NAUTICAL CONCERT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18263, 5 December 1933, Page 3

NAUTICAL CONCERT

DIOMEDE MEN ENTERTAIN A SPLENDID PROGRAMME OPERA HOUSE CROWDED It would be no exaggeration to say that the Opera House has never held a more amused and delighted audience than that which filled it last night to hear the programe mainly supplied by the officers and men of H.M.S. Diomede. It had been announced that the concert was being given as part of the programme of entertainment for the visiting sailors, but it was the men of the Diomede themselves who did nearly all the entertaining, and did it remarkably well, presentingi a delightfully diversified programme. It was almost inconceivable that the ship’s concert party had only twice previously appeared in a public concert. The party comprised a large number ol extraordinarily clever entertainers, and the whole programme was presented with professional skill. Even though all the performers were repeatedly recalled, the audience was always loth to let them leave the stage, and had all its demands been complied with the ship would not have been able to sail this morning.

LATE COMERS TURNED AWAY It was essentially a nautical programme, and playing before an unusually enthusiastic house, the ship’s officers and men threw themselves into the spirit, of the thing, so that the pleasure of the audience knew no bounds. The audience received a very pleasant, surprise when Captain Cosmo Graham himself appeared on the stage in the second half of the programme and proved himself to be equally as versatile an entertainer as his officers and the lower ratings • even after lie had given his third item the audience wanted more.

After two unavoidable postponements owing to last week’s boisterous weather, it would not have been surprising it the entertainment had been poorly attended last night; but on the contrary the seating of the Opera House was totally inadequate to accommodate the very large crowd seeking admission. Some time before the concert commenced the house was filled, and fully 150 late comers were turned away. The success of the concert must be extremely gratifying to the Gisborne Publicity League, by which it was arranged, and the enthusiasm of the reception should prove encouraging to the Diomede’s newlyformed concert party. CAPTAIN GRAHAM THANKED

Towards the close of the programme, the Alayor, Mr. John Jackson, gave voice to the general appreciation of the excellent entertainment, and expressed tho warmest thanks to those who had contributed to the programme. Keen disappointment bad been felt last week when the Diomede was forced to seek shelter, and it wag feared that the ship would not be able to return. Captain Cosmo Graham had advised, however, that tho ship would reinaiu for an extra day to enable tho concert engagement to be fulfilled, and in order that the children who had not already seen the ship should not be disappointed. All day yesterday large numbers of children and adults had visited the Diomede, and the speaker was extremely grateful for what Captain Graham had done in that respect. Mr. Jackson referred with pleasure to the following sentence in Captain Graham’s farewell letter to himself, which appeared in yesterday’s Herald: “The bounty of our welcome is a direct challenge to the name ‘Poverty Bay,’ the austerity of which is, however, so smoothly tempered by the charm and dignity of historical association.” That, said Air. Jackson, was a. splendid application to the fine old name of Poverty Bay, and he was grateful to Captain Graham for big dignified and friendly gesture. VERY FINE PERFORMANCE

Referring to the very fine performance that had (been given during the evening, the Alayor remarked that, there was no doubt- that all those who had tasted of the quality oi: the programme could go on enjoying it all night long. He was deeply grateful to the visiting performers, and was glad to know that the welcome given to them had exceeded their expectations. Upon the success of the concert, also, Air Jackson desired to congratulate the Gisborne Publicity League, which had recently come into existence; no doubt it and the sports bodies which had been associated in the welcome to the Diomede had done exceedingly well.

Mr Jackson mentioned that onethird of the proceeds of the concert was to go to the South African Veterans’ Association for the assistance of necessitous cases, and from the sum which remained the league desired to make a handsome contribution to the Diomede’s entertainment fund. The speaker, after asking Captain Graham to accept a cheque on behalf of that fund, concluded with an expression of thanks to the local performers, and all those throughout the district who had contributed in any way to the entertainment, and also in connection with the visit of H.M.S. Laburnum.

j “I should like to thank you very sincerely for everything that you have (said,” remarked Captain Graham, in reply to the Mayor’s speech. “I take it as a great compliment t;o tho service which I have the honor to represent. ’ ’ The announcer for the evening was Lieut. M. Archdale, of the Marines, who contributed in no small measure j to the success of the evening with humorous commentaries between tho ' items. Lieut. Archdale was responsible also for the organisation of tho ship’s contribution to the programme, and very great credit is due to him for his share in the arrangements, and in the stage management, of tho entertainment. Before the final chorus, Lieut. Arch dale expressed his warm appreciation of the wonderful reception given to the performers, and remarked that the ship’s concert party lmd never before appeared before so enthusiastic an audience. BRIGHT I TEALS The Savage Club’s full orchestra, under the baton of Air Mainland L. Foster, and with Air Wilfrid Kohn at, the piano, opened the concert with ' appropriate, selections, which were i followed by a bright opening chorus by the men from the Diomede, led by Petty Officer Fox. Two very enter-1 tabling musicians, Stoker Lafferty and : A.P>. Gould, contributed delightful

guitar ami ukolele duets, with vocal refrains sung in Hawaiian. They were twice recalled, and at the close of the second half of the programme gave further similar numbers, A.B. Gould topping off this performance with a remarkably good hula dance. Jn keeping with the nautical atmosphere of the concert, Misses Y. and \Y. Paltridgo gave a very clever and snappy tap dance duo, and this most enjoyable number was followed by a ludicrous lightning sketch by a party of A.B.’s, with a surprising denouement. In fine voice, Petty Officer Bennett delighted the audience with a baritone solo, “Muleteer,” and as an encore number, sang the overpopular “Shipmates o’ Mine.” Marine Burst, a versatile performer, made a most amusing “dame,” and had to respond to an enthusiastic recall, and Leading Seaman Smith, an extraordinarily skilful gymnast, gave an excellent exhibition of chair tricks, much fun being provided ’by his assistant clown. Petty Officer Dallison showed that sweet music could be drawn from an ordinary tin whistle, and the sol'os he gave were amongst the most popular items on the programme; he was twice recalled, and one of his encore numbers was a humorous musical monologue, “The Underworld of London, After Dark.” The first half of the programme concluded with an amusing sketch, “Our Convicts,” by the sailors.

Further bright selections wore played by the Ravage Club orchestra after the interval, and a spirited haka was given by 1 the “Diomede Boys.” Miss Joan Izod, a charming and vivacious young dancer, contributed a delightful tap dance, and was enthusiastically recalled. The surprise of the evening was caused bv the appearance of Captain Cosmo Graham, who was given a great reception. His first number was a remarkably faithful impression of Maurice Chevalier, and this was .followed by a droll Lancashire tale. Even then the audience was not satisfied, and as his third encore, Captain Graham sang an unusual and very charming negro spirituel. The applause that followed his three numbers was spontaneous, and the enthusiasm of the audience was not due to the fact that he was commander ot' the ship, 'but because his performance was of outstanding excellence. The appearance of the “Four Skybirds,” of the Y.M.C.A. gymnasium class, Misses Pocock (2) .and Messrs. T. Alexander .and E. Williamson, lent added interest to the programme. They gave a spectacular exhibition of tumbling and gymnastics, and were deservedly recalled.

Another particularly gpod item was an exhibition of the sailor’s hornpipe by Seamen Firth and Green, to a whistle accompaniment toy Petty Officer Dallison. Petty Officer Fox, the possessor of a very pleasing tenor voice, sang two numbers from the “Desert Song,” and Lieut. Kellian and Marine Hurst presented a dramatic sketch, responding to an encore with a comic song of their own improvisation, applicable to the Diomede’s visit to Gisborne. Bandmaster Boyce was heard in a splendid trombone solo, “The End of a Perfect Day,” .and he also was enthusiastically recalled. The evening ended all too soon with a bright, chorus by the men from the ship, a selection by the orchestra, and the National Anthem.

The accompaniments for most of the items were played with his usual skill by Mr Wilfrid Kohn, while those for the dance duo by the Misses Paltridge were provided by Mrs George Chris]), prior to the commencement of the programme, delightful selections were played outside ithe theatre by the W.E.C.M.R. (City) Band.