WORTHY CAUSES

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 56, Issue 32914, 26 September 1947, Page 5

WORTHY CAUSES

NEVILLE CARLSEN REVUE 26 YEARS’ GOOD WORK INSTITUTIONS ASSISTED A revue company which for the last 26. years has been voluntarily entertaining inmates of hospitals, orphanages, military camps, homes and similar institutions will appear in Paeroa on Thursday, October 2. The artists are banded together under Mr Neville Carlsen who has organised them into a revue company for the benefit of people unable to arrange their own entertainments. They have played to audiences all over the Auckland province and are prepared to give their services free to any worthy cause.

In 1921 Neville Carlsen, himself an ex-Main Body man, was a patient in a military hospital in Auckland, and,

lllHlllllinniHlllilllHllHllllHlllllHllHlllllilllilHHHHllllinilllllllllHlllllllllllllllllllinillllllinillllllllll as a well-known entertainer, it was natural for him on leaving his cot to go to the piano and sing and play to the men. His co-soldier patients were an enthusiastic audience. Genesis of Company That was the genesis of Neville Carlsen’s Revue Company, which 26 years ago entered on a regular cycle of entertainment at various institutions. Men in the wards begged Mr Carlsen not to forget them when he left the hospital. With his' sisters, who are all musical, and some talented friends, he formed a scratch concert party which snowballed into the big organisation that it is today, having a calling of 95 first-class performers and the help and backing of leading citizens. The artists give their services voluntarily and appreciate it as a privileged task to entertain. More than once a week about a score of these artists are called to give a performance. The programme features various acts, from singers, instrumentalists, acrobatic tap dancers, as well as magicians, ventriloquists, trick cyclists and even performing dogs. Acts Are Beneficial There can be no doubt that the acts are beneficial to those who see them, for as one medical superintendent of one large institution told Mr Carlsen: “ Notice of a visit sets up a happy spirit of anticipation, giving place to glad realisation, and, since they know that you will return again happy anticipation once more.” Comforts, sweets, cigarettes, tobacco, frocks, toilet gear, stationery—in fact every' possible thing to make the patients happier--are provided by the company. Some of these things are hard to procure and a novel method of distribution has been adopted. Instead of just being handed out to the patients as so many gifts Mr Carlsen holds a quiz session and the packages are awarded as prizes, thus getting away from the deliberative method of handing out. Every recipient earns his prize and all the non-starters got an equally good award. Hence everybody is happy. The cost is borne by well-known citizens and business firms and augmented by the company’s stage presentations, which are open to the public. Many notable artists have given their services free in conjunction with Neville Carlsen Revue Company. Among them are Miss Gladys Moncrief, Gil? Deck, Miss Ella •Shields, Richard Crooks, George Wallace, Don Nicol, Miriam Lester, Tex Morton and other overseas artists who have visited the Dominion in the past 26 years.