BENEFIT CONCERT

Evening Star, Issue 20610, 9 October 1930, Page 2

BENEFIT CONCERT

HELPING THE UNEMPLOYED Given in order that the funds available for unemployment relief might be augmented, the concert which took place in Burns Hall last night was well above the average in merit, and it was a pity that the attendance was not larger. Before the entertainment began Mr Bryan O’Donnell (organiser of the Citizens’ Relief Committee) spoke in appreciative terms of the artists’ action m coming forward so willingly to help in the good cause. The overture took the form of a piano solo, an attractive Irish melody, played by Mr _ Kearsley. Later in the evening this pianist was again heard in dance and other items. Ins work all through _ making a distinct appeal to the audience. Owing to indisposition Miss Phyllis West was not able to appear, and Miss J. M‘Lcnnan kindly consented to take her place. Her elocutionary number, ‘The Higlnvaymeu,’ was given with a fine sense of light and shade, and she was so enthusiastically received that aii encore was inevitable. As a matter of fact recalls were the order of the evening. Accompanied by the skirl of Mr J. Yardley’s pipes, Mr T. Turner won spontaneous popularity with his clog dance, and Mr Terence O’Shea, who, in common with many of the other performers, was heard in each part of the programme, proved himself the possessor of unusual talent. His Jewish and Italian impersonations, as woll as his Irish songs, were indeed rare entertainment, and those present were not slow to voice their appreciation. Miss Peggy Black was quite charming in her solo dance ‘La Militaire,’ and the specialty dance in which she appeared with Miss Flora M‘Donald was equally well received. In her eccentric dance Miss Nonna Williams showed that she had an excellent idea of time and rhythm, and it was only right that her graceful performance should win warm approbation. One who called himself “ Ismah ” kept the audience guessing for quite a while with a series of clever conjuring tricks, in which card manipulation played a big part. In the second half ,of the programme interesting items were rendered by Piper Yardley and the Harmonious Hawleys, while Miss Lily Barnes was seen in a very pleasing solo dance.

The concert was particularly noteworthy for the success of its vocalists. In ‘ Mary of Argyle ’ and again in an Irish gem, Mr J. Brensell, a tenor of promise, gavo of his best. Mr H. Drake’s well-controlled voice was ft source of delight in ‘ Wait ’ (Gardino), ‘ Splendour o’ the Morn ’ (Sanderson), and other solos. Mr 11. W. Fox, a baritone of outstanding ability, sang ‘ Because ’ with a proper attention to tone, and in the second part was highly pleasing in ‘The Minstrel Boy.‘ Mrs D. Carty was in very good voice, her ‘ Danny Boy _’ being one of the greatest treats of the evening. Sho made a great impression also in ‘Garden of Happiness.’ Mrs 11. Irvine’s understanding methods at the piano were a source of inspiration to several of the vocalists.