MAORI ENTERTAINERS.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Issue 3465, 10 December 1915, Page 2

MAORI ENTERTAINERS.

TO VISIT PAEROA.

Walter Smith, known as the great Maori Genius, with his "Music and Magic" shows, will appear at the Criterion Theatre, on Monday, 13th., 1915.

Highly reputed by the American newspapers, and with flowing and convincingl press notices he comes to his native land after an absence of twenty years, eight years of it being spent, on the American stage.

As a mandolinist, he is second to none anywhere. His playing on that little instrument is a revelation to the musical world. He is assisted on ■the piano .by A. E. Savage, late of .Williamson's Grand Italian Opera Company of Melbourne.

He is also a conjuror that is wonderfully mystifying. Unlike the usual run of magicians, he keeps up a line of talk along with his magic wand that keeps the crowd in good humour all the time, made more so by the touch of American twang in his speech. He will take dozens of eggs' from an empty borrowed hat, catch live pigeons from the air, and fullgrown fowls from eggs broken before your eyes. And when he takes a 'stage full of silk handkerchiefs and flags of the Allies, a large silk Union Jack six feet long by four feet wide on a six foot pole from a vase not much larger than a candle stick, the house fairly storms with applause,

The last part of the programme is no doubt the best, being full of bright, sparkling music. His "Smart Set Maori * Entertiners" in songs and music is certainly good to listen to. Besides singing up-to-date popular songs with characteristic interpretations in duo, trio, quartette style, they play mandolins and guitars, harmonising splendidly with the voices.