"THE COURT CARDS"

Grey River Argus, 23 March 1915, Page 5

"THE COURT CARDS"

A BRIGHT AND CLEVER COMPANY.

The people of Greymouth evidently recognised that they were "~ backing trumps when they attended in such large mimbeTS % the Opera House last night s the bulding- being crowded in aM parts by a critical but cordially appreciative audience. The Court

Cards is an extremely clever company and if we may be allowed to carry the cards metaphor a little further, we may say that there is "not a <rag i n the hands that the company dealt out so liberally last night. The com pany are strong vocally and their witticisms are quaint and clever. The performers are dressed for the opening- scena to represent various cards in the pack, and the cards Jind *heir joker in the opening chorus let the audience into the secret of the purpurpose of the night's entertainment. The court card dress is, however, thrown aside on various occasions when the performers represent charac ters that are not found even in> (the

largest pack of cards... Mr. George Graystone has a bass voice of good quality an<J power, and he sang a patriotic number with a fine swing. His repeat number "The Diver" show ed his fine voice ito full advantage and he well deserved the hearty applause with which the audience greet ed his efforts. Mr. George Titchcn er is an exceedingdy clever comedian and hi s singing- and clever by-play kept the audience in a perfect bubble of merriment. His firstfc item was a song dealing" with the various methods adopted by a society dude, a young curate, ,a coster and a member of the chosen people in. putting- the all important question. He had to add a couple of other songs before he was allowed to depart his song "Snice Mince Pie" being- exceedingly amusing. Miss Renee Maude, who has a pleasng- mezzo soprano voice, which she uses with great taste and skill sang a cradle song very sweetly, and as an encore gave a spring song. Miss Maude Fane and Mr. George Titcnener made the house rock with laughter: in their clever sketch "The Boy who stuttered and the Girl who lisped.' We believe the song has been heard here before, but the way that it was given last night was excrutiatingly funny. Miss Fane isoon established herself a s a warm favourite, and all her songs were greatly enjoyed. Mr. Sydney Mannerings fine iter-- voice did full jusice to the familiar -"Somewhere a voice is Calling.. : - which re had the assistance of a tastefully played violin obligato. Mo. Edward Warwick, who is. weld and favourably known here, has lost none of his powers of amuising, and his opening num ber "Expressions" was clever and amusing, and his "Language Book" was full of bon s mots, which fallowed so quicloly one on another jKhat the audience were afraid to laugh lest the should miss one of the good things that fell from the Joker's lips The male quarte* "Forsaken" which followed was_& real musical treat. The voices blended beautifully and the various shades of expression were ideJicately marked. A-s an encore they gave a quaint march ing chorus in which a banjo accompaniment was cleverly imitated. The concluding item in the first part was a smart sketch "Ragtime Shopping" introducing clever_ parodies on the most popular rag-time tunes. The second part found the company attired in Dutch costume, and the sketch "A Drop of Hollands" introduced a number of songs and dances that show the company at its best. In many ways the scene strongly Tesemb led "Miss Hook of Holland Miss Winifred Mitchell who is a skilful violiniste, with splendid technique, which is well displayed on the fine Strad that sheplays, gave a solo with great taste, and had to respond to an encore. The final item as a. descriptive sketch, showing- the village choir in^pratoru Thoise who have read Washington Irving's description of the Village Choir in his sketch "Christmas Day' must have been struck by its resemblance to t/he choir portrayed last night. Mr. Albert Keats who is at the piano, is a sympathetic accompanist" and can also sing well and dance cleverly. The Court Cards is undoubtedly the. cleverest and most versatile company that has yet appeared here, and we trust that the people of this district will show their appreciation* of a reaJ good performance by crowding- the Opera House to the doors to-night

when there will be a oomplete change of programme.