The House Concerts

I sing to myself .. . All things with the convergence of rays travelling in impatient tremor through the medium of a lens— come to me in an intense concentration. All thoughts emanate from me— beams travelling in vibrating scintillation, through the pulsating lens of the master mind. The centre of the whole am I— receiving, sending.. . The intensest point of the universe, gigantic switch of all operation. Nothing exists without me. The bird's song through the mist of dawn, the cry, the kiss, comets swishing past worlds, lost worlds, cease to exist with me. I am the world—it's for me. The world and I are a clockwork delicately intense. I am the axle of the wheel of life— by my ceasing the ceasing is universal. This table, this book, this word will end—nothing known of— thinking will not be thought— feeling not felt— knowing not known— nothing will not be nothing but only end. When I think of it—I know not why I feel a curved sickness to be now and not to be always. We are the participators of the world. Each one of us is I, through whom the world exists.

S. DANEFF.

After a lapse of several years the House Concerts were revived this term. By a set of "rules" designed to restrain the excessive enthusiasm which in the past had sometimes led to an undesirable concentration of energies on this one end, each House was permitted a fortnight in

which to rehearse and make its preparations. Further, the scope of the concerts was defined to the extent that a one-act play was specified for production at each concert, though "private enterprise" was untrammelled for the remainder of the programme. Any misgivings about the possible cramping effect of such control from above proved entirely groundless. All four concerts were very successful and revealed a high degree of originality and ingenuity and a thoroughness and efficiency in presentation which were highly commendable. There was no doubt that the School, to most of whom House Concerts were a novelty, thoroughly appreciated these Sunday evening diversions.

Detailed observations on the separate concerts are given below.

SCHOOL HOUSE (1st February)

The first of the House Concerts, revived after a lapse of six years, was given by School House, and they set a high standard for the other Houses to reach. Their first item was the House Choir, which sang several sea-shanties for us. Ham then played "Valse de la Reine" (Coleridge-Taylor). His playing was good if, at times, rather "wooden." A sketch followed entitled "King Alfred's Cakes." As usual with such sketches it bore but slight relation to historical fact. Nevertheless King Alfred, a housewife, and Dick Barton (played by P. D. Waters, R. Parker and G. Radford, respectively) presented us with an entertainment which was thoroughly amusing. P. J. Dennis then played a medley of Country Dances on his recorder. His excellent renderings were marred only by occasional hesitation with the higher notes. The House Choir again took the stage and sang several songs, including such old favourites as "The Camptown Races" and "Marching through Georgia."

The one-act play, the principal item of the evening, followed after a short interval. It was that well-known "thriller," "A Thread of Scarlet," and was, on the whole, excellently produced and acted. Unwin, as •the traveller, was very good and ably supported Radford, who gave a performance which, though very good, was not perhaps up to his usual high standard. Frater, though he occasionally recited rather than acted his part, looked convincing as the innkeeper. Jackson, Norwood, and Baker completed a cast which succeeded with a difficult play. They made the most of several tense situations and the startling denouement at the end, upon which all depends, was effectively put over by Radford. Perhaps the excellence of the production can best be attested by the fact that the audience was held from beginning to end.

A general criticism of the whole concert was that, good though they were, musical items featured too largely in the programme. That is, of course, a matter of opinion.

The first item of the Temple House Concert was a series of love songs. These songs included the war-time favourite "Lili Marlene" and "Bella, My Lovely Bella." The standard was high and showed the mark of many hours of practice.

Mason, accompanied by Jack, then played a 'cello solo. The piece was "La Villageoise." The performance was good once he had got over his initial nervousness.

Then followed what was universally considered the best item of the - evening. Newdick "sang" "I'm the Factotum" from the "Barber of Seville." With convincing artistry he produced the facial expressions and the appropriate gestures to the accompaniment of an unseen gramophone. The illusion was so convincing that one almost came to believe that he really was singing. "Bubble and Squeak" was the amusing title of the topical sketch which followed. It was a clever parody of the Cavern Scene from "Macbeth." Hecate (Summerskill) having "briefed" the witches, the most outstanding of whom was Townsend, we were treated to a witty and amusing picture of Mr. Strachey (played by Calvert) being tormented by three aparitions, an armed housewife, a very aggressive Olavite and, finally, the gas-man.

More songs followed which fully upheld the standard already established. A novelty number, "Darkies' Sunday School", was followed by a song, "Ten Little Templars", which was sung by Temple juniors.

Jack then entertained us with two Chopin Preludes. This was one of the best things of the programme.

After the interval Temple gave us their play, "The Man in the Bowler Hat." Throughout a very humorous, fast-moving story in which adventure at last seemed to enliven humdrum lives, a man in a bowler hat sat in the corner of the stage. It was a great surprise when we learned the identity of this mysterious gentleman. Outstanding in the play were Bird and Mason, as the bewildered couple. Newdick and Slegg, as the crooks, and Ryder as "The Man in the Bowler Hat", with Hunt and Riley, as hero and heroine, completed a cast which was at least adequate.

THE RISE (29th February)

We heard much about the forthcoming Rise Concert, and we were not disappointed in our expectations.

The concert opened with an amusing historical (?) sketch entitled "The Truth about Fawkes", in which Guy Fawkes, 0.P., was persuaded not to blow up the Houses of Parliament for the sake of "ye olde schoole tie." Though this was not an original production, it was well received by the audience and made a good start to the programme. The main criticism was that the players did not wait for the laughs, and much of the witty dialogue was accordingly lost to the audience.

Then followed three songs by the "Rise Quartet" (Booth, Thompson, Kendall, and Warrington), "Early One Morning", "Dashing Away with a Smoothing Iron", and an original version of "Old King Cole". After a rather shaky start the quartet found their voices, and the third song was greatly appreciated by the audience.

The next item was a sketch in two scenes, called "Alpha and Omega". In the first scene (presumably "Alpha") we were transported back to 628 A.D. for the first School Speech Day, in which the Chairman, Headmaster, and Archbishop were very amusingly portrayed in turn by Burgess by merely changing his headgear and his chair. The second scene ("Omega") gave us an insight into St. Peter's State Controlled School in 2028 A.D., when all children will be taught by an ingenious electrical device, the "Teleteacher", here operated by State Teacher Burgess. In connection with the "Teleteacher" a word of congratulation to the back-stage people would not be out of place; the stage effects were particularly good.

Stuart, introducing the programme, disclaimed all responsibility for the next item, then left us to the tender mercies of the Rise juniormiddles, who gave a representation of a broadcast of Big Bill Campbell's "Rocky Mountain Rhythm".

The serious piece of the concert was "The Monkey's Paw", a play in three scenes. Grainger (as Mr. White), Booth (Mrs. White), Warrington (Herbert, their son), and Washington (Sgt-Maj. Morris) are to be congratulated on sustaining a high pitch of excitement and maintaining interest to the last.

Following the interval we were treated to a full orchestra rehearsal of the "Dance Macabre", conducted by Senor Camfield. The idea of the music being provided by a gramophone record, though ostensibly by the Rise orchestra, was too much like that of Newdick's "I'm the Factotum" in the Temple concert, and this item did, in fact, make rather an anti-climax to the show.

The main criticism of the production was that the interest of the audience was allowed to lapse owing to the length of time between items and scenes. On the whole, however, the Rise succeeded in producing an entertaining concert, which was enjoyed by everyone.

THE MANOR (14th March)

There was a feeling in the School that the Manor, being the last House to present their concert, would be at some disadvantage. Their concert gave no such hint, for they presented us with a very good entertainment indeed. The first item was a sketch, "The July Revolution", which predicted a poor look-out for anyone unfortunate enough to become ill under the new Health Scheme. It was well done. Graham, as the "doctor", and Whitehead, as his assistant, both contributed in full to the success. Clever references to the plays of the three preceding concerts were very well received.

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