DANCE AND PLAY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 19 November 1927, Page 3

DANCE AND PLAY.

AIRS AVILSON’S PUPILS. AN ATTRACTIVE PROGRAAIAIE. A thoroughly delightful and interesting evening ’s performance was given by the pupils of Airs Wilson in the Opera House last night, when, under her capable direction, they presented the fairy play ‘ ‘ Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” with its old familiar story and its fascinating characters. The play was preceded bv one of those demonstrations of collective and solo dancing with which Airs Wilson’s name has been so well and favourably known. Throughout a great success was secured and the large audience gave the young people an enthusiastic reception. The character of Goldilocks was very prettily taken by Audrey AlcLaren, who spoke her lines very well and sang her, nretty songs “Take me to dreamland, P<l ‘hear a cuckoo calling,’ and “Sweetheart” very nicely. She acted, too, quite well with the Prince in the love scene. Her dancing was also a feature. , Prince Merrythought was P ort ™y*“ excellently By Alaisie Instone, whose elocution y and 7 clear enunciation were features of ner work. She also toon the part of the Teddy Bear and quite looked the character. . , Mammy and Daddy Bear were taken bv Nancy Kent and Alma Conway and both were very successful m their won and provided much amusement. Tim Butterfly Queen and the Browme King were nicely represented ‘by Patty B ellwand Patty Ekdahl. A very clever representation was that of Golliwog by Joan Aloore. She brought out excellently all the amusing features associated with the character and created much fun. . . , _ , June Dalgetty as the Painted Lady was very appropriately dressed and acted very well. Other interesting characters were Jack Tar by Alison Kemp, with his hornpipe and ‘ ‘ his girl m every port , Twinkle toes and Aloonshme by Dorm Gilmore and Ila Gunderson; V ilhelmina and Dolly Dimple by Joyce June Goodwin; Azure Blue and Babsie 800 by Joyce Knightbridge and Patty There was much clever repartee between the Brownies and the Fairies, features being the “nothing venture nothin o " win,” “where there’s a will there’s" a way,” and “learning to Sn The Brownies’ chorus with solo by the Kin° was a very attractive number and their dance with the Bears was also quite good. And the tableau of the Fairies surrounded by Brownies was a capital effort of stage craft. A most amusing incident was the speech on the soap box. Jen W hclmina said “Down with Teddy BC ff' the love-making between tlie Prince and Goldilocks a modern touch was added by the suggestion to ling up pupa for consent. . 1 , \ nc l the Darby and Joan incident with the song in praise of love was very pretty and effective, concluding with chorus of the wedding march and the medley ensemble dance by the whole company. It was a fitting anr pretty finale to an interesting and well was preceded by a dance recital, one of the best and prettiest Airs AVilson has presented. the soloists were Zelda Spragg, yym Davy and Dons McGhm, Wood Nymphs”; Audrey McLaren, Hungarian” and “Daintic”; June Goodwi n, ‘ ‘ Militairc ’’; Afona Lay, Russian Peasant” Pam Pilcher “Baby I oily ; Doris AlcGhie, ‘ ‘ Bolero ”; v’lule very attractive duos were given by Christine AlcLaren and Pauline AlacLean-bmith, “Duo Petite”: Joan and Pat Murray, as “Harlequins”; Sylvia Davy and Audrey McLaren, “Pas de Deux ; Ohloe Goodwin and Gladys Lay, ‘ Spanish Tango”; Joyce and Junne Goodwin, ‘‘Cossacks”; and concerted numbers were “The Picaninnies,” “Early Victorian Ballet,” “Graceful Quartette, and Ukulele Dream Girl and Hawaiian Ballet, with Miss Ada AVhyte as soloist. An efficient orchestra played overtures and incidental music and tlie accompaniments with good effect. The members were Mr Cate and Miss Iving (violins). Airs Graham and Aliss Dolan (’cellos), and the pianist was Airs AVilson.

The stage and property managers were Messrs AV. AVoollett and D. St radian, and that very important work was capably carried through by them The staging, the dressing and the lighting effects were a feature of the performance and added not a little to the whole success. In every way Airs AVilson lias reason to he proud and pleased with the work of the voung people, whose performance added another to the series of succcsess scored by her with her pupils.