"HANS THE BOATMAN."

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1899, 18 July 1888, Page 2

"HANS THE BOATMAN."

Thia Company open m the Oddfellows' Hall th : s evening m the r sterling play— " Hans the Boatman." So far the success of the company has been phenomenal considering the counter attractions, m Dunodin for instance, where the skating rinks oro still so largely patronised In Dunedm the compa >y played to a full honse ecery night for a week, and io Oamaru and Timara equally good houses hive awaited the rising of On curtain. The "Timi'U Hera d " siys of th ) firat performance — •• W e do not wonder that " Bans the Boatman" io immensely popular. It is full of g", foil of variety, ai.d tbe characters are as distinct m their individuality as ao nuthor ever drew or actors represented, flans, with his happygo lucky temper, carelessneea of tomorrow, even of to-day, romping with the children, and singing songs for them, talking good tonse sometimes and nonsense ot'tener id imperfect English ; Gladys, the " high-tor;ei city girl," the foolish lover nni still more foolish wife ; Jeffio, an upright, down -straight, smart and slangy Yankee girl, fond of hearing herself talking (but not more so than the audience were) ; iTank, the father (by mistake of birth or breeding more of a Yorkshireman than a down easter, though), a very rough indeed and generally ready boatman ; Lieutenant Finch, a baahtnl, but otherwiae very decent young fellow • Mr Farwell, one of the old Bchool of stage fathers, pompous of manner, ponderous of speech, quick to anger, who pots his parental afiectioa on and off more easily i than his hat ; Little Hans, Fritz (also Baby Coquette) two tiny toddles, who play their not 100 Biinple parts amazingly well, and finally a swell viiliin who is a our, and a big St. Bernard dog who is not — here is variety enough m tae constituents of the boating party at all events. E-jch one took his or her part, great or ema : l, extremely well ; there is no •' tail" to the company — except the dog'B. Nine out of ten probably will be inclined to give the palm to the children, so clever and engaging were they ; no one could help enjoying their pretty performance. Hans (Mr Charles Arnold) will come next, and then no doubt, the sturdy Blangy Yankee gall (Mibs Jessie Grey), her pert repartees will b» well remembered as | something out of the common run. Miss Alice Norton, as Gladys, had a more difficult part m presenting well the cultured girl, and the discontented and Heverely punished wife.

At the time of oar going to press, there were still a few ctiaira ie the front of the hall unsecured, and we would advise those who wiah to see the performance com fortabiy to tecuro these. The house is Hure to be a full and fashionable one, as the merits Jof the play are acknowledged on every s:de.