“HOLIDAY REVELS”

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21899, 18 December 1945, Page 5

“HOLIDAY REVELS”

FAST-MOVING REVUE

From the time of the first few notes from the orchestra until the last curtain dropped there was never u moment wasted In the variety revue “Holiday Rcvela,” staged in the Opera House last night for the final performance in Gisborne. As item followed item in Quick succession the audience’s interest was maintained at top pitch and what the “last; nisthterd' lacked In numbers they made up in the spontaneity of their appreciation. Produced by the versatile trouper, Sylvia Poynter. who also featured prominently among the artists, the show was vaudeville at its best, with humorous, vocal .dance and novelty numbers interwoven to give the programme a smooth finish, yet with the contrast between the consecutive turns subtly emphasised. Comedy provided the life blood of the show, and most of the cast participated in the laugh fetching, but outstanding were Jack Riley and Sylvia Poynter, who shared top billing, the only fault with the female impersonator, Brian Neels, was that he was not on enough The Melody .Makers, a sextette of girl vocalists, proved popular, with their western numbers particularly catching the audience’s fancy. Don be Bas, boy soprano, was in fine voice and b's rendition of “Avn Maria" was most appealing.

The accompaniment by the company’s orchestra under Kay Scott at the piano gave the finishing touch to all the items and in this direction Alf Austen gave a masterly demonstration of background drum work, which, along with the efforts of the other musicians, did much to heighten the effect of the performers on the stage. All concerned with the revue performed their allotted duties capably and all deserved credit for the warm applause the audience accorded the show.