“THE BIRTH OF THE EMPIRE.”

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2421, 9 February 1909, Page 5

“THE BIRTH OF THE EMPIRE.”

A BRILLIANT DISPLAY.

MAGNIFICENT SPECTACULAR EFFECTS. .

Trustees: Lieut. Col. A. Baucliop, C. Col. T. W. Porter, C. 8., Lieut. Col. G. J. Winter, V.D., Lieut. Col. M. McCrodie, V.D., Cupt. A. G. Beero, Capt. J. Tombleson. Committee: Capt. A. G. Beore, Surg. Capt. Schumacher, Lieut. R. Mitchell, Lieut. A. T. Coleman, Lieut. E. Somervell, Sergt. Major J. Kinder, Q.M. Sergt. A. Zachariah, Sergt. J. W. Faiflie, Sergt. C. R. Spragg, Sergt. D. Rait, Corp. McLaughlin, Pvt. Allen, Mr L. Redward. Sole Director: Signor Borzoni. Stage Manager: Lieut. Clautle J. Hamilton.. Pianist': Mr Harold Piper. Hon. Secretary: Lieut. C. Heiiier Evans. Assistant Hon. Secretary: Lieut. Claude J. Hamilton.

It can bo asserted that the volunteers of Gisborne were, as a body, imbued with a commendablo spirit of optimism -and pluck when they decided, with the co-operation of the Gisborne public, to clear off tlie debt on the newly-erected Garrison Hall in Fitzherbert Street, for they were assuming a responsibility of £2,100. a sum none too light for such a comparatively small body of then. But they entered on their self-.appointed task cheerfully and with light hearts, and if the enthusiasm of the crowd which assembled at the Hall last evening on the occasion of the opening of “The Birth of the Empire” can be taken as an indication that the public view their efforts with appreciation and are willing to give their aid, then the work of the volunteers should not be so stupendous as it initially appeared. The attendance in the Hall last evening was large, and among the visitors were Colonel T. W. Porter, C. 8., Lieut.-Colonel N. Kettle (Napier), and Captain Warren, V.D. At eight o’clock sharp Colonel Rorterf as one of the trustees, called on His Worship the Mayor (Mr. W. D. Lysnar) to open tlie display. Tho Mayor said the volunteers were to be commended for the great trouble they had gone to to ensure a highly satisfactory display. The services of the volunteers, he said, might lie required at any time, and they were worthy of every support. He trusted their efforts would meet with the success they merited. He then declared the display open, and introduced Gignor Borzoni to tho audience.

Signor Borzoni has long borne a high reputation as a' designer and director of spectacular displays, and ‘t is safe to say that his reputation would not in any degree suffer by last night’s performance. He has. during tlio few weeks at his disposal, brought the performers from an exceedingly raw state t-o one bordering well-nigh on perfection, and it- is evident that he has spent many weary hours in careful and painstaking tuition. “The- Birth of the Empire” was composed by the Signor and is eminently suitable for a display of color and for magnificent spectacular effects, it is needless to say that the audience wore thoroughly charmed. Nothing of a liko nature has previously been seen in Gisborne, and the spectators were bewildered and entranced at the wealth of color, the beautiful scenic effects, the graceful poses, the wonderful precision of all movements, the winding mazes of intricate marches, tho seeming chaos restored, as it were, by the waft of a magician's wand to ail orderly scene of splendour and beauty. They were not slow, either, to show their appreciation and loud and hearty applause greeted the conclusion of each item. After a verse of the National Anthem was played by the City Band, a bugle, call was suddenly heard, and in tho distance, as it were, could ho heard the faint echo, summoning representatives of the British Empire from the. four quarters of the globe to a grand gathering. And nobly they responded. First there came England in the colors known so well to all civilised races, red, white, and blue. Theu followed lusty Scottish lasses, clad in tartan, closely succeeded by Ireland, in the well-re-membered and honored green. Canada, specially distinguished bv light blue, came next, followed by Africa, in a striking costume of red. Then India, in a tasteful yellow, reminiscent probably of that country’s great wealth, succeeded and following closely came Australia, clad in the distinctive colors of red and black. Last, but in point of appearance by no means least,.came “God’s Own Country” (as Bracken lias it), clothed in a charming pink. When all had taken their allotted positions there rushed out a great number of small children, attired in an extensive variety of colors, and carrying strings of im> Ration flowers in bright colors. It was a brilliant opening and the effect was fascinating. Then the first .march commenced. It consisted of a series of movements of a fairly difficult nature, and each was executed in a manner that left little to cavil at. The inarch gradually merged into a grand waltz, “A Study in Color,” and it truly was what its title implies. Such a maze of color and so graceful and rythmical the movements, and as the 150 units, danced in and out around and about, in what appeared perfect confusion, to the melodious strains of the band, the general effect was bewitchingly enrapturing. The representatives of the. Empire, wore as follows:

England: Misses M. Butler, I. Butler, E. Tait, J. How Chow, C. Jones, M. Campbell. Scotland: Misses Tv. Fox, E. Dunning, V. Dunning, G. Greaves, F. Hay, A. Broomfield, S. Hefferman, C. Donnelly. Ireland: Misses V. Pearce, L. Pearce, M. Stagpoolc, C. Magnussen, D. Were, J. Smith, V. Dawson, L. Reed. T Canada: Misses M. Moore, M. Law, C. Morrison, M. Sullivan, S. Hollis, M. Fielder, E. Allwood M. -Neill-.: Africa: Misses M. H, Fox, M. Fox, C Lewis, S. Stevenson, E. Parker, J. Auld G. Hyland, L. Hawkins. India: Misses M. Nwhol s M atts. E Eaughie, D. Haughie Ella Hau 0 hie, F. Alloy, Barrow, Fitemaurico. Australia: Misses J. Tait, L. Ibbotson, E. Ibbotson, M. Pai'ker. M lttison, Wack, F. Somervell. D. Atkinson. a Qod’s Own Country”: Misses S. M. Whinray, K. Fergusson, L. Thomas, M. Church, M. Fergusson, V. Baxendell, E. Haughie, M. Fergusson. A delightful item was a Venisene dance, “Carnival- do Venice” by La Petite Ivy Robertson, a little tot not

yet in her teens. Her dancing was full of grace and charm, and thoroughly captivated the audience. She received a hearty encore, in response to which she bowed her acknowledgements. Signorina Michele Vita played a sweet flute obligato to this dance. A gavotte and song “Somebody’s Sweetheart,” was given -by Misses Edna Hayes, Leonie Davis, 351si e Hick, Mina McKay, Maggie Dempsey, Ruby Hatherall, Evelyn Manning, Linda Law, Ruby Gordon, Edie Manning, Jessie Ferguson, Lily Manning. Lily Taigel, and Myrtle Church. This was a line item and was deservedly applauded. A stirring number was A Pyramid of Flags, danced by sixteen of the Gisborne Defence Cadets, representing New Zealand Bluejackets. With a small size Union Jack in each hand, the lads went through a strenuous dance with ease, and several novel effects wore introduced. The /combination or naval dress and flags seemed to inspire tho spectators with patriotic.livings, and an encore was insisted upon and given- The cadets were: —Corporal Sheet, Corporal Hansen. Scrgt. Lloyd, Corp. Wright, Pvt. Scott, Lance Corp. Lloyd, iSergt. Scents, Lance Corp. Oxenhum, Sergt. Beere, Corp. Gordon, Pvt. Wallace, Pvt. T?igei, Pvt. Brown, Lance Corp. Neale, Pvt. Cogar, Pvt. Tolley. The Court Minuet, danced'by eight gentlemen representing British admirals, and eight ladies, representing the United States of America, was thoroughly enjoyable. The sixteen performers went through it with an aplomb and easy elegance that must have been gratifying to their instructor, a: d the stately dignity of the measure was never at any time forgotten. The dancers were:—Misses Dolly Maiming, Myrtle Mocre, Ethel Lang, Virginia Pearce, Myrtle Law, Lily Pearce, Linda Law, Daisy Schmidt; Messrs M. H. Doyle, J. Brittain, J. Graham, C. J. Hamilton, A. J. Simson, A. Zadiariali, J. M. Brennan, F. Camming. The Sailors’ Hornpipe was danced by Misses Annice Whyte, Eileen O’Donnell, Ethel Hicks, Maggie Smith, Belle Pearce, Eileen Haugliie, Pearl Hatherall, and Ruby Notting, who were attired in sailor dresses. The dance was captivating in every sense and to satisfy the audience it had be repeated. The Scotch Reel, 1.-v 16 lassies clad in light and dark-color-ed tartans, aroused much enthusiasm. It was a cleverly executed dance, and a repetition was demanded and granted. The lassies were: —Misses Ruby Gordon. Lily planning, Ruby Hatherall, Leonie Davis, Mina McKay, Elsie Hick, Linda Law, Edie Manning, Lily Taigel,. Myrtle Church, Jessie Fergusson, Maggie Dempsey, Evelyn Manning, Edna Hayes. A pi a tty and elegant dance was a Spanish bolero. “A Souvenir of Andalusia.” The be witch : ng movements, so thoroughly Continental, were gracefully carried out, and the girls, as they , moved across the floor in their Spanish cosi lines and with tinkling tambourines, earned the spectators’ hearty appr< nation. The 1-1 la ballerinas were: —Misses Edna Hayes, Edie Maiming, Lily Taigel, Evelyn Maiming, Maggie Dempsey/ Ruby Gordon, Myrtle Church, Linda Law, Mina McKay, Ruby Hatherall, Leonie Davis, Elsie Hick, Jessie Fergusson, Lily Manning. A comic sketch, “A Group of Dolby was an exceedingly quaint item. I lie tiny girls who took part were: Misses Olga Godfrey, May Mclvigue, Dorothy McKay, Doris Smith. Muriel Church, Clarice .Pistor, Tlielma Williams, Alice Lloyd, Katie Mason, and Doris Scott, and they went through their performance with an j unusually intelligent conception of | what was required. The audience j were delighted and an encore was insisted on. A polka, “La Fioraia," was danced by Misses Edna Hayes, Myrtle Church , Edie Manning, * Jessie Fergusson, Evelyn Manning, Ruby Gordon, lm.v Manning, Linda Law, Lily Taigel, Leonie Davis, Elsie Hick, Ruby Hat beall, Mina McKay, and Maggie Hemp- j sey. The girls were dressed in Span-j isli costumes, and carried bouquets I and baskets of imitation flowers. 'The dance was prettily and faultlessly executed, and was a pleasurable performance. One of the gems of the i evening was the duo, “Sunshine and Rain.’ figured by Misses Bello Pearce and Ivy Robertson. These little lassies are both dancers of more than ordinary merit, and the dramatic instinct which the dance called forth, as well as the necessity for keeping j strict time, gave them the opportunity of displaying their abilities. Altogether it was a delightful performance, and thoroughly merited tlie emphatic encore accorded it. 1 rom the popular view point, the. French cake walk, “Five Minutes in Gay Paree,” was the most- successful num- ■ ber during the evening. The performers were. the sixteen ladies and gentlemen who danced the minuet, and they threw themselves into their work with characteristic French abandon and enthusiasm. The. dance took the audience by storm, and aroused a furore of applause, and a repetition was found necessary. Fifteen tiny girls, in green dresses, performed a comic Irish jig, “The Troubles of a Mother.” The movements were not strictly those of an Irish jig, but there was an element of freshness and quaintness about it that made it most acceptable. The little colleens were: Misses Rita Caulton. Lorn a Robertson, Rita Charles. Esther Stafford, j Freda Pistor, Madge Magnussen, Lois . Jennings, Mavis Leslie, Ivy Robertson, Evelyn Aylward, Mary Dempsey, Martha Dempsey, Mona Edwards. Eileen Withers, and Florne McLaughlin. “The Children of the Empire was a patriotic song in fine stylo by Mr. '' • J. Barlow, the chorus being taken by tlie whole company of performers, ranged i ll picturesque positions on the t floor. The of sound was not, quite what might have been expect- 1 ed from 200 voices, but it must be remembered that nimble-feet do not necessarily imply equally good voices. ; The final item was a Grande Marche, ; “The Meeting of the Empire,” by , the whole company of 200 performers being a representation of the* extent of Great Britain’s power. The opening march of the evening was excellent ..but this was even better, and the eye was Held, entranced with the ever-clianging beauty of tho scene. Multi-colored figures trod to and iro in perfect time, and ever and anon some special movement would he peiformed in the centre, the while the remaining performers marched aioun in a resplendent blaze of color-. It was a kaleidoscope of wonderful beauty, culminating finally in a splendid tableau entitled “Justice, Liberty, and Religion,” that held tho audience 1 enraptured.

Altogether the initial performance of “Tho Birth of tho Empire” was distinctly meritorious and fully earned tho high enconiums heaped upon it by tho delighted audience. . Excellent music was supplied for the dances by the City Band (under Conductor Lawrence), and Mr. Harold Piper. Tho second performance will, bo given this evening, and during the interval, after tho Townley presentation, a squad of 12 from the Gisborne Rifles will give an exhibition of physical drill.