WAREA SCHOOL CONCERT

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1931, Page 7

WAREA SCHOOL CONCERT

AN ENJOYABLE PROGRAMME. - CANTATA “ROSE OF JOY.” The first school concert to be held ai Warea for three or four years took place last night, and eo successful did it prove that the teachers are certain to be asked to make it ah annual affair. Such is the appeal that children’s entertainments make that it was no sur-. prise to find the commodious hall packed to the doors, and the audience showed in no uncertain manner that every item of the programme found due appreciation, as indeed was fully merited. The programme opened with a song and chorus. pleasingly rendered by tho junior children. Then followed the recitations “Apple Fairy,”. byJoan Putt, and “Puzzled,” by a little tot, Joan Langley. A play, ,4 The Fairies and the Child,” was prettily and effectively enacted by the juniors; “Hoea Ra” was •sung by Violet Paki. Recitations, “Little Elfman,” by Nina Sutton, and “Poppies,” by Betty Bailey, were also popular items. -The juniors again pleased iu two dainty little dances, “The Fairies Ball” and “the Cobblers’ Dance.” A recitation, “The Bugle Call,” was martially delivered by Wira Inia, while little Gordon Stott captivated the audience with his clear rendition ot ino Wind.” J Eio-ht little girls in characteristic national costume made the most of the tuneful singing and clog dancing in the scena “A Dutch Fair,”, and the junior girls sang very sweetly The Lullaby, and GraSam Caldwell recited Vital Lampada” impressively. A farce, “Uncle Jonas’ Whiskers,” concluded the first part of the programme and kept the audience convulsed with the local hits that were introduced. Alan Bailey took the part of Uncle Jonas who, having lost a bet, had to shave off his beard, which had adorned him for 40 y e^ rs ; The barbers had just shaved. one-ha when the Warea bowling pavilion was discovered to be on fire and they at once abandoned their task, leaving Uncle Jonas to be discovered in that unhappy situation by his unsympathetic wife Betty (Les. Deacon). The second part was entirely devoted, to the cantata “Rose of Joy.” It is founded on a pretty little fairy story. One morning the sunbeams come back to Happy °Land late and explain that they have brought some unhappy children to ba cured of various ailments. Lho queen’s magician that they, must find the Rose of Joy which blooms across a desert and is guarded by a drao-on. The magician charms the black do«s off the children’s backs and gives them enchanted swords and, unknown to them, flies to the desert to help. they, cross the desert on hobby horses, capture the dragon and secure the Rose or Joy, returning happily to the Court or the Fairy Queen where they are turned into sunbeams. It abounds with catchy airs and lilting choruses, dainty dances andsituations that give plenty of charin whilst allowing room for sufficient droll comedy. The costuming, too, with its varied colouring was very effective and the setting...was' picturesque. The scenery added its quota, the desert with tjia sphinx and pyramids, being realistic.. _ The young performers entered into their parts with a joyous abandon and the cantata went off with a swing that spoke volumes for the careful tuition received. Certainly some of the principals, as was only to be expected, lacked volume in their solos, but , jhs. sweetness was there. The principal part, Queen Cynthia,- was taken by Patricia Fox, whose gentle personality fitted tho part, her solos, “Come Hither and “Birdies’ Message” being tunefully ren, dered. Albert Lewis made an imposing magician but was hardly forceful enough in his solo “Listen, Little Ones. Colin Wells as Merry Heart the jester gave just the right touch of drollery. Harold Langley was a dainty little page. Goodin was leader of the Sunbeams, whose choruses, “Happy L » ‘‘Oh how do you think the Children Go, “X: Look a/those Children” and/ Goodbye” were given with vim. Noel Stanley was leader of the children who subsequently became knights, andL InS ? voice suited Iris spies, “Grumble Song and “See the Dragon,” whilst the children were in great form in the choruses, particularly ‘‘Double Dan Dreary.” Paul Wharepouri as the dragon captivated, the junior section of the crowd with the great fight he put up against odds, iho ensembles and staging were very effective. ' The accompaniments werq sympathetically played by Miss Rona Wells. At' tho conclusion Mr. A. J. Lilley, chairman of the committee, expressed thanks to the parents for the splendid support they had given but remarked that they must have felt well repaid y tho splendid programme submitted. Ha complimented Mr. Langley, the headI master, Miss L. Gernhoefer, Mrs. Langley Mrs. Clegg and Miss Wells on the success of their efforts in training an . dressing the children and the latter on their splendid performance. Mr. Lanriey thanked Miss Wells io the assistance she had rendered throng I. out as .aocompaniste, Messrs. J. B- Mac Ewan and Company for supplyingsome, of the properties. Mr. Renton for the spotlight, Mr. D. Bumblecombe for scene painting and Mr. E. J. Carr for 1 Subsequently the hall was cleared f dancing, Mr. 0. Lewis being master of ceremonies. Music was Misses F. and K. Julian, Mrs. A. J. Lilley and Mr. D. W. Langley.