“MISS HOOK OF HOLLAND”

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3495, 3 November 1926, Page 8

“MISS HOOK OF HOLLAND”

OPERATIC SOCIETY SCORES ANOTHER SUCCESS. Tha Palmerston North Operaticr Society has had a long and remarkably successful career. On performances it must be rated as one of the premier organisations of its kind in the Dominion, and by the time its 1926 season concludes on Saturday there can be little doubt that "Miss Hook of Holland" will rank as one of its greatest successes. Well away from the ordinary run of musical comedy plots: with the humorous element strongly marked; and with,a quaintly original vein both in the music and setting, the story of the love affairs of Miss Hook makes a powerful appeal. Allowing for inevitable first night weaknesses, last evening’s presentation by the Palmerston North Orchestral Society was a splendid allround success. The leading roles were strongly cast; the chorus, backed by a powerful orchestra, was equal to the demands made upon it: and tho mounting and costuming of the piece challenged comparison with many a first-rate professional show. In the comedy cast honours are shared between Messrs. B. J. Jacobs and G. Remington, both of whom give excellent characterisations of their parts. Mr. Jacobs, as “Simon Slinks,'* unemployed and unemployable, is in his element, and gives one of tho best bits of work of his illustrious career on the amateur stage. He extracts tha limit of comedy from the “gentleman of leisure,” and there are occasions in his frequent appearances when high watermark. —without the soap—ls reached. Mr. Remington has always succeeded in depicting rather frivolous elderly gentlemen, but this time he excels. Apart from a tendency to Indistinct enunciation —a fault common to most of the leads —Mr. Hook is always interesting, frequently funny, and decidedly clever. His adventure with the cellar is mellow in more ways than one. Mr. Fred Cousins has the double advantage of a good singing and speaking voice, and his presentation of the captain of artillery is one of the best in the cast, with plenty of dash and confidence. A distinctly clever piece of work is that of Mr. G. agnail’s "Ludwig Schnapps,” whose effectiveness is somewhat marred, however, by Indistinct and hurried enunciation.] Mr. X’’. Hubble makes a prim and proper hero, and his pleasing tenor voice is heard in one or two very tuneful numbers. An unusually clever study in silent comedy is that of Mr. J. Hornblow, who gives us the super loafer —he is too lazy even to talk—and his work with Mr. Jacobs is amongst the best comedy of tho piece. Messrs. O. Williams (officer), and W. T. Duckworth (policeman), capably fill minor parts. Miss Naomi Whalley is ideally cast as Miss Hook of Holland. She has that rare and happy knack of being as natural on as off the stage, and the touch of light comedy needed to give zest to the part is just added in right measure, while her beautiful voice is heard in artistic interpretations of a number of tuneful solos, notably "Fly Away Kite,” "Little Miss Wooden Shoes” and “Cream of the Sky,” the two latter with nice chorus and lighting effects. As in the past Miss Arlni Ashworth made a great success of the role entrusted to her. She was clever and attractive in her acting, the light comedy vein being delightfully brought out in the pert Mina. Her singing of “A Pink Petty From Peter” was one of the choice little bits of the evening, A cameo study of an old market woman by Mrs. M. Cooper was distinctly good, while Miss Heather Wylie as Uretchen, Mrs. Gifford Remington as Freda and Misses Ulu Hancock, Mavis Mortland, Jeffrles, Sheriffs and N. Braddell as tho orphans, did good work. Miss Diana Tabor's solo dances were gracefully executed and loudly applauded, while a couple of ballets added charm and variety. The participants were: Miss Joyce Turner, Miss Betty Amos, Miss Patty Leydon, Miss Agnes Brown, Miss Erma Pedersen, Miss Barbara Evans, Miss Jean Litchfield, Miss Meg Knyvett, Miss Diana Tabor.

As already stated, the comedy abounds in quaint and tuneful music, and the excellent work of the conductor, Mr. A. J. Graham, was evident all through. In the general presentation of the piece, the expert hand of Mrs. Hulme was to be seen and a great deal of its success Is due to her advice and assistance.

The comedy will be repeated every night this week, when crowded houses are assured.