R.S.A. BENEFIT CONCERT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16609, 5 December 1919, Page 2

R.S.A. BENEFIT CONCERT.

. BRILLIANT SUCCESS. TO BE REPEATED TO-NIGHT. A concert and entertainment organised by the Returned Soldiers’ Asosciation and friends as a benefit to an injured member was held in- the Good Templar Hall on Thursday evening, and proved so successful that the management was greatly encouraged in an eleventh hour decision to give a second performance. The seating accommodation was fully occupied and the audience was enthusiastic in its appreciation of an excellent programme. The entertainment opened with a playette entitled “Snowed up with a Duchess,” which was admirably staged and acted. The happenings delineated all occurred in the comfortable living room of the cottage of a humble English lady, Mrs. ’Odge, at a time when a snowstorm was raging outside. On hearing a knock at tue uuor ivtrs. ’Odge was relieved to find that, contrary to her customary cheerful anticipation, her husband was* not awaiting admission on a shutter, but that a duchess and her French dressmaker were seeking temporary shelter following a carriage accident. While the’duchess was being fitted out in Mrs. ’Odge’s Sunday clothes, her own being wet, and that good lady was preparing tea and uttering philosophy, there arrived a third fugitive in the person of Mrs. Chomdey Jones. The unfortunate Mr. Cholmiey Jones had had an accident with the car. Mrs. C. Jones was overcome with delight on hearing that she was “snowed up with a duchess,” and had rosy dreams of reciprocal cordiality, but she had the ill-luck to mistake the French dressmaker, who entered first, for the duchess. The situation which followed may quite well be imagined. The character of the Duchess of Salterton was gracefully taken by Mrs. F.'G. Evans. Mrs. 0. H. Weston assumed to perfection the piquante, care-free manner and liquid tones of the French dressmaker while Mrs. E. A. Walker was thoroughly artistic as the snobbish and supercilious Mrs. Oholmney Jones. As old Mrs. ’Odge, with an acrimonious tongue and a quaintly morbid philosophy, Miss D. Bedford was inimitable. The play as a whole was thoroughly pleasing and fully deserved the attention and expressions of appreciation which it received from the audience. The stage setting had been wonderfully carried out rnd was exactly suited to the period of some years ago which was being represented. The grandfather clock, the shining warming-pans upon the wall, the spinning wheel, the poringers, the crockery—all were valued relics of times gone by, some of them being 150 years old./ An attractive musical programme was. then submitted. A cornet solo was admirably played by Mr. R. Taylor, and Bono'S wore .given by IV£rs. TVilkss, jyiiss Hine, Miss Jones, Mr. C. B. Webster, and Mr. Smith (Waitara). Encores were demanded. As a grand finale there was an appearance of Pasha Kick-up-a-Dusto, whose looks supported his allegation that he was a dwarf who had come all the way from Constantinople. He pattered out a story of his adventures in a decidedly amusing manner, bringing in some clever local touches, and then danced a lively step before leading the singing of “Gbd Save the King.” The accompanists were Miss Pike, Miss Chong, and Mr. A. 0. Sturrock. During the evening Archdeacon Evans, president of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, returned thanks for the presence of the large audience and also expressed very definite thanks to those taking part in the entertainment and those who had assisted in preparing the hall, Mr. R. Day being specially mentioned in the latter connection. The Archdeacon explained that the proceeds of the concert were to be used to help Mr. A. W. Jenkins, who had been seriously hurt while helping in the preparations for the R.S.A. annual hall in September and had unfortunately had to return to hospital recently. The speaker said he was glad to be able to announce that at the second performance of the entertainment, Mr. A. B. Macdonald, who had only returned to New Plymouth the previous night after his absence at the_ front, would sing. To-night the merits of the entertainment and the cause should again fill the Good Templar Hall.