‘QUALITY’ PERFORMERS

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIII, 23 May 1922, Page 8

‘QUALITY’ PERFORMERS

MIRTH AND MUSIC. 'The Quality Performers, who are shortly to revisit Waimate, are referred to by the Otago Daily Times as follows: — From the very large attendance- at His Majesty’s Theatre (Dunedin) on Saturday night it may be assumed that all who attended (he trots did not lose their money. It was, to a considerable extent, a “race” audience that attended the opening entertainment given by the Quality Performers, and there was unfortunately not sufficient room for all who desired admittance, and who in "some, cases, it is stated, had had tickets issued to them. What makes this still more unfortunate is that many would not have another opportunity of witnessing the performance aS they would have to take their departure for their homes on Monday morning. Variety companies on toiir are becoming more and more numer r ous, and the Quality Performers

have had ahead of them several strong riv'als within comparatively recent times, and have, therefore, something to live up to, and, if possible, to emulate. They compare very favourably with much that has been seen on the Dunedin stage before. In som e directions they might be considered slightly superior, and when the whole is merged in one, very few would fail to endorse the remark that the Quality Performers form a strong combination of artists, and that the entertainment given is of a most satisfying order. Scarcely anything that would amuse, enliven, or give pleasure to the senses have been left untouched. In a musical direction, both as to vocal and instrumental work, ample space in the two and a half hours that elapses between the rise and fall of the curtain is given. By far the greater part of the music has a strong element of comedy about it, but an attack is occasionally made upon something of a higher order, and with some degree of success. It is, however, in comedy, that the real scoring

takes place. Dancing has not been treated so liberally, as it sometimes is, yet there are one or two dancers in the company worth seeing. The realms of what is spectacular have not been extensively indaded, but there are a few very pretty little scenas, in which the piature presented is exceedingly attractive. The “patter” comedian. finds a place on the stage during the evening,, and fills it quite as well as usual. The company apparently consists of 12 or 14 performers, all more or less well up in their work, 'and in some cases of a superior order, and a prefer ty even balance is struck between the two sexes. The ladies’ costumes are sometimes exceedingly pretty and picturesque.

One of the very first requirements for such a company is a. good orchestra, and the Quality Performers have carefully attended to this important matter. It is something more than an orchestra in. the ordinary sense of the term, as included within the ranks are two remarkably fine solo instrumentalists in Mr William

Key and Mi Phil Asioiy ( members give one very clever turn entirely by th(

Miss Nina Uordon, a net to the company, occupied t) tion of the audience for s< time with her imitations, | complete success. Miss Gon the same time 'in ist and vocalist. She give* i of noted singers and play ( Harry Lauder to Dame Meili haps it would be more conn from Dame Melba to Harry all of which .met vith very, cognition. M rl-i-ry Webst eccentric dnnur of co* cleverness. Mr Aneurin scored well in Us singingot Shines the Moon ’To-night", not so successful in his sect Mr Morris is the tenor of, pany. The performance e with an apearanoe by a m the company in comic illusb Verdi, the composer, protei hemently against his opera odies being "• ngged and moi