ST. JOSEPH’S SCHOOL, KERRYTOWN

New Zealand Tablet, 9 January 1913, Page 59

ST. JOSEPH’S SCHOOL, KERRYTOWN

The annual entertainment in connection with the Kerrytown School took place on the evening of December 19, and was most successful. The audience was one of the largest that has ever been in the school, and the programme was a first-class one. The excellence of the programme (says the Temuka Leader) was the more commendable inasmuch as the performers were all pupils of the school, and the painstaking teachers, the Sisters of St. Joseph, and'the children.who did so well, may well be congratulated on the merits of the entertainment. Among those present were Very Bev. Dean Tubman, Rev. Fathers Kerley, Henry, Smyth, and Gondringer (St. Patrick’s College), and Mr. Buxton, M.P. The audience were well pleased, and were not backward in showing it. Among the items deserving of special mention were the dramas and dialogues, always a strong feature of the Kerrytown entertainments. The exhibition of club exercises and the musical selections were also particularly good. The programme was opened by the Misses O’Driscoll and C. Goughian, who played a very pretty pianoforte duet as an overture. They kept excellent time, and at the conclusion were warmly applauded. About 50 of the pupils then sang ‘ Sailors of the sea.’ The children kept good time and tune, and well deserved the applause that followed their effort. Miss IT. Jemmett, a little tot, recited ‘ I’m good now ’ very prettily, and without the slightest hesitation, and Misses M. Foley and V. O Connell sang ‘ Ireland, I love you.’ In response to an encore Miss Foley repeated the last verse. A dialogue by the Misses A. Sullivan, N. Foley, Masters E. Foley, P. and H. Brosnalian was a great success. Miss Lucy Brosnahan sang ‘ Give me a ticket for Heaven ’ very sweetly, and was encored. The curtain then went up for a drama entitled ‘ There he goes.’ This proved very amusing. The characters were taken as follow: —Landlord, Master J. Foley; customer, Master J. Brosnahan; barber, Master G. Fitzgerald; doctor, Master J. Brian; waiter, Master J. Scannell; customer, Master J. Connell. All the boys were well up in their parts, and spoke and acted perfectly, but a word of special praise is due to Master Fitzgerald, who took the part of Barber Billy. The drama was a capital one. Two little children, Miss M. Brosnalian and Master M. Scannell, sang 1 The piccaninnies ’ very nicely, and as they merrily danced off the stage they were loudly applauded. Miss O’Connor recited with fine effect 1 Scene from ’9B.’ Master G. Fitzgerald sang ‘ The tall top hat.’ A decided encore followed, and the last verse was repeated. Two little girls, Misses C. Fitzgerald and M. Brosnahan, then gave a pretty dialogue, entitled ■ Playing grown up,’ and were applauded. Misses A. Brosnahan, A. Fitzgerald, and M. O’Connor, representing the ‘Rose, Shamrock, and Thistle, sang The flower girls ’ very effectively, and well deserved the applause their effect evoked. Masters Giegoiy Fitzgerald and Chris. Green then gave, a firstrate exhibition of club swinging, keeping perfect time to the music of Miss O’Driscoll (piano) and Mr. Hugh Hoare (violin), and this concluded the first part of the programme. The second part of the programme opened with a piano solo by Miss C. Brosnahan, played in fine style. _ Miss L. Brosfiahan followed with a rather pathetic^song, entitled ‘ Will my soul pass through old Ireland.’ Both items were applauded. Master J. Lynch then intioduced a novelty into the programme, by dancing a sailor’s hornpipe in a very clever manner. The accompaniment for this item was played by Mr Lynch, sen. • (violin), and Mr. Hugh Hoare (piano), danced an ‘ Irish hornpipe.’ A company of boys next marched whistling on to the stage and sang ‘ The merry miller in a capital manner. A dialogue, ‘ Wanted a general servant,’ was the next item in a good programme, the characters being taken as follows:—Mrs Prim, Miss L. Brosnahan; maid, Miss R. Day! Annie Mane, Miss A. brosnahan; Eliza, Miss M. O’Connor; Sarah, Miss L. Lyons; Betsy, Miss C. Brosnahan. The dialogue portrayed the troubles of a lady who -wanted a servant, her interviews with the applicants for the position being very amusing. The ‘ get-up ’ of the girls was really good. The principal work fell on Miss L.

Brosnahan, who took the part of Mrs. Prim, but all took their parfk with credit. The junior girls, dressed as Japanese maidens, and carrying gaudy umbrellas, sang The Japanese umbrella,*-; and this was followed by Miss Agnes Scanned, who recited The old man’s prayer.’ A farce by the senior boys, entitled ‘ I’ll stay aw’hile,’ was next staged, and brought down the house. The farce described the actions of a defeated candidate for political honors, and who was also unsuccessful in his love affairs. The characters were as follow ; Hiram Harper (a politician), Master J. O’Connor; Harry Harper (his son). Master A. Breen;' Ken Nicholson (a neighbor), Master Joseph Naughton; Patrick Flaherty (an Irish friend), Master Thos. O’Connell. The boys knew their parts to the letter, and never once faltered. The principal part was that of Hiram Harper, and in it Master O’Connor lost no points. Equally good was Patrick Flaherty, whose witty sallies were productive of much merriment. All did well. A number of little girls dressed in fisher costumes, sang ‘Caller herrings very nicely. Master G. Fitzgerald next sang ‘ Captain Jinks, of the Horse Marines’ vevy creditably. The girls and boys then gave a farce entitled ‘When women have their rights.’ It was full of fun, and ended pleasantly. The characters were taken, by. Master G. Fitzgerald, as Mr. Penelope, Miss O’Connor as Mrs. Clarissa Penelope, and Master J. Fitzgerald as- Mr. Wingfield. The farce would have done credit to adult performers. The entertainment concluded by the children assembling on the stage and Miss M. Scanned Masters J. Naughton, A. Breen, and J. O’Conneli ranging themselves in front. Miss Scanned, in a set speech,- proposed a hearty vote of thanks. This was seconded by Master Naughton, and briefly supported by Masters Breen and O’Connell, and carried unanimously. The accompaniments, with the exception noted m our report were played by Miss O’Driscoll, who deserves every credit for her meritorious performance.