The Harvey Comedy Company.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2587, 1 December 1890, Page 2

The Harvey Comedy Company.

Saturday night is not a good " show " night m AffHburton, and this no doubt accounted for the sparse attendance at

bhu OiMMlowiT Hall ftt tfteopwing of th« Iliirvey comedy se;ison of throe night*. The audience, however, though not lugs, was most enthusiastic, and encored almost every item on the programme. The company is not a larae one, but is specially strong m the special lines undertaken, and from the rise to the fall of the curtain the audience are kept m the best of humour. Opening with a minstrel medley of sentiment and humour—the latter greatly predominating—the varied talents uf the-' performers*" at' Jn'Be'' become apparent. , The Harvey Brothers (Bones and Tainbo) "Brim over with fun and frolic, and us comedians and^girtortjoputs, musicians and variety "artists, win the approbation of th« audience at once, and retain it throughout. The brothers Ere ably seconded m this direction' b/ Messrs H, Cowan (Tambo), and "V. Magee (Bones), whose store of humour is little behind' that of the first-named really clever performers. Miss Violet Brandon is a damuse who thoroughly understands the business, and Miss Ella Seigfreid contributes a number of ballads m good style. Mrs Cunard possesses not onlw a naturally good soprano of wide range, buqknows how to use it to the best advantage. Her rendering of the " Song ,that reached my heart," and later on an operafifeselection, was almost faultless, and 1 deservedly encored. The performance throughout is of a varied character, including comedy sketches, musical selections on a variety of instruments, ballad singing, and concludes with a sidesplitting- extravaganza. As a variety comedy company the Harvey troupe is one of the best wia£ has ev«jr visited the district, and certainly deserved more encouragement than that received on Saturday—the smallest audience to which the company has ever played. The company play"again this evening, when no doubt there will be a better house, and one more m accordance with the merits of the performance.