ENTERTAINMENTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 August 1932, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS

OPERA HOUSE TO-NIGHT. “Merely Mary Ann” will be finally screened to-night. SATURDAY. Vienna is famed among many things for beautiful waltzes, written there or dedicated to that city. The most celebrated is the “Blue Danube.’ In the screen operetta “Viennese Nights which comes to the Opera House at Saturday’s matinee and evening, theie is another beautiful Vienna waltz. “You Will Remember Vienna,” is the name of this new waltz song, which is already sweeping the country as g popular number. . ' WALLSEND—TO-NIGHT. “Ben Hur” will be screened at Wallsend to-night. UNEMPLOYED DANCE. Patrons are reminded that the unemployed dance takes place this week at the Band Hall. Novelty dances will be held, also the sixth heat of the Waltzing Championship. These dances both for their competitive and congenial character' are really growing more popular, and a still larger attenden'ce is expected' at- to-morrow evening’s gathering. LEARNERS’ JAZZ DANCE. Next Monday the final heat of the One-Step Competition at Herb Moore’s Cabaret will take place, also the semifinal. The recalls last week were Messrs Whale, Goodall, Hill, Moss and partners. A Monte Carlo is also on the programme, for which a good prize is offered. ALL NATIONS FAIR. This evening and to-morrow the Fair will be in full swing at the Town Hall On gaily decorated stalls, full of bargains of all descriptions, will be found anything from a needle to an anchor. Everyone’s assistance is sought' for the object, which is the Mayor’s Unemployment Relief Fund. Assistance can be given by making purchases at the Fair, no matter how small, in groceries, vegetables;, cakes, clothing, fancy work, books, sweets, jumble stock, not forgetting the tea room, and' the most modern and popular side shows and chocolate alley. The Band will be in attendance throughout the afternoon and evening to enliven proceedings. Admission is free, so that everyone can be there to help. The result of the Queen Carnival, which is expected to result in a very close contest, will be finally announced at 10.30 p.m. to-morrow.

HOSPITAL STAFF DANCE. At the United Pavilion on Wednesday .night, a successful long night oldtime dance was conducted by the domestic staff of the Grey River Hospital to assist the funds of the Schools and Hospital Queen (Miss Maida Topliss). Approximately 150 couples danced to music supplied by Billy Williams’ orchestra. Numerous novelties were included in the programme of dances. Mr R. Baird was a capable M.C. MAWHERA HOCKEY DANCE. There is a good time coming at the Mawhera Ladies’ Hockey Club oldtime dance next Tuesday night. The Club intend to make it “a night of nights.” With Billy Williams’s full orchestra, assisted by Master P. Clarke (xylophone) dancers will get all the old time numbers. At 9 o’clock a carnival dance with streamers, confetti and jazz caps will be held, and there will be speculation as to who will win the lucky prizes An invitation will be tendered to the Auckland Rugby footballers. MR HAROLD PRESCOTT. js Elgar’s “Caractacus” was chosen for the Musical Society’s second concert of the season at the Civic Theatre last evening (says the “Christchurch Sun” yesterday), and it was marked by some good—ij erratic—choral work and a uniformly high standard of individual singing. Quite the most enjoyable of the soloists was Mr Harold Prescott, now of Greymouth, but formerly of Christchurch, who, thorough-

ly at ease in the role of Orbin, sang clearly and with due modulation. It was unfortunate that Mr W. H. Dixon, the society’s conductor, was unable through illness to be present. Naturally, the choir and orchestra, felt his absence, though his deputy, Mr T. Andrews, did' well and, probably, would have done even better with a little less exertion. He kept continuity, but failed to inspire his players when volume or spirited singing was required.

The tale of “Caractacus” hangs together very well in this setting. But had it not been for the intilligent reading given by Mr Prescott to his part one might have been left wondering what all the fuss was about. It is not sufficient to stand up and sing in productions of this sort—soloists and chorus have got to grasp the story of the work and tell it. Mr Prescott did this, both in his short, interpolating passages, and in his longer solos. He was particularly impressive in the invocation scene and in “Last Night Beneath the Sacred' Oak.” It was a pleasure to hear a tenor that does not rush into falsetto notes.