A SATISFACTORY START

Evening Star, Issue 22351, 29 May 1936, Page 11

A SATISFACTORY START

FIRST COMMUNITY SING The first of the 1936 community sings was conducted in the Strand Theatre to-day, and the large crowd present was concrete evidence of the popularity of these weekly events. With Mr H. P. Desmoulins as conductor and Mr Alf. Pettit at the piano, to-day’s sing was a success, but the additional attracion of he leading members of the Hart-Frank O’Brian Vaudeville Company no doubt was felt, and the mayor’s relief fund benefited to the extent of about £ll 15s.

The * proceedings were officially opened by the mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox), who wished the organisers every success in their work. He said that last year, with the co-operation of the coal dealers, a total of 12,000 sacks of coal had been provided from the proceeds of the community singing sessions for the unemployed. Throughout the session Mr Desmoulins led the assembly in a number of new and old favourites, while the vaudeville performers contributed in no small way to the brightness and ultimate success of the sing. A feature of the sing was the introduction of ‘The Duck Song ’ by Mr J. F. Himburg, which met with instant approval.