ST. ANDREW’S CHURCH.

Waipa Post, Volume XX, Issue 1179, 8 December 1921, Page 5

ST. ANDREW’S CHURCH.

“CISSIE IN TOYLAND.” PRETTY CHILDREN’S OPERETTA. The hall of St. Andrew’s church was crowded last evening to hear the children’s operetta, “ Cissie in Toyland,” in aid of the Sunday school funds. The building proved too small for the audience. Continuous ripples of merriment and frequent applause testified to the complete success of the entertainment. The back of the stage was covered with rambler roses, an effective background for the fresh and happy young faces which took part in the playlet. “Cissie in Toyland” has some very tuneful melodies, and the dressing of the cast was a remarkable achievement. The scene is laid in Dame Trot’s school where Cissie is kept in, wrongfully, for a fault committed by another scholar. The Queen of the Dolls, taking compassion upon her, causes the school room to apparently change to Toyland Town, with all the Toy inmates to amuse her. After the arrival of the Dolls, the Golliwog Teddy Bear, Pierrot and Pierrette, the Dancing .Sailor and his Lass, and Dolly Varden, there comes the grand entry of the Maskers in their novel costumes, while, to crown the list of surprises, Dame Trot has joined the ranks of the immortals by marrying Santa Claus, after which, there being nothing more that can possibly happen, the curtain falls to “ God Save the King.” It was a lively piece of acting, scene following scene rapidly and smoothly, the youthful actors and actresses showing little or no “ stage fright,” and taking their cues not only promptly but with vim, and, especially in the case of the boys, with conviction. The choruses were well in tune, and the soloists without exception were pleasing. The commenced with a tuneful duet by Athol and Alan Grieve, “ Persevere.” Little Patty McCarroll sang sweetly “ What God Made Mother For,” and “ Thank God for a Garden ” was sung with expression "by Violet Flay. The curtain then rose on “ Cissie in Toyland.” In this the solos were taken by Edna Adams, “ The Land of Make Believe ” and “ Go to Sleep, My Dolly”; Miss Scobie, “I’ve Had Every Ache and Pain”; Miss Jean Christie, “ Who’ll Come to Toyland Town?” Jim Gibson, “The Gollywog”; Patty McCarroll, “ Over the Rolling Sea”; and Miss Scobie, “ Aeroplaning Joys.” The solos of Edna Adams, Jim Gibson, Patty McCarroll, and Marshall Musgrave were particularly good.

A well-dressed trio were those in “ The Tin Gee Gee ” (Marshal Musgrave Tin Gee and soloist; Iris Adams, Doll; and Athol Grieve, Tin Soldier). The characters were; Cissie, Edna Adams; Teddy 'Bear, Athol Grieve; Golliwog, Jim Gibson; Dancing'Sailor, Bert Gibson; Pierrot, Vera Clarke; Pierrette, Jean Findlay; Sailor Lass, Patty McCarroll; Dolly Varden, Marjorie Ross; Queen of the Dolls, Jean Christie; pages, Honor Mathews and Jean West; Dame Trot, Gladys Scobie; Santa Claus (a remarkably good get-up), desires to remain unknown. The quaint marionette movement of the dance of the dolls evoked much merriment, while the antics of the irrepressible Golliwog, who had a surprisingly good voice from such a face, and the ludicrous gambols of the bear, added to fun which was never lacking throughout the play. The dolls were Airini Salter, Isobel Spence, Marion West, Freda Findlay, Iris Adams, Tommy Lewis, Alma Grieve, Grace Gibson, Avis Rickit, Nancy Gibson, Mavis Clarke, and Phyllis Wood.

The school children and masters were: Doris Wilson, Marjorie Ross, Athol Grieve, Alan Grieve, Norman Gibson, Irene Paterson, Isobel Scobie, Allan West, Musgrave Marshall, Eddie Adams, Kenny Spence, Charles Tunnicliffe, and Joyce McGechie.

Among the maskers were an Egyptian lady, elves and fairies, various dominoes, gypsy, bluebell, pirates, baggy breeches, clowns cowboys etc. Misses, R. Andrew, S. Johnson, and E. R. Reid, who arranged “Cissie in Toyland,” deserve credit for the success which they achieved and Mrs Johnson, who helped with the costumes, is to be congratulated on their effectiveness.

Mrs F. Gibson presided at the piano. The make-up and limelight artist was Miss Andrew, to whose skilful touches in general the performers owe, much. The marches and dances were rather mixed at times, no doubt due to the narrow stage.

At the close of the entertainment the Rev. F. A. Thompson thanked all those whose work had led to so happy a result.