WELCOME LET-UP

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 4 August 1941, Page 8

WELCOME LET-UP

ENTERTAINMENT FOR N.Z.E.F. ( IMAM A (JETS A GOOD HEARING 1 , ( N.Z.E.F. OfTicial News Service). Cairo, July 5. To members of the N.Z.E.F. training and refitting in their desert camps, it is a lar cry from the world of entertainment of their old civilian life. The I need for something to take their minds] temporarily off their everyday environ merit was early appreciated, and since the very arrival of the iirst New Zealanders overseas there has been a j ceaseless chain of organised entertainments. culminating in the establishment of a talented concert party drawn from the men in the ranks. Nevertheless, there has always been a marked favouritism displayed by the men for the camp cinema. Concerts may come and concerts may go, but the old camp cinema goes on for ever. 1 Summer and winter alike, it has drawn the crowds. Sometimes the roof blows ofl\ but that is just a mere trifle to men who have seen whole marquees caught m the clutches of a desert storm. Other limes the show breaks down just at the moat interesting part, but the Army’s reputation for building up a reserve of patience in even the most unresponsive of its wartime soldiers, generally comes to the rescue, and the men content themselves with a few weird catcalls, many of them taking the opportunity to get in a store of minerals and salted peanuts from the white-coated walads who pop up in the most unexpected places like dusky ghosts. Particularly warm temperatures have n disrobing effect on the audience. There is no false modesty i.. re. How upon row of hirsute chests bared to catch the first suspicion of a breeze from holes in the roof or cracks in the wall would be a joyful sight for the most hopeful of nudist enthusiasts. PROGRAMMES AMUSE Taken all in all the programmes are neither good enough to enthuse over nor bad enough to condemn. The main thing is that they amuse. Every night brings a different picture of double feature, with occasionally a newsreel which hardly goes back to the days of the Maginot Line or an animated cartoon featuring all the old favourites. The pictures themselves in the main belong to a dim and somewhat distant oast. On that score they may make a modern film critic gesticulate and cry aloud in despair, but this is not a place for modern film critics. It is where the tired soldier seeks a brief escape from the humdrum existence of trainig in a desert camp. What if the sound sometimes lades out. These things happen in the best of theatres, and after all it does not take so very long to become accustomed to reading lip movement. And if there are a few bugs in the cane seats —well, you line! bugs wherever you are. so why not at the pictures? Neatly printed programmes for the following week are distributed in advance. Often the name of the film and those of the players are absolutely unknown to the audience, but experience lias taught that in most cases these mystery pictures prove the best. Probably what will be most remembered by the boys when they return home will be the acts put on by professional entertainers during the intervals. Many of these are very clever. In a country such as this there is a wealth of talent which, perhaps unfortunately. will never be made available to the outside world. In succession has come a chain of singers, dancers, tumblers, legerdemain artists, acrobats, comedians, and all those others who have found their most responsive audiences among soldiers in desert camps. MEZZO-S OPRA NO PLEAS E S Sometimes an artist will prove so popular that he or she is billed for a week or more, and on a return visit will be advertised well in advance. Such is Ida Bettleheim, a charming j mezzo-soprano who has countless admirers among soldiers in all parts of the country. She possesses a really fine voice, which even a broken down amplifier fails to spoil, and she sings those songs which soldiers will never tire cf hearing, with a delightful accent. Among the other artists which are ever popular is the Akef acrobatic troupe. This party of startling tumblers is made up of an entire family, their ages ranging from fifty to a very youthful five years. They perform the most amazing feats of balance with remarkable ease, some of I heir acts leaving the audience almost | speechless. This troupe would be hailed as outstanding in America or Australia. but after the war they will ! probably go back to the old cabaret round, to scrape a few piastres conj descendingly thrown by an audience .which is somewhat bored by this sort lof thing. However, the boys enjoy, j their turns, and as long as the war lasts' ! they will always be a welcome addition to the programme at the camp cinema. (