WAITAKI BOYS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19762, 13 April 1926, Page 7

WAITAKI BOYS.

A POPULAR ENTERTAINMENT. Despite the powerful outside attractions that are so numerous about the Exhibition, the Waitaki High School boy’s entertainment drew a very large audience to the Festival Hall last evening. The boys showed their musical ability, not only in choral singing, but in a number of excellent items given by a, pierrot troupe, and they gave abundant evidence of much careful and effective training. Tlte Exhibition Orchestra, under the direction of M. Slapoffski. opened the entertainment with bright and stirring selections. The curtain rose on a junior choir of over 100 sturdy healthy boys, uniformly clad in grey shirts and navy shorts. They acquitted themselves admirably in their opening number, “Toreador,” responding to their conductor like a well-timed instrument. The senior choir, who followed, were slightly fewer in number. They were clad in black, and not a few of them had attained the dignity of “longs.” The contrast of their deep, matured voices with the trebles of the younger boys was very striking. They gave a fine robust rendering of “Drake Goes West ” that pleased the audience greatly, and it was not for want of continued applause that an encore was not granted. The seniors made only one other appearance when they gave another rousing and appropriate song, “To Sea,” that proved all too short. E. K. Grooott executed a violin solo with skill and feeling, and the audience dearly would have liked to have heard more from him. Pleasing variety was lent to the entertainment by the recitation of “The Highwayman,” by Miss Nellie Osborn, who gave the piece with fine feeling and effect. In response to an undeniable demand she recited the amusing little piece, “Oh!” The juniors made four appearances in all, their other numbers being “ Shepherd’s Dance,” “Waiata Maori.” and “Kinky Kids’ Parade.” The “Waiata Maori ” included the familiar haka, “ Kamate.kamEte,” which was, of course, a great success at the hands —and voices —of the boys. The “ Kinky Kids’ Parade ” they gave in a weird collection of nigger minstrel costumes reminiscent of a clipping carnival. At tl.e close of this amusing and well-executed item the audience simply would not be refused, and the boys had to return and repeat their performance. - The second part of the programme, prefaced by another selection from the orchestra, was largely devoted to the presentation of that very clever little modern play, “ The Boy Comes Home. 1 * The play is a brilliant analysis of postwar problems, and the clash between the older generation who stayed at home and the younger men who grew old in a day Or a night in the shell-shattered trenches. The boys who acted suffered, of course, the handicaps of youth and immaturity. and they were not always audible, out, nevertheless, they succeeded in holding the attention of the audience and bringing out the points of the play satisfactorily. The evening concluded with a pierrot entertainment which introduced a number of happy items. There was the opening chorus, “Hitch Your Wagon, the solo and chorus “ Land of I Dunno Where,” recitation “ Foolish Questions, solo and chorus “ Cheery Song,” item by the company “ The Toy Drum-major,” a comic medley on the housing problem, a mock oration very well given, and a comical round, all of which were eagerly enjoyed. Before the proceedings closed with a verse of the National Anthem, one of the “Pierrots” returned thanks to the Old Boys’ Association of the Otago Boys* High School, which, he said, had generously presented a box of chocolates to each of over 200 performers.