Captain Francis Robert Charlton. Inhphon Aubrey Beckford. Abdul Wilfred Griffiths. Novices .. Ida Gustofson and Betty Souter. Policeman Vin Wilton. Egypt, with all its glory and wealth of splendour, with its stately pharaohs, and its gorgeous ceremonies—is there anything that quickens the imagination more than the story of this ancient civilisation, which until comparatively recent years remained as a sealed book? It would indeed be difficult to find a more intriguing subject for a musical play, and it has fallen to the lot of two Aucklanders to have created “Tutankhamen,” a production which met with marked success there some eight years ago. It was presented in Wellington for the first time on Saturday by the Wellington Operatic and Theatrical Society. . The story opens in a hotel in Luxor. Captain Francis, an army otlicer. is about to close officially the tomb of Tutankhamen, but before he does so, he agrees to ' show the wonders to George Washington Blatant, an American tourist, and his I wife Lady Veronica. Blatant, however, decides that he will get in first, slips away, and gains entry alone—as he thinks. His wife, though, has followed him. and no sooner are they in, when the nharaoh, for they are In Ills death-cham-ber. announces that the exit is close,!, but invites them to stay in his court. rhe situations that arise are so impossible—a blatant American bantering with a proud pharaoh—that laughter is quite spontaneous. But human nature in the dajs of the pharaohs, it appears, seems to be Very much the same as it is to-day. tor suspicion is aroused against the two intruders. Pharaoh is led to b®, 1 , I®™ 1 ®™ . Vj®' Blatant is seeking to become president of Egypt.” and so. To deprive him of his revolver, it is planned that he shall be enticed into the "sanctum sanctorum —the harem of the pharaoh—where the queen gains the dreaded weapon. For the terrible sacrilege of entering the harem Blatant is to suffer death. It would not be fair to reveal how he escapes from such a predicament, but it is sufficient to say that it is wholly unexpected, and a big surPr The honours of the performance must be divided equally between Miss Gretta btark, Mr. Norman Aitken, and Mr. Ray Hemp, in whose hands were entrusted the three major parts. Miss Stark was splendidly cast, as the coy Lady Veronica, who invades Pharaoh’s court dressed in a smart riding habit with monocle. Great is the amazement of the women of the harem when.she tells them of the doings of American women, each of whom has a husband to herself. She pleased with her sinffinff of “Hippos. My Hunter.” Mr. Norman Aitken, as the American tourist, was responsible for the major portion of the fun. He was ideally suited to his part, and not for a moment did he let things lacr. Perhaps the cleverest act of the piece occurs when Blatant, confined in a dungeon in the palace, is visited by Zinonfi. the chief torturer (Mr George Power), and the tortures to which he will be subjected are explained in full. Mr. Power, in the senile role of the torturer, mailc a favourable impression, and his song. “The Pyramid Builder.” was a distinct success. , , ~ As the stately, pompous pharaoh. Mr. Ray Kemp gave perhaps the best performance of the evening. His fine imperious hearing seemed thoroughly in keeping with the nature of a haughty pharaoh, and in addition he handled several vocal numbers—in particular “My Spirit is Heavy Within Me” (with chorus)—with skill.' „ . Miss Ethel Oldbury Jones was not Ideally cast for the part of Annubis, the Queen of Tutankhamen. Although her diction was always clear, and she sang sweetly with Mr. Aitken in the duet “Little Harem Flower” she was noticeably lacking in a regal and dignified bearing. Mr Jim Cooke, captain of Pharaoh s Guard, did not impress with his singing of “Annubis Beloved,” although his acting was generally commendable. I Mrs. Rita Kemp, as Tji, grandmother

of Tutankhamen’s queen, gave quite the best vocal number of the evening in "Curst be the Pharaoh,” sung with fine declamatory effect. Iphphon, the royal embalmer, was taken bv Mr. Aubrey Beckford, who took the solo in the chant “Book of the Dead, and in one short scene Mr. Dudley Alexl antler was very effective as Patriarch. Captain Francis was taken by Mr. Robert Charlton, and Nepherct, sister to Tutankhamen. by Miss Mabel Turner. Miss Ida Gustofson and Miss Betty Souter made two very pert novices of the harem. One of the features of the production was Mie dancing—both solo and ensemble—which was of a praiseworthy standard. The frocking of the many ballots were clever in design. Miss Elvie Aitken, in a solo .number, "The Spirit of the Tomb.' which she executed with artistic skill, created a truly eerie atmosphere, while a dance duo by Phyllis Oliver and Leonard Young was rather spoiled by the unsuitable nature of the music. A dance scena. "Reincarnation.” by Ruby Bushby, was decidedly novel In character. The chorus work was perhaps the weakest feature of the performance, though, strangely enough, a male octet, “Hauling Chorus.”, an Israeltsts’ Hymn, “Thy Aid We Invoke,” and a gipsy octet, "Gipsy Song of Hope," were singularly well rendered. . x An efficient orchestra, under the baton of Mr. J. F. Woodward, supplied the Incidental music.