COMPETITIONS FESTIVAL

Evening Star, Issue 21503, 30 August 1933, Page 12

COMPETITIONS FESTIVAL

PACKED HOUSE FOR BALLETS MR E. HOLLER WINS ELOCUTIONARY SCHOLARSHIP His Majesty's was packed to overflowing for the Competitions last evening—the most successful session of the festival. The principal attraction was undoubtedly the ballet section, and the charming and highly original ideas so gracefully presented in these dances delighted the packed house. Mr J. C. H. Somerville was chairman for the evening. It was announced last night that Mr Ernest Moller had been awarded the senior elocution scholarship. Results;— . VOCAL. Judge; Mr Temple White. VOCAL SOLO, gentlemen, (a) operatic air, (b) ballad, both own selection. Mr A. M'Dowell (78-80), 158 1 Mr S. E. Kershaw (76-79), 155 ... 2 Mr E. Ottrey (76-78), 154 3 Also competed; Messrs J. Galloway, E. Sheat, and E. G. Johnston (Fairlie). Strangely enough, said Mr White, all the competitors gained more marks in the . ballad than in the operatic aria. Operatic music was, of course, difficult to sing. Both the recalled performers were excellent singers, and both did very good work indeed. ENGLISH FOLK SONG, amateurs, own selection. Miss Kathleen Bond, 83 1 Miss Alva Myers, 82 2 Miss Dorothy Sligo, 80 ... ... ... 3 The preliminary was heard on Monday. Mr White stated that the standard in this section had not been as high as in others. Some of the competitors had treated their songs casually, although there were a few outstanding performances. VOCAL SOLO, selection from light or grand opera, in costume and character, own choice. Miss Alva Myers (Kaitangata), 100 1 Miss Jean M'Lay, 99 2 Mrs A. C. Ledsham (Christchurch), 96 ... ... ... 3 (Maximum points, 125.) Highly commended: Miss Dorothy Sligo. Also competed; Messrs Dennis Dowling (Ranfurly), R. S. Moloney, and J. Galloway. Mr White said that the ladies showed up to better advantage than the men, who lacked abandon and spontaneity. GENTLEMEN’S SCHOLARSHIP, (a) ‘ Flower Song ’ from ‘ Carmen ’ for tenors, ‘ 0 Star of Eve ’ from * TannhaUser ’ for baritones, and ‘ Arm, Arm, Yo Brave ’ from ‘ Judas Maccabajus ’ for bassos. The following competed yesterday afternoon: —Messrs W. Stevenson, 11. Dunbar, E. Ottrey, A. M'Dowell, J. D. Hanning, J.. Stevens, E, P. Drew, E. G. Johnston (Fairlie), J. Galloway, T. Graham. J. B. M'Farlane, W. A. ; Race, and S. E. Kershaw. The second section (own selection) will he heard to-morrow afternoon, and the final in the evening. CHILDREN’S ACTION . CHORUS, under 16, minimum of 12 voices, in costume. The fifth entry in this section (the B. C. Class) was taken last night, the presentation of this party being ‘Oh, Listen to the Band!’ Two more entries have yet to appear to complete the section. INSTRUMENTAL, VIOLIN SOLO, under 10, ' White Cavalry’ (Tracy). Judge: Mr White. Patricia Burt, 80 1 Denis Birt, 78 2 Myra Meffan, 77 3 The preliminary hearing was on Monday of last week. Mr White said that this was a good class. Both the recalled competitors gave good, crisp performances. ELOCUTIONARY. Judge: Mr Russell-Wood. HALF - HOUR ENTERTAINMENT, Dramatic Section. Miss Sheila Neilson’s Party C The House With the Twisty Windows ’), 90 ... 1 W.E.A. Class (‘ The Scarlet Mantle’), 88 2 W.E.A. Class (' The Old Bull ’) ami Miss Neilson’s Party (‘ The Wayside War’), 86 (equal) ... ... 3 The other entrants were: W.E.A. Class (‘Elizabeth Refuses’), Dramalogue Players (‘The Second Visit’), W.E.A. Class (‘ Something to Talk About ’). Mr Russell-Wood remarked that it was a matter of regret to find the standards of the local amateurs in this class had (except in the case of the winning party) deteriorated somewhat since last year. Considering the merits of such plays as ‘ Brother Wolf,’ ‘ Acid Drops,’ and ‘ Between the Soup and the Savoury ’ (which were so admirably performed last year) the difference was very noticeable. It was Mr RussellWood’s earnest desire to encourage those responsible for these plays, which formed such an attraction at the evening sessions and doubtless provided an outlet for the energies and talents of so many interested people. The plays on this occasion were all good literature, and that fact alone would have commended any of them. As Dame Sybil Thorndike had said, if a play was a good play it was worth doing badly. Apart from tho fact that speech and characterisation must always be good, balance and timing were perhaps the chief points to bo considered by an amateur producer. Bad timing invariably upset the players and created laughter when it was least expected or wanted. There were some very good individual performances in the various plays, but with few exceptions tho casts were not well balanced. Entrances were not always well made, and in, a few places

exits were wrongly timed. The winning party presented a good play. There was good individual and team work in it. The exits were well managed, and the action appropriately swift as the occasion demanded. The lighting was well timed and the atmosphere of suppressed anxiety quite convincingly conveyed. This was the best balanced of all. the plays. RECITATION, ladies, amateurs, ‘ The Supplication of the Black Aberdeen ’ (Kipling). Miss Molly Baker, 85 1 Miss Molly O’Sullivan. 84 2 Misses Nell Warren, Dessa Stabb, Eileen • Small, and Hazel Shier (Christchurch), 83 (equal) 3 The preliminary was heard on August 16. Mr Russell-Wood said that there were some , delightful interpretations of this poem, although some of the competitors were too heavy. The winner was a talented performer, and spoke with good feeling. Her rhythm was well preserved, and she gave an artistic presentation. Miss O’Sullivan gave a sincere interpretation, and was also a talented performer. DIALOGUE IN CHARACTER, under 16, own selection. Marjorie Brown and Dorothy Payton. 102 ... ... 1 Lexie Mathieson and Ngaire Glue, 100 ~ 2 J. L. Kebwn and Lydia Henderson, 96 3 The preliminary hearing was on Friday last. Mr Russell-Wood said that the winners were two sweet and attractive little girls, who spoke well and acted naturally. The dialogue (‘ Norab Gay and Harry Walmers ’) was well arranged, and a good choice, within the compass of children. READING AT SIGHT, amateurs, prose or poetry. Mr Ernest Moller, 176 1 Misses Jean Lister and Nell Warren, 173 ... 2 Mr A. R. Scott, 172 4 Very highly commended: Misses Dessa Stabb and Jean Ballard. Also competed: Misses Mavis Smith (Gore), Elsa Jacobs, Billie Robinson, Florence Sumner, Hazel Shier (Christchurch), Molly Baker, S. Henderson, Edna Lungley, Joy Rae, Molly O’Sullivan, Nanna Newey, Irene Ritchie, Messrs Neil Ferguson, Claude Grey, and Frank Foster. This section was taken in the afternoon. RECITATION FOR GIRLS, 11 and under 14, 1 A Child’s Rhyme ’ (Eileen Duggan). Joyce Ridley and Molly M'Leod, 83 (equal) 1 Ngaire Glue, Joan Holmes, and Ethel Thomas, 81 (equal) 3 Highly commended; Catherine Murie (Christchurchl and Koa Mundie. Also competed; Marjorie Brown, Frances Anthony, Margaret Spence, Margaret Roberts, Jean Woodrow, Anita Proctor, Peggy Shaw, Reta Dennis, Vera Newman, Lily Shrimpton, Lydia Henderson, Shirley Esqmlant, Beatrice Jury, V. J. Livingston, Billie Loan, and Betty Rout. This section was also heard in the afternoon. DANCING. Judge: Miss Gibbs. BALLET OR GROUP DANCING, Under 13. Miss Lily Stevens’s School (‘ Fire ’), 107 ... 1 Miss Lily Stevens’s School (‘ Prairie Days’), 95 2 Miss Lily Stevens’s School (‘ Kawarau Dream ’), 86 3 Only competitors. bliss Gibbs remarked that this tvas a delightful class of very original presentations, and she wished that there had been more of it. The winning group presented an original and spectacular ballet very charmingly done. A definite story was conveyed, as was proper in ballet work. BALLET DANCE, toe, 10 and under 13. Daphne Morrison, 77 1 Joyce Collier, 73 2 Gwen Cox, 71 3 The preliminary was on Monday afternoon. Miss Gibbs commented on the fact that competitors did not dress the stage sufficiently and move about to achieve the necessary effects. Miss Gibbs' intimated last evening that she would ho pleased to moot competitors. teachers, and parents at 11 o’clock to-morrow morning in the Victoria Hall.