ORPHANS' CLUB

Evening Star, Issue 19319, 4 August 1926, Page 6

ORPHANS' CLUB

SUCCESSFUL LADIES' NIGHT The annual ladies’ night of the Dunedin Orphans’ Club has become an extremely popular occasion, and last night tile Tudor Hall (Savoy), commodious as it is, -was scarcely large enough to accommodate all those who desired to attend. As it was, well over 300 members and their friends assembled and enjoyed a very fine programme, while the justly celebrated Savoy service ensured entire satisfaction as regards supper and the general arrangements. The printed programme again contained piquant and humorous comment concerning the items and performers.

The club’s opening ode—a musical assurance of welcome and good cheer—having been sung, the President (Bro. H. F. Nees) extended a warm welcome to the visitors. In order that the ladies should feel thoroughly at home, the chairman elected them, en bloc, honorary members of the club for the evening. The club orchestra, under the baton of Bro. 'Kilmer Davie, then set the programme going merrily with two splendidly played items —‘Merry Companions ’ (Loblan) and ‘ Lustspiel ’ (Kela Bela) —after, .which Bro. T. W. Debbie sang with success Hatton’s ‘ The Lark Now Leaves Its Watery Nest.’ A recitation, 1 The Flowers ’ (Kipling) by Bro. J. Flynn followed, and proved an enjoyable offering. Bro. D. Whelan, whoso skill as a tenor horn player is well known, was in great form, and was warmly applauded lor his rendering of ‘ Has Sorrow Thy Young Days Shaded.’ Bro. Haggitt’s contribution _ was a highly amusing song at the piano, entitled ‘How Are Your Poor Feet?’ And this was followed by a splendid rendering of that robust soug ‘ The Deathless Army,’ by Bro S. G. Angell. Another excellent instrumental item was that by Bros. A. George (clarinet), J. W. Stewart (flute), and J. A, Haggitt (piano), the number being SaintSaen’s ‘ Tarantello.’ Bro. J. B. M‘Connell delighted the audience with ft recital from Dickens, the subject being the immortal Bill Sikes and his dog. Finally Bro. T. Bnchop sang ‘ Parted ’ in bis very best form. Bro. Haggitt was the accompanist in this section of the programme. The supper interval was enlivened by more music by the club orchestra, the numbers this time being ‘Castle Chimes' gavotte (Strubel), ‘Moonlight on the Hudson ’ waltz (Hermann), and ‘Mumblin’ Moso ’ cakewalk (Thurban).

A pleasing touch of novelty was introduced into the second part, which consisted of an entertainment by the “ Orphans’ Old Timers,” who, as the programme stated, “ out Sidey’d Sidey ” by putting the clock back thirty years, and presenting songs, recitations, and musical items which were popular at least that length of time ago. For instance, “ Anton Rubinstein ” (impersonated by Bro. W. Gatheridge) presided at the piano in a manner that pleased everybody, especially his fellow-artists whose accompaniments he played. “ Sims Reeves ” (otherwise Bro. A. Walmsley) sang very sweetly that old, old favorite ‘ Silver Threads Among the Gold,’ and then “ Alee Hurley ” (Bro. A. Armstrong), resplendent in_ checks and “ pearlies,” told how he ‘ Knocked ’Em in the Old Kent Road.’ “ Albert Chevalier ” (Bro. J. B. M'Oonnollj followed with the monologue ‘ The Fallen Star,’ giving a very fine representation of the old, cast-aside actor soliloquising on his past glories. Then “ Will Stevens” (Bro. A. N. Watson), as a jockey who would obviously “ weigh in ” satisfactorily, brought down the bouse with his song * The Next Horse I Ride On.’ A very acceptable offering was that by “Auguste Van Biene ” (Bro. M. S. Robilliard), who played ‘Mar., of Argyle ’ and ‘ Love’s Old Sweet feong on the ’cello. “ Charles Coborn ” (Bro. George Wycherley) contributed ‘The Man That Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo ’ in jaunty fashion suggesting unbounded affluence; and “Signor Foh” (Bro. R. H. Bryant), in realistic old salt ” make up, brought the programme to a close with the fine old song, sung in his best style, ‘ Out on the Deep.’ Bro. Allan Young was master of ceremonies, and carried out his duties in a highly satisfactory manner. Each character was introduced by Bro. Young “in the best George Deanian manner,” with an appropriate verse, and a suitable finale was recited as the “old timers” faded back into the shadows whence they had come. Altogether, the Orphans’ Ladies’ Night of 1926, which concluded with the singing of the closing ode and the National Anthem, was unanimously acclaimed a huge success.