OCTAGON THEATRE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17730, 15 September 1919, Page 8

OCTAGON THEATRE

CARRIE LiVNCIiLEY AND HER .MELODY MAIDS. , i' is Carrie Lanoeley and her Melodv Jua:d?, on tiicir reappearance at the Octagon Theatre on Saturday cloning, were wclcorncd with enthusiasm. T'ho building was packed and hundreds woro refused admission. Miss Lanceley must have been highly gratified at tho reoepticn sho received and at tho warm applause which greeted practically even,- item. audienco was not slow in recognising the appeal of many of the contributions, and hearty recalls were tho order of tho evening after each appearance of tho jjerforrners. Tm programme was most happily chosen, and there was an unusual degree of taste displayed in the treatment of tho various numbers. Miss l/OJKXM<>v was jn cxeejlent voice and fui> mitted Chanson 1* lorian" (Godard) as her lir.it item, her fjicilo vocalisation and delicacy of expression surprising even her longstanding admirers. She also {rave a delightI jJ«ly natural and beautiful rendering of the I A\o Maria' (Gounod). Her other items v/ero " Lily of My Heart" (Gheel), "Cherry | ijlossom lime ' (Oliver), " Barney O'Hea." j Doon the Burn," " Lofve—Hero is Mv Heart, and "It Was a Song You Sang Mo (Lohr), in all of which she "was distinctly cnicccssful. Miss Laneeley had tho distinct aavantage of Miss Doris Strublo's BKiltul accompaniments throughout, and the artjstjo effect of the various items was undoubtedly heightened by tho instrumental score. iiiss i\-ellio Simpson was equally sncccsstdl on tho flute and ccikj, her items being ''Loin <lu Val" (flute) and "The Rosary ( cello). Her technique met all demands, and sho made the incr.t cf manv 6:10 opportunities. Miss Dorothy Baker (who took tho j>!ace of Miss Symons, who is 'shortly leaving for England) 13 a violinist of some note, iler bowing v.as free, and her double-stoppings were sound in intonation. Her items wero " Chinese Tambo-i-T."n? , (Kreiakr) and " Cavatma" (Raff), "lorcli Dance" (Edward German) \tas given as an instrumental trio—violin (Miss Baker), 'cello (Miss Simpson), and piano (Mis Struble). It was a clever interpretation and evoked genuine applause. Miss Strublo's monologue items wero ""Wander Thirst," " I Couldn't Help It—Could I ? ' and * Spotty," in all of which she was appropriately dramatic, and was loudly applauded. This talented combination will render the same programme this evening. Little Ray Mantell, a delightful little juvenile vocalist, sang "Yiolets," and her effort, a most pleasing one for so young a performer' provoked an undeniable encore, w'hich was responded to. Her mispronunciation the word violets (she pronounced it "vilets") was a noticeable defect, but sho is too good a performer to continue this mistake -when it has been pointed out to her. With this exception her words were correctly enunciated. The remainder of tho programmo is devoted to the screening of a good scries of pictures, the principal of which is a drama entitled '' Eye for Eve," the principal part being taken by Nazimova, a prepossessing Russian actress... One of the supports is a specially good Patho Gazette.