HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2785, 31 July 1907, Page 69

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

The weather was qxiite sufficient to account for there not baing a bumper attendance at the concert given in His Majesty's Theatre on the 25th in aid of the funds for St. l£artin'a Church new site in the North-East Valley. The programme put forward was an extremely lengthy one, a<nd contained many excellent items. The audience from the start showed a disposition to encore everything, and the already long programme was, as a consequence, very much extended. The Drake family orchestra opened the concert with a nice "taking composition, creditably played, and Mr H. Drake's singing of " The promise of life" was thought so highly of that he had to reappear. Miss V. Fraser'a singing of "If I were a lark " was- marked by considerable skill and ta»ie, and she just escaped having to sing again. Messrs C. Dick and F. Drake gave a really fine performance of a serenade arranged for flute and 'cello, and merited the recall they received. A quartet party, consieting of Messrs Eagar, Oliver, Ibbotson, and Algie, gave a laughing song, their encore number being decidedly the better of the two. Mrs Forbas Williams gave a pleasing rendering of " Let me dream again," and had to pay the usual penalty of success by adding a pretty little song to it. Hearty plaudits were accorded All Saints' Church choir for it 9 admirable singing of "In this hour of soft and splendour," and it was quite as 3uoc<asful in " Sweet and low," which was given in response to the emphatic redemand. The choir was conducted by Mr John Baggi+t. Mrs H. C. Campbell's playing of " Marche militaire" easily secured 1 an encore. A nice rendering of '" Mary" by ilr W. H. Mackenzie, and a humorous sketch by Mr F. V. Blandford. both of whom met with the usual compliment—in fact, Mr Blandford received a treble encore — conoluded the first part of the concert. Several of the performers already mentioned appeared for the second time during the latter part of the evening, and were again successful in file using tire audi«ace. Xhexe w«r« *l&o several

fresh j>erform«rs oil the stage, and among them were Messrs James Coombes and Sidney Wolfe, who are to be credited with some excellent work in their playing of selections from " "William Tell," arranged for violin and piano. Sir A. IbDO-tson gave a capital rendering of " The yeoman's wedding song." and Mr S. H. Osborn contributed " Queen Mab " as a recitation. The heavy work of accompanying fell to Mr Sidney Wolfe, who carried out his duties in a thoroughly satisfactory manner.