SCHOOL CONCERT

Taranaki Daily News, 11 May 1935, Page 5

SCHOOL CONCERT

PERFORMANCE AT WAITARA. FINE WORK BY CHILDREN. There was a large attendance at the Theatre Royal, Waitara, on Wednesday night, it being the occasion of the State school concert. The receipts were about £4O. The preparation for the concert entailed work and expense on the part of the parents and teachers. The children enjoyed their experience as entertainers, while the educational side was of obvious value. The opening item was very appropriate being given by the girls of primer three. Joan Gardiner led the singing and seven others, Ivy Bennett, Eliza Manuel, Betty Pennington, Barbara Spurdie, Marjery Turner, Myra Crow and Phyllis Mills ea-’i bore a letter of the word “Welcome.” The next item was elaborate for the children. It was entitled “Three Little Pigs” (Rona Light, Roy Richards, Alleyn Barnett) and developed into a playette in which characters were taken as follow: “Lost Children,” Margaret Hillyer, Shirley Mitchell; “Elves,” Eric Newton, Leo Armstrong, Maurice Soffe; “Witch,” Betty Brough; “Wolf,” Lewis Howlett; “A Helpful Child,” Alex Aitken; “Hay-house,” Bernard Barclay, Andrew Petersen, Allan Ainsworth, Desmond Read; “Twig House,” Mary Symonds, Francis Cunningham, Rosemary Grant. Audrey Carey; “Brick-House,” John Symonds, Neville Telfar, Valerie Ken-

drick, Kathleen Robson, Dale Procter, Allan RothwelL The audience was delighted with this item and it received loud and long applause. “Three Old Maids of Lee” (Veta Cole, Rita Pennington and I. Matangi) was excellently dressed, acted and sung by the trio and was one of the features of the programme. “The Wedding of the Painted Doll,” with the principal parts taken by Pat Nicholls (bride), John Soffe (groom), Jim Rowe (parson), Marjorie Hunt (Red Riding Hood), Jim Jenkins (Jumping Jack), Phyllis Clare (Buster Brown), was very effective. There were also taking part bridesmaids and ten soldiers for the chorus. The dressing was splendid; so were the acting and singing for the pupils of standard 1. The “Butterfly Dancer,” by standard 3 pupils, would have been encored had time allowed, and the drill display by senior girls would have done credit to any school.

• The fairy play “Rumplestilkin” had five principal characters— “The King,” Noel Procter; “Queen,” Ivy Clare; “Rumplestilkin,” Douglas Faigan; “Mother,” Rosemary Barclay; “Heralds,” Trevor Smith, Noel Pepperell. This item was greatly appreciated. The Irish song and dance by senior pupils were the next items and were prettily done. Rex Turner, all by himself and in costume, told “The Jockey’s Story,” and the lad excelled himself. It was a memory feat of no mean order, and from the elocutionary point of view would have earned him marks in any competition. Jack Kettle and Bill Birdling amused the house with “The Latest Musical Invention,” and a sea song by the senior pupils

was a delight, as also was an old English dance by senior pupils. .. . .. After a short interval, in which the chairman of the committee (Mr. W. B. Glasgow) thanked all who had contributed to the success of the evening, the play “Dame Burden” was presented. The parts were taken by N. Sisley, “Fairy Content”; B. Glasgow and B. Johnston, “Bad Children”; D. Bishop, “Tip Tite”; P. Morey, “Mop”; T. O’Brien, “Trip”; N.’ Crow, “Skip”; D. Chant, ‘Hop”; N. McNeill, “Alex.” This was considered by many to be the star piece, but with the different ages considered there should be no discririiination. ‘ ' ' The .concert concluded with the chorus “The Sandman” by the school. Mr. Glasgow called on the Mayor to announce thg results _of the local bodies’ election, and took the opportunity of congratulating Mr. Hine on being one .of the recipients of- the King’s Medal. The Mayor received hearty applause, and he congratulated the school on the excellence of the performance. The herdmaster (Mr. Bullen), his staff, the children and ’ the parents who assisted with the dressing received high praise, for what was accomplished. Miss N. Henderson was the accompanist for the musical items throughout the programme.