WIT AND MUSIC.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XI, Issue 200, 17 August 1921, Page 5

WIT AND MUSIC.

A NIGHT WITH THE ORPHANS. HELP FOR THE MOTHERS’ REST. The entertainment organised by the memoers oi me .tiasuugs Urpnans' UAuo, in aid oi the mothers’ Rest turnisning mud, winch came oil in the Municipal Theatre, Hastings, lastnight, was luoxeU forward to with picasuraoie anticipation, but the pro gramme submitted exceeded all expec« tations and the audience, who mled the house in every quarter, quickly acknowledged its merit, every item being re-demanded, doubly recalled and even trebly encored until, at last, the management had to expostulate with the greedy assemblage. The orchestral wsll was the greedy assemblage. The orchestral decked with a profusion of greenery, studded with coloured electric burns, which gleamed like jewels, and the drop senile was decorated with a drawing, of a wild looking ybung devil, with a cavernous mouth, roaring like a bull which, evidently, was the artist’s conception and epitomitisation of “Mothers Rest.” When the curtain rose, the stage setting disclosed a very pleasing picture indeed, of a spacious chamber, overhung with a fine transparency, “The Orphans’ Club,” with glass folding doors at the rear, showing a beautiful lawn scape, extending away beyond the gaze, the whole conceived with a most artistic view, the effect being admirably carried out. During the proceedings Orphan Davies and party sang an original Composition called “Feather the Rest,” during which silver coins were showered upon the stage in a very generous spirit. This was very effective, though the perambulator parade was somewhat turbulent and overdone.

The Orphans opened their programme with a stirring cKorus, the text of which was composed by the wellknown poet, Orphan N. Beatson, but, though the audience strained to catch the words, which are said to reach the high-water mark of the distinguished author’s genius they could not be heard and so the real beauty of the number was lost to a disappointed house. Then Orphan Frank Byrne invested Chief Orphan Thomas Clarkson with his emblems of office as “King Pin of the Mothers’ Rest,” impressing upon him his responsibilities, saying that every other interest had to be set aside in favour of rushing mothers to the Rest and explaining that, when he got them there, his duty was “to hold the babies and the mothers would do the rest.”

Orphan Clarkson having sworn, with some reluctance it must be said, to carry out these obligations, he was duly installed and the proceedings opened, with a selection by the club orchestra, “Sunshine and Showers,” under Orphan Watson’s baton, a feature of which was the solo work of Orphans S. Armstrong (cornet) and P. George (slide trombone), Mr. Armstrong’s performance being especially meritorious. The orchestra also played “Teddy’s Trombone,” in which Orphan George’s solo was again excellent, as well as selections from that delightful musical comedy, “The Country Girl,” all of which were warmly received. Orphan D. Crooks delighted the house with the song “Friend o’ Mine,” in which his fine voice found beautiful expression, and Orphan T. B. McNeill brought down the house with his racy account of the triumphant turf career of “Father Reilly’s Moke,” whilst Orphans Watson and Waters succeeded, with a violin duet, “Hungarian Dance” which was played with a swing, in the full spirit of the composition. Orphan Harry Poppelwell sang of the extreme gratification that he experienced from the fact that he’d got his “Captain Working For Him Now,” whereby he got back a biv of his own for what he had experienced when positions were reversed, and Orphan Craig, an old and ever green favourite, sang “When I was Twenty-one,” in full Highland rip, his rendering keeping the house in continuous laughter. At the conclusion of tho bill Orphan Craig sang “A Wee Doch an Doris,” to the great entertainment of his auditors. Orphan French sang “The Floral Dance,” in a fine bass, and Orphan Tom Brennan kept the house in a giggle, telling how Mrs Dugan grew gradually inebriated on champagne, his description getting delightfully entangled in the final stages. Orphan Greenhow was very successful in his item “Songs and Singers,” in which he most humourously demonstrated various kinds of amateurs, his efforts being hilariously received and an Orphan, with the historic name of John Knox, played a very acceptable solo on the mandolin, as well as a second contribution on what he describes as a “Zenzinetinophone,” both numbers being capably treated. Orphan D. McCorkindale recited a humourous sketch “A Clean Sweep,” describing the adventures of one of the lower ten, who found himself accepted as a disguise at a fancy ball in the “Creme de la Creme of Society,” his experiences being very amusing, and he was followed by Orphan Fred Thomas, who sang “Mountain Lovers,” which suited his expressive voice, with much sympathy, whilst Orphans H. and F. Poppelwell collaborated in a pretty sketch entitled “The Musical Melody Man.” The concert was in every way a pronounced success and the Mothers’ Rest must have benefited to a considerable extent as a result of the Orphans’ enthusiastic efforts.