SHOWS AND SHOWMEN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume III, Issue 660, 12 June 1882, Page 3

SHOWS AND SHOWMEN.

The Fancy Dress Rink at the Town Hall went off very successfully indeed, 1 . on Thursday evening. The attendance, considering the terrible state of the ■ weather, was very satisfactory, and the dresses combined with the . evolutions of some of the less proficient Tinkers made up a scene well worth witnessing. . I understand that the Debating Society . propose holding a private entertainment oh Wednesday week, consisting of songs, readings, and recitations, and, possibly, something of a novel character as a windup. Each member is to be allowed to bring a friend with him or possibly two. An occasional evening’s amusement of this sort will agreeably vary the ordinary pro- ■ ceedings of the Society. The newly-formed Mutual Improvement Society at Timaru recently held a mock trial. One of the members present consented to allow himself to be charged with larceny, and a ■ judge and jury were appointed to try him for the offence. Counsel to argno the pro and con were retained, and several witness were examined, including a police constable and a detective officer. ■ The affair caused great amusement, and .. was ip (act so successful that another is I nnderstand, to take place at an early date. The mention of the trial in Timaru re- : me of the long-promised perform - . ance of the.trial from “Pickwick,” by . thp Ashburton amateurs. It appears that the dramatised version in print of the famous case is not to be had for love or money, but an acting copy of the piece has been written for to Timaru, and will, .. I expect, be to hand before my next letter ' appears,' ‘ The Old Men’s Hpme is to be the scene df an entertainment oh Wednesday even- - ing, the choir of St Stephen’s, assisted by ,afew friends, haying arranged to give a : concert for the amusement of, the old men. I.trust the poor old fellows will have a ■ •‘.good time.” The promoters of the concert may rest assured that their kindly efforts to amuse will be keenly appreciated bylthe inmates of the Home, whose redletter days are not too numerous. 4 “ The only thing in the shape of professional en tertainments occurring here since my last has been* the show now on view at the Town Hall* which travels South, I believe, to-morrow. “ The Mechanic’s Vision” is a clever model, or rather series of models, and the “ notions ” in the shape of , swimming dolls, jumping frogs, etc. , etc. , are very good, while the snakes add not a little to the attractions of the show. Matters, theatrical, in Christchurch are very quiet just now. Amy Horton, it is rumored, is organising a dramatic company there* and on the 31st J uly, Bland

Holt will open a four week’s season, at.the Royal “ The World ” is to be his first piece. Dunedin is also experiencing a dearth of professional talent just now. The Mastodons have just left and are playing in Invercargill. Mr E. Alexander, lately appearing with tho “ Butterflies,” while playing in “ Pomp ” the other night with * the Minstrels, met with a serious accide.it. While struggling with Pomp in the Second act he was thrown and hurt himself so severely that ho will not bs able to re-appear tor some time. “ Tim Arctic Re pons Diorama” lately .ran for “a season” of one night st the Princess. The' lecturer (a new one) is described as being entirely h— less. This is the show that Johnny Hydes was for a hi icf period k. connected with. I was drawing Johnny outba the subject the other day. “ You ‘V see,** hOsaid,’* the proprietor had only i;; just purchased and wanted to show, but be-had no-lecture, and he didn’t know S - what to.dcv. -I asked him to let me see the I; ; pTctnrei iThaf i was four o’clock on the . . Next night 1 lectured Bob tho fAjrctic Regions.’ My remarks ’ ‘ exactly, perhaps, what . the - ( c £ /be,' but they uid sent them home * aro-quite he--5 a '-capital be infinitely. ■ »ftMt of the!

[ gentlemen who do the descriptive business at panoramas. My remarks have run out to so much greater length than 1 anticipated that 1 shall have to “ hold over” my Australian and English notes until next time. Mask.