AMUSEMENTS.

Grey River Argus, 17 June 1925, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

HAWAIIAN TROUBADOURS Am audience large enough to fill the Opera House in every part, was figura tivelv speaking, transported to the sunny Hawaiian Islands for the space of two hours last night, through the instrumentality of a band oi entertainers, styling themselves “The Hawaiian Trobadours. ” Th,, name of E. J. Carrol, under whose direction the Compmiv is touring New Zealand, is a sufficient guarantee of the quality of the entertainment to be offered, and in this, his latest enterprise, he has kept good faith with his public. From tin- dreamy opening number, suggestive of moonlight nights in Honolulu, to the final rollicking ensemble, the entertain nie’nt has a distinctive charm which captured the audience!. Here is a band of entertainers, who in chorus or solo work (be it vocal or instrumental) who know how to “put over the goods.” The playing of the ukelole and steel guitar (products of the far away isles from which they hail) was at once so essentailly pleasing, a*ad withal so totally different to what we have been accustomed to from their forerunners, as to leave the impression in heard it of a musical novelty being introduced for the first time. The Ilawaiians are the possessors oi musical voices, of a tone a»nd quality similar to those of the Maoris (albeit the male members’ vocal talents tall far short of our New Zealand natives) and they sang many folk songs of their land, in the way that only :• Hawaiian can. Spirited instrumental selections of the syncopated variety, of course, occupied a large portion of the programme, but the audience never seemed to tire ot it. Always, with clamorous applause, was more demanded—and the performers never failed to oblige. These numbers were made refreshingly original by the animated humour of one male member of the Company, whose efforts i»n this direction saved the performance from any motony that might otherwise have crept into it. But, not only in music <loes the Company excel. Last night 's programme was rich in danci’ng—hula ilancing—ami a Greymouth audience was able to judge of the graceful native dance as it should be performed. The rythmic movements of the dancers, dressed in rush skirts and bare-footed, breathe tin' life of Hawaii; the grace fill twirl of the arm. the action of th? foot, the serpentine swaying of the body, as the dancer moves across the stage (now with pant herlikc grace, now in a hurricane whirlwind movement) easily explain why Ihe Hula dance has become so famous, an<| last night’s exponents of it were no mean performers. Till now, no artist has been singled out for exceptional merit, lint mention must be made of Miss Frances Lelani, a buck and wing dancer, and tip-toe performer of extraordinary ability and agility. Dressed as a jockey, this young lady gave a graceful exhibition of the old time “shuffle” dance, ami then, instep extended, and on tip toe, she imitated a jockey careering up the straight. It was a wonderful exhibition of the terpsichorcan art. and the triple encore with which it was rewarded was no more than it deserved. The I stage was mounted in a manner appropriate to the class ef entertainment offered. To-night, the Company will appear in Hokitika, and will appear at the Opera House again tomorrow night.