THE ART OF POETRY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 102, 27 October 1938, Page 20

THE ART OF POETRY

VERSE-SPEAKING CONCERT

! Although poetry, in these days at least, is generally regarded as a very pleasurable art not so much designed for public performance as for individual study and enjoyment. the •characteristics of verse spoken by choirs make this form of entertainment worthy of a place on the public platform. Local exponents of the art, the Wellington Verse-speaking Choir, under the directoi-ship of ,Mr. W. J. Mountjoy, jun., last night gave their first recital for t the 1938-39 season in th& Concert Chamber of the Town Hall, and although the attendance was not what might have been desired, it was sufficient to indicate that more than a passing interest is being taken in the fostering of poetry, which of recent years has been much in need of encouragement. A well-chosen, programme containing examples of verse ranging from nursery rhymes to the ambitious efforts of modern poets, was given the added support of excellent costuming and tasteful stage settings.

Children's , choirs from various schools featured largely in. the programme, items being carefully chosen to fall within the understanding and ability of the children chosen to perform. Some of these efforts were good, and some were very good, but whatever their standard,' there was one thing constant; every member of every choir was imbued with, enthusiasm for the task in hand, and. seemed to enjoy the item as much as the audience. The tiny tots from the Te Aro infant school choir seemed almost as much at home on the stage as the old ones, and their tales about how Tom tied a kettle to the tail of a cat, and other intriguing subjects, were spoken with irresistible charm. More ambitious, with colourful Arabian costumes, was. the number given by the senior Te Aro School pupils "The Road to Samarkand," an intriguing study by James Elroy Flecker. Perhaps the costuming gave the pupils added confidence, but it was particularly noticeable in thi^' number that every word of every speaker could be distinctly heard throughout the hall. Children's choirs: gave many items, including bird poems by Eileen Duggan, nonsense verses, and various other forms of poetry. The women members of the Verse-speaking Choir figured largely. Their numbers included Scan O'Casey's chorus- from "Within the Gates," "Our Mother, the Earth, is a Maiden Again," Marguerite Wilkinson's "Chant for Out of Doors," and several other attractive items.

The sea theme was stressed very effectively. The choir gave spirited renderings of sea chanties, Keats's "Sonnet on the Sea," "Waves," by Walt Whitman, and "Clipper Ships," by John Gould ■ Fletcher, an example of polyphonic-prose, adding'further to the picture. Crosbie Garstin's and Charles Kihgsley's works also figured -in this section. "Bird Eoems," in addition to those of Eileen Duggan, included Nashe's "Spring,'the Sweet Spring," a well-known and popular piece, an extract from Bridge's "Testament of Beauty," Tennyson's "The Owl," and "Ducks Are A-dabbling," by Kenneth Grahame. Typical of modern poetry was "What Do We Hope for Then?"* by a leading young English poet, Cecil Day Lewis.

The assisting artists were Mr. Leslie Souness, L.R.S.M., L.T.C.L. /(pianist), and Melva Doney and Brian Ashbridge (dance duo). . •