Messrs Devere and Moore’s Minstrels.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 322, 9 July 1889, Page 2

Messrs Devere and Moore’s Minstrels.

In the Theatre Royal last night Devero and Moore’s Minstrels opened their season in Gisborne, when they were greeted by a capital house, and roars of laughter wore kept up from start to finish. The first part consisted of the usual minstrel business, which passed off very well, every item being encored, and the jokes being really good. The overture, “La Grand Duclmsa, was played by the company, and then Mr Hooper sang, “Violet from Mother’s Grave’’; Mr Dick Moore a comic song, “ Sister Lou' ’; Miss Elliott a b’.llad, “Norine”; Harry Devero an eccentric song, “I couldn’t”; Mr F. Raymond a ballad “ Darling Bessie ” ; the finale, “ Salvation Army,” by tho company. The second part was introduced by Mr Moore, with his bono solo, and a varied and amusing programme was gone through by tha different members of the company. The great feature, however, of the whole entertainment was the wonderful performance of Messrs Devere and Oakes, whose superior powers in the manipulation of musical instruments created great astonishment and admiration. They played on eighteen different instruments, and the management guaranteed that the performers would extract music out of anything—a guarantee that was well carried out, double and treble encores being the order of the evening. The feats were so marvellous. that any attempt at description would fail to give an adequate idea of the merit of the performance. The greatest achievement was with the violin. Miss Fleming was very good in her singing of “ The clouds have rolled by, Willie.” Professor Rollinson's clever performances on the bicycle were greatly applauded, and his dexterity is wonderful to behold. The entertainment concluded with a laughable farce, which sent everybody home in a happy mood. For to-night a complete change of programme is announced.