PATRIOTIC ENTERTAINMENT.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14587, 14 December 1917, Page 7

PATRIOTIC ENTERTAINMENT.

The vocal • aiul, spcctaculai-. entertainment entitled '''England aiul Her Allies" was a,t -the"-Theatre Royal last.night for-the' lied Uross. Owing no doubt to fHe many calls that have been made on the public of late, and a strong* counter-attraction, the audience was not so large as might have been expected, although tlie dress circle and the stalls were well filled. The stage was effectively decorated with red, white and blue drapjings, and flags of the various Allied nations, with "Britannia" supported by repi*esentatives of Scotland, Ireland and Wales, and tho Army and Navy, as the stage setting. Patriotic songs were contributed by Misses Gilbert and Kingsland, Mesdames H. Moore,'"W. H. May, and Holland, and Messrs E. H. Sliorib and A. G. Betts, and dances by Miss J. Hawkins, a juvenile performer who was highly successful. A number of the items were encored. The spectacular march by the representatives of the Allied nations was a very fine item, and was heartily applauded. Serbia, Belgium, France, Japan, Russia, (Cossacks), Italy, Roumania, and America, wero each represented by four ladies, dressed in, tho national costumes. The anthems of the respective nations were sung... by the quartettes as they marched on the ' stag©. Then tley grouped themselves for .the march. In this many intricate - evolutions were carried out with marked precision arid . withoiji* a hitch. The audience repeat- . edly demonstrated its approval by rounds1 of applause. "; The programme concliided with an effective stage grouping round "Britannia," Mr E. H. Short giving a stirring rendering of "Rule. Britannia." The entertainment was produced by Mrs W. R. May, who trained the performers for the march and designed the costumes, which'were quite a feature of the entertainment. Miss Burrough was at.the piano, rendering very efficient service. Messrs Newman Bros1, very kindly provided motor cars for the performers at a nominal price.