PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN

Southland Times, Issue 23651, 28 October 1938, Page 4

PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN

Pantomime Staged By Young People

BIG ATTENDANCE IN VICTORIA HALL

Beautiful costuming, attractive dancing, clever acting and good music were features of a four-act pantomime, “Peter, the Pied Piper” produced by Mrs Liddell in the Victoria Hall before an almost crowded house last night The story was based on the old legend of the town of Hamelin, which was infested by rats to such a degree that the Mayor and aidermen found them to be one of their major problems. There came to the town Peter the Piper, whose music could charm the birds of the air and all things that run and crawl, and who undertook to rid the town of its rats for a reward of a thousand guilders. This offer the aidermen joyfully accepted, and Peter faithfully fulfilled his task, charming the rats away with his pipes. But when the day of reckoning arrived the reward was not forthcoming. And so Peter played his pipe again, and to the magic tune all the children of the village danced after him, away into the Never Never land, the only child who could not follow being a small cripple who was left behind to 1 remind the people of Hamelin of their broken, promise. The scene opened in the council chamber where the bargain was struck, and changed in the second act to tire school room, where the young people of Hamelin sing and dance as joyfully as if Peter were already leading them into the beyond. The rats are charmed beyond mortal ken in scene three, and when Peter comes for his reward in the last act, and is refused, the children follow his music into the sunset. The pantomime was a delightful fantasy, and the young people who took part in it showed evidence of careful tuition and a thorough interest in their respective parts. To Miss Maud Harvey, who played the part of Petei t! Piper, and who was responsible for flie arrangement of the., scenes and dances, much of the credit for its success is due, and several of the young peonle who took part showed exceptional talent Miss B. Johnson, who in the last act contributed a solo tap dance and a song “Fifty Million Robins Can’t Be Wrong” was warmly applauded for her effort, which was one of the outstanding numbers on the programme.. Miss Shirley Lilley also played her part very well as the mayor. An orchestra under the direction of Mr Howard Moody was an important factor in the success of the performance. The programme was as follows:—Orchestra; song, “Storyland,” company; . sword dance, M. Donaldson; song, “Little Old Lady,” M. Ferguson; soldiers’ dance, M. Ferguson, I. Flynn, and J. Winter; song, “Alice Blue Gown,” M. Liddell; recitation, R. Huffadine; musical monologue, B. Wilson; recitation, John Wilson; song, company; solo tap dance, Joan Preston; song, “Rainbow On The River,” company; tap dance, S. Lilley; “Little Angeline” duo, I. Cranstoun and D waltz tap, R. Graeve; Spanish dance, E. Campbell; duet, “When the Poppies Bloom Again,” M. King and R. Conley; Irish jig, M. Liddell; solo tap and song, “Fifty Million Robins Can’t Be Wrong,” Miss B. Johnson; soldiers’ dance, S. Helm; lilac statue solo, “I Dream of Lilac Time,” D. Sutherland; duo, D. Sutherland and I. Cranstoun; tap solo, Joan Preston; ballet, B. Nolan, M. Ferguson, I. Flynn; song, “I Shall Not Pass This Way Again,” Miss M. Harvey; song, “Storyland,” Miss M. Harvey. The cast of characters was as follows;—Peter the Pied Piper, Miss Maud Harvey; Mayor of Hamelin, S. Lilley; Aldermen, B. Bricknell, M. Dale, I. Lilley; Jack, R. Huffadine; Greta, N. Stewart; Guard, W. Puckey; Miller, B. Nolan; Dame Miller, M. Liddell; Timothy, S. Helm; Freddie, M? Crombie; Mary, R. Graeve; Lame Child, V. Huffadine; Herald. A. Harper; Toreador, E. Campbell; Old Woman, Miss N. Looney; Lady of the Robins, Miss B. Johnson; children, S. Hannon, J. Crombie, B. Wilson, B. Hannon, I. Lilley, E. Brownlie, M. Donaldson, John Wilson; dancers. M. King, R. Conley, I. Cranstoun, D. Sutherland. M. Ferguson, J. Winter, B. Nolan and I. Flynn. The stage manager was Mr J. Thompson.