MARIST BROTHERS' OLD BOYS' CONCERT COMPANY.

Grey River Argus, 15 May 1912, Page 5

MARIST BROTHERS' OLD BOYS' CONCERT COMPANY.

A packed house greeted the Mar is t Brothers' Old Boys' Conceit Company at the Opera House last night, and the size of .the audience was no bigger than the deserts of the' Company warranted. Ai'Aiougli the" manager of the combination deemed it necessary to explain at the outset ; vhat some of the leading members were suffering- from severe colds and thatsome of the musical items' would have, in consequence, to be omitted, ; Uie need for such an explanation was quickly dispelled, and the audience discovered that a musical treat of a rare ordere awaited them. -While it was apparent thats some of the performers had contracted West Coast colds, it was equally obvious that they possessed the cooii'age to struggle aigaiinst

their difliculties, which they triumphan'tjy overcame. Al-Jhough many were prepared to listen to a highclass entertainment, few, if any, could have anticipated so much fine talent, combined with so much (versatility. The opening- number of /the programme was a vigorous, yet nicely shaded, rendering by the whole company of the ever-green "Soldiers' Chorus" from. <c Faust." Mr James P. Lonergan, who possesses a musical baritone voice, which is powerful and well-produced, then sang "The Trumpeter" in a manner which showed an excellent vocal method. In 'the second pai't of the programme he was equally successful with "My Old Shako," 'bringing out the vigor or the tenderness of the verses 'as the varying- mood demanded. His encor© numbers emphasised the excellence of his equipment. The company haft another accomplished vocalist in Mr Stan Pritchard, who admirably interpreted ifche ash and diablerie of the "Stormfiend," giving, as an encore, that sweet, and tender song "Son. of Mine." Later in the evening- he was •i.vi lig-Mer mood in "Monkeyland" and "The Preacher and the Bear" were higEly appreciated, as Avell as the accompanying choruses by the company. With Mr S. L. Exton; ;Mr Pritchard sang the well-known duet of Balfe's "Excelsior," and this, (too, was a great success. Mr Exton possesses a. tenor voice of a remarkably caressing- and silvery quality, and he used it with imoving- effect in two songs "Thora," and "Mary." ' Although opinions may differ as to relative merits of the voices heard during the even-ing, the favourite vocalist among- the' audience appeared to be Mr Fred^G. Bourke who sang, first of all, "Eily Mavourneen" from the 'lily of ' Killarney." This .song-w as not so well delivered -(although it was very pieasing indeed) as Mr Bourkf*! subsequent numbers — "I'm slitting on the stile, Mary,'"' and that beautiful, if sad, melody, "Has Sojrow Thy Young Days Shaded?" The latter was particularly memorable. Mr Bourke sings artiistically and with fine i feeling, .and these desirable qualities characterised Juts vocalism. in "A Li'tt-le Irish Cot" as well as. the songs already mentioned. The second part of the programme , was made -up mainly of a. "Grand Minstrel Entertainment," and although some of the jokes were hoary chestnuts, the songs were all good, and the "altogether," as Trilby would say, clever, bright, and pleasing. Mr Geo. Whiitfa-kcr was a. capable accompanist throughout the evening. We have left to -the last, mention of the elocutionary performances of Mr Frank Lorking', who, to our mind is the star of the combination. He has the fine temperament of a sensitive artist. He is a very remarkable elocutionist, and his histrionic gifts are of an altogether unusual order. His face-play alone is ou'c of the ordinary, whether in comedy or tragedy. His quick transition from the comedy of the Curate's a^ dress *o the tragedy of "The Tomb of Napoleon^" and back again to the farcical absurdity of it-he American en-gine-driver's yarn, stamps him a,s possessing prodigious versaultv. In ! .the second part of the night's . cwtierI tainment he scored heavily wiith I "Down by 'the Jlio Grande," "How I I envied McGinty," and that haunting ; pxpression of dauntless courage w>" r Henley packed into the eight lines ibeginning — "Out of the night (that ( covers me."