ST. ANDREW’S HALL.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 1055, 26 May 1910, Page 17

ST. ANDREW’S HALL.

A DRAWING ROOM ENTERTAINMENT. One of the brightest and most enjoyable entertainments we remember to have yet attended in Auckland was that given at St. Andrew’s Hall on Saturday last by Messrs. Alan McElwain and Laurie Abrahams, in conjunction with Miss Blanche Garland, whose vocal numbers were not the least enjoyable items of the evening. The pot-pourri of song, monologue and story placed before the crowded audience that assembled for the occasion was of such an entertaining character that the interest was sustained from start to finish. Both gentlemen are capable raconteurs and it is a difficult matter to say which items in the line of recitals were most appreciated —Mr. McElwain’s “Jerrybim in an Oven,” the same gentleman’s famous Cockney’s lament, “It gits me Talked Abaht,” or Mr. Laurie Abraham’s discourse with a pack of cards, “The Game of Life” and his “Devil may Care.” Then again “Mac,” as Mrs. Scooper, and “Abey,” as the poet fairly divided the interests, “Abey’s” latest “Dream” song fairly brought down the house and the applause elicited by Mr. McElwain’s dialect story “Evin’s Dorg ’ospital” was no less cordial, encores being the order of the evening on each appearance of these gentlemen. Mr. McElwain finished the programme with his thrilling narrative entitled “The 11.69 Express,” in which there were satirical references to the wonderful speed of our' Kaipara trains. Miss Blanche Garland’s songs “Waiata Poi,” “Forethought” and “Yo San” were sympathetically treated and sung with a simple force and expression 1 that set the large audience cla-

.mpuring; for more gems of song. The singer has a beautiful contralto, voice which, has evidently . been well trained and retains much:of-its natural and • unspoilt beauty. The. accompaniments .were played by Miss Dorothy Nicol.