TAURANGA DRAMATIC CLUB

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume II, Issue 123, 5 November 1873, Page 3

TAURANGA DRAMATIC CLUB

„ i chasers llai r. was literally filled to ov t rllowing j 1,11 Saturday* night on the occasion of ?» performj tii'/f by Die Liuranga Drnnatie Club, for the ! benefit of the widow and children of the late Mr l< nrreli. " 1 'im> Tries A!i”is in leiihiy fixed upon the writ it'd memory as i tie fit.-! dramatic juice he ever witnessed and it has been n prune favourite with him ever since. It is a simple sketch of every day life in dear old England hut a I lew years ego, abounding wr h genuine sentiment and deep pathos. The test ot t tie author ia graceI Ed, the moral exceih-nt, and the interest never ! dm- mV’.l the e■rl an tnld- upon the happv I ui-nt. N-v.r will t ->o winter forget that ! I haa-'inUer in tic day s ot song ago, when j firs’ entered ! ite mysterious portals of a theatre, jU is sensat ions at the ii.st fiance oi the brilliantly j lighted, packed house may be imagined hut they j cannot be described, ami wnen the curtain rose ! and Lie play commenced how he devoured every \ look, 'drank in every word until it came to the • purl where Laura slaps Matthew's hand ; t hen ids j Joy knew no bounds, and he worshipped her in j only a boy can worship. At that time he had j attained the age of seventeen -not “ lovely sweet | seventeenbut the gawky hobbledehoy period, j and was enact nig the -roh* of big brother, a ; “ character ” part well known to many, and often j played with immense success ia the Theatre Royal, Nursery. ’J he writer has in his time, us

an amateur, played “ many parts” on the mimic stage, but ot all hia pour tray ala the role of “ big brother” on that happy night was the mostdifficult to sustain. In vain did be assume an air ot utter indifference and ennui, in vain did he confidently inform hia brothers and sister, ala Coldstream, that there was “ nothing in it it, was no use—poor Laura’s emotion when aho hears of her husband’s content plat ed marriage, was too much, and, as Artoraus Ward says, “on account of the “muchness” he gave in, and bursting into tears —-good honest tews ho would give tlxo world to shed now—lost his professional character for life. Dear little sister Polly', sleeping your long, long sleep in mother’s grave! What would he give to see again your puzzled face as, nestling to his side, ami sobbing a» children do from very sympathy*, you said, *' Why, Willie, you’re crying!” Time tries all; yea it does indeed. Craving pardon for this long digression, let us resume the orthodox “ wc,” and return to our subject, which is the performance at Eraser's

Hull last .Saturday night. Mr lludiiestone whs not at home as Air Leeson, not did bo know bis part. In the second act, however, he acquitted himself more creditably. Mr Sisley surprised us j he played Matthew Bates with intelligence and feeling, and, it is hardly necessary to say, in a gentlemanlym muer throughout—it would be difficult indeed for him to do otherwise. Mr Ogilvie’s Yawn amused t he audience greatly, but it was not the Honorable Augustus Coli under Yawn created by the author. Yawn was not a fop, but “ swell ” of the h avy languid ye nun. Mr II uddleetone’s conception ol Yawn, wo think, was an infinitely belter one. It is only fair to say that, grantedJMr Ogiivie’s ideal to be correct, the performance was excellent. The part of Clinton (Mr Smith), though short, is a good one, and was enacted with spirit. Mr Benny, as Tom Tact, created great fun, but for obvious reasons we forbear from criticising his performance. Mrs Worthington’s Laura was in its entirety a creditable impersonal ion, and Miss Julian did her best to please us Fanny Fact. Miss MeAuley sang “ Driven from Homo,” and “ Do They Think of me at Home” very nicely. She possesses a sweet voice, and was deservedly applauded. “ The Monkey Married a Baboon’s Sister,” by Mr .Burrows, was a great success. Mr .Ellis’s wizard tricks were clever, and afforded great amusement, especially to the youngsters. Tiie same gentleman also sang “Inky Doodle Dum,” provoking much laughter. The comedietta of ‘‘The Bettor Half” brought the entertainment to a satisfactory close, in which Mr Griffiths (■ irly drew down the house by his admirable personation of Squire Bramble. The other characters were also well played. Last, but fay no means least, Mr JEtussell as usual discoursed sweet music, adding greatly to the enjoyments of the evening.