"San Toy."

Manawatu Times, Volume XL, Issue 13537, 30 October 1916, Page 2

"San Toy."

j The first performance of San Toy by the local Operatic Society will be ! staged to-morrow night, when they ' open for a live-night season in to ! Opera House. A full rehearsal with lighting, dressing and full stage effects ; to-night, should put the final polish to | what promises to be quite .the most ; successful production the Palmerston amateurs have yet undertaken. The ; principal charactees are well cast, j among them being Mrs Louisson, Miss Millar, Mr Bowatcr and Mr Howard Batchelar, who have on previous occasions taken leading parts in our local operatic productions. There are also | several new members who are facing j Palmerston audiences for the first (time, noteably Mrs Simpson, Mrs I Mowlem, Miss King, Mr Jackson, and i Mr Zachariah, the latter having been I specially brought from Gisborne to i take the part of Yen How. The stagj ing and dressing, which are typically Chinese, are on a most elaborate scale, and the colour scheme is quite gorgeous in its Oriental splendour, tho i vivid and daring note however, blending into a brilliant harmony. The chorus business, which includes the deft manipulation of fans, lanterns and umbrellas, and the quaint dances, are executed with grace and precision, and form a particularly pleasing feature of the opera, while the chorus singing is exceptionally good. The Six Lttle Wives, the Emperor's Amazon Guard and the Fanderins each form a picturesque group and afford excellent support to the principals. Mrs and Miss Edwards of Hawera have come to Palmerston to dance a specially introduced ballet, which will he a pleasing addition. The Box Plan which is at Millar's, is fast filling up, and crowded houses should 1)0 the result.