An Entertainment by Amateurs.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 351, 14 September 1889, Page 2

An Entertainment by Amateurs.

The entertainment held in the Theatre Royal on Thursday night was a great success, the hall being well filled. The overture was played by the orchestra, whose efforts were not at all favored by the vexatious interruptions on the part of persons who came in late. Mr Shelton then sang the “Three maids of Lee.” As far as the singing was concerned Mr Shelton was very successful; he is an accomplished vocalist, and his selection was a good one, but he lacked that cheery, sunshiny effect which is required to make a song like the Maids of Lee appreciated as it ought to be, Mr John Bourke acted as managing conductor, and before each tableau the popular Mr J. gave one of those beautiful descriptions that would make his fortune as a showman. His sparkling wit and comicality of gesture would have made a Quaker laugh ; but the worst of it all was that he could be heard only by himself, or by those persons who were at the front, so that the only indication the major portion of the audience had when there was a good joke on the boards was a jolly nod of the conductor’s figurehead. The first tableau was a pleasant surprise, and the young maidens who formed the scene made many a spectator's heart flutter. The representation was applauded to the echo. The old maids were then allowed their opportunity, and the success was complete. After the curtain had been up twice for both tableaux, Mr Reynolds sang “I fear no foe,” rather a suggestive title after the old maidshad faded into obscurity, Mr Reynolds was too matterof fact altogether ; he had not the ringing tone of confidence, and his style might have convinced one who did not near the words plainly that the singer was deploring the loss of some friend. This was no doubt the result of backwardness, and due allowance being made, Mr Reynolds was most deservedly applauded. The next tableau was that of an artist choosing his models ; some nice models there were to choose from, and when last seen the fortunate or unfortunate painter was still pondering as to which should oe his choice. “An instrumental trio,” the conductor was heard to distinctly announce—on thia occasion only—as the succeeding item, but the proverbial Irishman was about somewhere, for the words had barely been uttered when Mrs Palairet, Mr and Mrs Greenwood ascended the platform and were greeted with hearty applause. They sang ‘ Hark I 'tis the Indian drum,’ with capital effect, though the gentleman singer had evidently a slight cold. * Queen Margaret and the robber ’ was then represented ; * Bluebeard ’ coming after a recitation by Mr Goldsmith, The tab'eau presented a ghastly spectacle; the stealhearted villain was about to behead the beautiful, imploring, and pitiful creature before him. The beads of soma of his previous victims were nailed to the wall, down which could plainly be seen the crimson drippings of ‘ ber-lud.’ It was a sorrowful sight that we gazed upon, but lo la mouth is observed to extend, and a set of pearly teeth are displayed ; then another pretty mouth gives indioatiqn of life, end another |—when the shriek after shriek of laughter from the audience proves too much for the victims of the cruel lust for blood. One head so far disappeared as to leave uncovered only a pair of inquisitive eyes, and the figures took such a humorous view of the situation that the villain himself soon appeared to be the real victim of the occasion. Notwithstanding this Bluebeard and the lady that was not yet beheaded did their parts splendidly. Mrs Bunderland was delightful in the duet 1 The Modern Milkmaid,' Mr Dalrymple being the suppliant, The Igdy's par| ; dignified dem«j 1)ori ’ nat ag jf she really meant it, and when she gave the ‘modern’ renlv that h— '

'S I ** okjnqtiol; “of manT’everyane was ■’Hrpnsed that Mr Dalrymple was not crushed beyond hope of recovery. After the expenditure of much energy in the demonstration of applause, Mrs Sunderland and Mr Dalrymple could only be induced to politely bow, as the nearest approach to an enaore, The tableau .that followed caused shrieks of labghtfir* the modern maid being a sweet girl gradqftte, sud the petitioner for her ftodd

graces was an illustration of one of those simpering dudes that may well be placed under the heading of the third sex. He was the butt of the most outrageous bursts of laughter, and just before the ourtain had dropped for the second time he was observed to roll off into a paroxysm of mirth which ill became the dudish species. Miss Holroyd’s song from ‘lolanthe’ was rather sad after the fun by which it was preceded, but tha young lady acquitted herself splendidly, and the tableau was a first-class one. The pretty song, ‘The Wishing Gap,’ was charmingly rendered by Mrs Gold Smith, whose voice is a very pleasing one, though the large hall seemed to tax her powers. ‘ Pear’s Soap ’ was the next representation, the use which that artiole oan be put to being strongly resented by the dirty boy until he got his own opportunity of paying back in the same coin. A. song by Mr Palairet was much enjoyed, and heartily applauded. The scene from * Faust ’ was really good, the ‘ statuary ’ being well suited to their part and performing it capitally. After some musical selections, the favorite 1 Cinderella ’ was exhibited. Mist Drummond taking the leading part. This was perhaps the most successful of the tableaux, and the audience did not fail to make due recognition of it. A song was then given by Mrs Palairet, who has become a great favorite with Gisborne audiences, a fact which was amply justified by her accomplishment on the most recent occasion. We cannot approve of the scene which was reserved for the last—a representation of the witches in Macbeth was really too gloomy a spectacle to te used as a 'night cap’ for a most pleasant evening’s entertainment. In any other plaoe but last it would have heen highly ap* predated; but fortunately as it was, some amateur Harry Rickards reposing in a back seat appeared to have recognised one of the witches, for when be started to laugh everyone else had to do the same, and thus the reality of the scene gave place to the ridiculous, and the mirth comp etely superseded the awe which would have been in keeping with the occasion. Taking the performance as a whole, it was a very popular ‘ hit,' and not one of the tableaux passed without the ourtain being raised a second time. The prismatic light was worked by Mr Orawford and Dr Pollen, who succeeded admirably. There were one or two little defeats in the management which must oertainly be guarded against in any future entertainment that may be held, for they tended greatly to depreciate the high estimation which individual items ensured, There were no programmes, and many of those people who did not think of cutting out the newspaper advertisement and pasting it in their hate were very much at sea during the evening, the affable conductor's cheery voice failing to register the high notes after he bad heard the song of the modern milkmaid, and obtained a dreamy apprehension of the probable extinction of man. Then the long intervals between each item made people yawn—rude though it may have been to do so—and wonder what was coming next, or if there was to be any ' next' at all, there not even being a chirp of music. The simmering of enjoyment should have bsen maintained throughout, and it would have made things run much more smoothly than by just treating the audience to spasmodic outbursts. Amateurs, of course, cannot be expected to be prepared for all theie little shortcomings, and we speak out plainly about it so that such matters may not be overlooked in the future—in the future, we say advisedly, be? cause we hope that Thursday night's success will lead to further entertainments. It was of a kind that was highly commendable, and if such entertainments were always well supported it might do much towards excluding from the town those professional theatricals the majority of whose performances do not rise above the commonplace of vulgarity. The ladies who made the arrangements for Thursday night's entertainment are to be congratulated on the success of their eff"*ts, and as the leading spirits in the thing, Mrs Pollen, Mrs Watson, and Miss Barry are deserving of high compliment. Mr Palairet and family, Mr Airey, and Mr Parnell formed the orchestra. The following ladies and gentlemen took part in the tableaux Young Maids of Lea.—Miss DeLautour, Miss V Crawford, Mlbs McPhail. Old Maids.—Miss Barry, Miss Blythe, Miss G. Watson Zeuxis Chonsing Models for Painting.—Mr Grant; Mrs Matthews, Mrs Day, Miss Adair, Mias E. Lysnar, Miss Langford, Miss Drummond. Queen Margaret and the Robber.—Miss Watson, Miss Bennett, Mr Mouatt. Bluebeard.—Miss Barry, Mr Morgan ; heads, etc. The Modern Milkmaid.—Miss Blythe, Mr Desmond Bourke. lolantho.—Mrs Matthews. Miss K. Drummond, Miss Townley, Miss E. Baker, Miss Soott, Miss McPhail. You Dirty Boy !—Mr Desmond Bourke, Master Claude Sherriff. Scene fro-n ‘ Faust.’—Miss Barry, Mr Grant, Mr Desmon 1 Bourke. Cinderella.—Cinderella, Miss Drummond ; sisters, Misses Langford and Adair; prince, Mr E. Matthews ; fairy, Miss Townley ; heralds, Miss Bennett and Master Sherratt. Witches from Macbeth.—Miss Watson, Miss Barn*. Miss E. Lysnar.