MR LESLIE HARRIS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8204, 7 August 1906, Page 6

MR LESLIE HARRIS.

Mr Leslie Harris, the well known society entertainer, opened hisses-son in the Town Hall last evening before an audienoe which, considering the talent of the performer, might have been larger. Without doubt he is an accomplished monologue entertainer, and every portion of his olever and varied performance was warmly applauded by the audience. Whether be was playing the piano, singing, or mimicing, be succeeded in pleasing the audience in abealtby manner He never wasted a minute of his time on the stage, and when he came on to the boards he got straight to business, Mr Harris opened with a humorous musical sketch entitled, "Old Songs and New Books." He dealt in a humorous manner with the words of the love songs of the olden dayu. That he is a pianist of no mean ability Mr Harris showed in bis variations on "The Honeysuckle and the Bee." This melody was in turn made to resemble one of Mendelssohn's songs, then a Ohoyin nocturne,and finally a passage I from Wagner. Then followed his own touohmg composition "Christmas Bolls," describing, the conversation of two urchins In London on the eve of Christmas. His imitation of Albert Chevalier in the dialect song of the Somesret farmer, "Yon can't take a rise out of 1," was very good. Equally good was bis imitation of the late Mel. B. Spurr in "When I was a boy at sohool." Perhaps the most amusing sketch was that entitled "Seen but not heard." The facial expressions of the entertainer were excellent. "The Lady's Penny Paper"~-a song composed by Mr Harris hlmaelf—waß another capital item. His concluding items were a lesson in composing and an Imitation o/ a practice by a village amateur choral sooiety. As a raconteur Mr Harris is'higbly entertaining. While speaking to his audience he is almost invariably playing the piano. Miss Rosina Buckmann, the popular soprano, sang several items during the evening, and was loudly applauded. Her best efforts were "Three Green ! Bonnets," "The Birth of Dawn," and "April Morn." Miss Buckmann and Mr Harris gave two very good musical sketches. Mr Harris will appear in the Town Hall again this evening, when a complete change uf programme is promised. • \