The School Concert.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 33, 27 August 1887, Page 2

The School Concert.

The Theatre Royal was crowded to the very doors on Thursday night with the fathers, mothers; brothers, the sisters, and the cousins arid the aunts of the various juvenile performers. From first to last the pei formance was a very great success, and our citizens should be proud of possessing so many clever children, and such a hardworking and capital instructor as Mr Bull, by whom the children were trained, the cantata; “An hour in fairyland " constituted the first part of the programme, and although hot of the specially attractive character of Whittington, went off remarkably well. The solos were somewhat difficult for their j uvenile executants and the large size of the hall militated somewhat against the successful rendering, but the choruses went with a noticeable swing, the well-trained fresh voices doing full justice to the melodies. The chorus 11 Home sweet home,” was the auccecs of the evening, and a distinct hit was made by Motia Petersen In his various solos. After tbe cantata came the dumb bell exercises by the boys, Believing as we do in the old proverb mens sand in corpora sano we are glad to see that such exercises form pari of the school curriculum. As a muscle developer and an effectual aid to the physical strength of young people, the dumb bell is a powerful agent, and the precision exhibited in ths exercises shows that Mr Bull has done excellent work in his tuition of the youngsters under his care in the use of that agent, After a short interval the charming little operetta of “ Whittington aad his Cat" was given. At its previous representation at McFarlane’s Hall it was well received, but for laughter and genuine applause its repetition the other night far surpassed the first performance. Young Humphries is a born comedian, end his acting as Fitzwarren showed a knowledge of by-play remarkable in so young a lad. Little Harry East again pleased everybody by his portrayal of the unfortunate but eventually prosperous Dick: his solos were well taken and there was a marked improvement in his acting and an absence of the nervousness apparent at the first representation. Harry Reed has a capital voice, and has profited by Mr Bull's instructions as to its use. The solo descriptive of the journey to Morocco, and the marvellous achievements of Dick’s cat was remarkably well given, and although still a little stiff with his crew, his acting was manifestly improved. Sarah Buchanan had not much to do as Alice, but did that little well, whilst Lily Stevenson brought down the house on several occasions with her capital singing and acting as “ that horrid cook.” The choruses went well, the dresses were pretty, and the stage management was excellent. During a short interval, rendered necessary by scene shifting, Master Jimmy Buchanan gave that extremely amusing story out of “ Alice in Wonderland,” called the “ Walrus and the Carpenter.” The recitation is of a riotously humorous character, and the little fellow fully entered into its niceties. There was none of the traditional stiffness of a schoolboy droning forth a recitation of the-boy-stood-on-the-burning-deck style; not a point was missed, and the audience roared with laughter at the suitable gestures and declamation of the lad when he depicted the woes of “ those unfortunate oysters.” Master Jimmy has the making of a very good actor in him, and will if he continues as he has commenced, be far above the average amateur. The whole performance was an unqualified success, and the parents owe a debt of gratitude to Mr Bull for the weeks of wearisome coaching he must have devoted to the youngsters. With him, however, the work is a labour of love, and the long lines of smiling faces which filled the hall were, no doubt, to him an ample recompense for the trouble he has taken. The financial result of the entertainment was, we hear, of a very satisfactory nature, some £ having been added to the play-ground fund for the benefit of which ths performance was given.