VARIETY CONCERT

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 81, Issue 7290, 15 December 1950, Page 5

VARIETY CONCERT

ARRAY OF NEW LOCAL TALENT FUNDS FOR ASCOTS MARCHINC TEAM One of the best displays of local talent seen for a long time was shown at last Tuesday night’s variety concert organised for the Ascot Girls Marching team funds. The major portion of the cast were local residents not usually seen on the concert platform, and it was a pleasant surprise to discover so much fun and so high a standard of entertainment is available in Te Awamutu and can be brought out to support a growing sport—marching—from which girls of most ages can derive physical and cultural recreation. The most gratifying aspect of the concert from the point of view of the cast was the remarkable response given to them by the audience which was at all times sympathetic and appreciative to the major portion of items on a long programme. The Town Hall was filled and all available seating accommodation occupied by the audience, and some people were left to stand in the rear of the hall. For the occasion the proscenium of the stage was decorated in a floral covered trellis work from streamers and paper flowers. The stage itselt was well set for the various items requiring background support, and although the confines of the platform were cramped, the best available use was made of it. Fittingly the Ascot team were the first to give an item following an overture played by Mr J. McDonald on the poorly pitched town hall piano. The Te Awamutu and District Highland Pipe Band accompanied the girls and played pipe music to which the team manoeuvred in a marching exercise to the best' of their ability in the small area of the stage; then, with Mr G. Vercoe at the piano, they sang “Blaze Away”. Mr Vercoe acted as compere to the concert and, although on short notice, he ad libbed his way through the whole performance in grand style. Benny Craig sang “The seranade of the Bells” unaccompanied in i a soprano voice in such a manner that he received well merited applause and was recalled to sing “For ever and ever”. Resplendent in a cowboy regalia, Dick Jones followed accompanying himself on a guitar to sing “Barnacle Bill the Sailor” and “The Shearer’s Jamboree”, both of , which went over well. Mr K. Walker who was responsible for the largest part of the organisation of the concert, and in particular the stage setting and programme next introduced several of his pupils in a cowboy camp-fire scene appropriately lighted. Their unusual compere was a ventriloquist’s doll, operated by Mr Walker himself. The opening number of the set was “She’ll be cornin’ round the Mount’n”, after which “Roll Along Prairie Moon”, “Souix City Sue,” and “I’m Headin’ for the Last Round-up” were played in quick succession with some wisecracks from the doll in between times. The music for the set was derived from a ’cello, piano accordeon, guitars, piano and several ukeleles. A quartette of girls harmonised with the band singing “Whispering Hope”. This was followed up with a diversion created by Mr L. Spence, who was responsible for the lighting effects during the concert. After an argument with the doll, the short comedy lead into the song “I didn’t know the gun was loaded,” while Mr Spence retired with an apology for a bird he supposedly brought down during one of his shooting escapades on the stage. On their closing song, Mr Vercoe set out to introduce the next number, but was interrupted by a man with a brick, who rightly or wrongly wished to address the audience upon the properties of the bit of masonry. Talked out of his address, he gave way to Master Douglas Barrett, dropping the brick in the process with a heavy thud. “Mammy’s Gone Away” was played by Doug. Barrett on a saxophone in an experienced manner, proving that he is an up and coming saxophonist and is following in his father’s footsteps. Les. "Spence insisted on being heard again and dropped another brick disappointingly before Mr Vercoe could introduce a most successful young ballerina, Miss Dorothea Hunkin of Te Kuiti, who gave a ballet interpretation of a lady on a tight-rope quite convincingly. She was followed by a newcomer to Te Awamutu, Miss Margaret Orrell, a sweet soprano with a well-trained voice who sang “Because” only to be recalled to sing “Come Back to Sorrento”, being accompanied in both numbers by Mrs Atkinson at the piano. Coral Scott next did a ballet toe dance, with the compere accompanying at the piano, and her number was well applauded for its gracefulness. Two light classical numbers were next played on the piano by Miss Fay O’Reilly, a young lady who is already a quite accomplished musician. Mr Les. Spence popped back on the scene and Mr Vercoe promptly pounced on him before he could say a word. No brick was produced, but a cushion and a sheaf of music for the piano on which he played “Hi-jig-a-jig” for several of the Mai ching girls to sing, Misses Corral Scott and Desna Dawson singing the opening bars before being joined by Misses Pat Crysell, Pat Woodhouse and Mona Clarke with a boy. Misses Joy Main and Heather Spence came in finally to dance a tap to the tune with a good sense of timing. Mr Sid Barrett and his son Douglas next appeared to play an item on their saxophones, Mr Barrett playing “Saxema” before Joining in a duet with Douglas entitled “Minuet in G”. Miss Fay O’Reilly accompanied them at the piano. Then the climax of the brick incident arrived with Mr Spence stubbornly determined to do something about it. Mr Vercoe set to and did a lot of talking, but to little avail at first. When he did succeed, Mr Spence heaved his brick at the audience, much to the consternation of someone, and the associated enjoyment of others when it was found.’ to have the properties of cardboard only, and not solid baked clay. Miss Dorothea Hunkin sang the opening chorus of a Scotch Tap by other pupils of Miss Elaine North which received deserving applause. Mrs Atkinson accompanied Mr J. Fitzpatrick who sang “The Rose of Tralee” and “Smiling Through” in his well-known baritone. Mr Vercoe said that he remembered that several years ago, Mr Fitzpatrick had been second in a Bobby Breen radio contest. “Ten Little Nigger Boys” was enacted and sung by members of the Ascot team to herald an inter-

val in which ice cream and mineral drinks were served. Appropriately costumed, the girls kept bobbing up and down with disconcerting mot’ous behind a screen, giving action to their words.

Mr McDonald played the entr’acte to the second half of the performance in which the first performers were pupils of Miss Elaine North in a na-t* and half costume of sailor and girl. The number was entitled “Half and Half” and was much appreciated. They were followed by junior members of Miss North’s school, who gave a highland fling in a rather disjointed manner, but provided innocent comedy for the audience in the process. Desmond Curtis turned on some curtain humour trying to adjust his small size to a tall microphone before launching into “Don’t make me go to bed and I’ll be good”, accompanying himeslf with a guitar and aided by Lorna Curtis on a ukelele. Dick Jones made his second appearance of the evening to sing “Franky and Johnny”, after which the pupils of Miss Elaine North gave a tableau of two old paintings, the figures in which came out at midnight and danced a minuet in striking fashion. Miss Margaret Orrell made her second appearance to sing “The Nun’s Chorus,” and again met with deserving applause. “Nymph and Dryad”, and ballet interpretation, was performed by two pupils of Miss Elaine North, Pauline Chambers and Kay Patterson. The applause for this number was anticipated and an encore was provided by two uncouth “ballerinas”, Messrs George Vercoe and Jimmy Baxter, who parodied “Nymph and Dryad” quite well in a number entitled “Home and Dried”. Their antics were just food for wild hilarity in the audience and they earned deserving applause. Some of Mr Kay Walker’s pupils presented a song with all the noises entitled “Old McDonald had a farm”, and three small pupils of Miss Elaine North put in an appearance of three of the barnyard stock, a cat, dog and fowl. Mr Keith Spence and his monocycle presented a novelty act requiring ability. Aided by his father, he obtained a bowler hat and a coat, which he donned in his peregrinations round the stage on the cycle. He lit a cigarette also and amazed the audience by picking up the bowler hat off the stage without dismounting. As a climax to the act, Keith Spence rode his cycle down the narrow aisle of the hall, turned and rode back to the stage, from which he bowed out. David Hartstone, no mean yodeller, carolled his way through “The Rodeo out in the west” and “Sunny Queensland” accompanying himself the while on his guitar. An operatic solo was then performed by one of Miss North’s pupilsd after which Kevin Jackson, in best comedy style, sang “The Old Sow,” with appropriate noises, and, in the best George Formby style, “When I’m cleaning windows,” both of which went across well. The final item on the programme was provided by the Ascot team and the pipe band. The girls gave another display of marching on the stage and blended there to turn into the concluding song of the evening “Lights Out and Cheerio” which signalled the end of a good performance. Thanks to the artists and organisers, the dressers, and all others who had helped to make the performance a success were given by Mr E. Costello at supper after the show. It is to be hoped that more concerts displaying local talent will be presented in Te Awamutu, which has some justification to be proud of what it already has, but could do better 11 it formed a club in which all the variety artists of the district could combine to present bigger and better shows for local