AMATEUR PERFORMANCE.

Clutha Leader, Volume III, Issue 138, 2 March 1877, Page 5

AMATEUR PERFORMANCE.

An entertainment in aid of the funds of the Balclutha Athenaeum took place on Tuesday evening last in Barr's hall. The attendance "was below the average, a fact probably" to be accounted for by the heavy rain which set in early in the evening, but which, however, ceased towards the time of j opening. I After an overture, in which Monsieur Beletto on the piano, Mr Hogg on the flute, and Mr Gow on the violin took part, | the curtain rose to the " domestic drama" j entitled " The Harvest Storm." The principal recommendation of this drama is its shortness. It is one of the old-fashioned nature as regards plot ; virtue comes through the fire of quarter of an hour's trial triumphant, and vice is crushed under heel. Only acting very much above average could save the piece from dullness. Mr Renner, as the compiler of a new lexicon, gave almost all the life there was to the play ; and the only other character that calls for notice is that of the gipsy pourtrayed by Mr Reunert. The little he had to do was well done, and his make-up was excellent. After an interval came the singing by lady and gentleman amateurs. Monsieur Beletto opened this part with piano selections, which met with considerable applause. Mr Beunert sang " Warrior Bold.'* He rendered it fairly, and had to respond to an encore. Miss Mansf ord sang " To-morrow" with much sweetness, but lacking expression somewhat, and received a warm encore. Mrs J. G. Smith, an old favourite, sang " Truth in Absence" with good effect, her enunciation being particularly distinct, and on being encored gave the beautiful song " Fairy Bells." Mr J. ; Grant, of Milton, came last on the programme with " True to the Last/ and had to submit to a double encore. Mrs Rpbt. Grigor acted, as usual, as accompanyist, and certainly deserves a special word of praise. The farce of "To Paris and Back for £5 " concluded the entertainment. This went with much more spirit than the " The Harvest Storm." Mr B,enner had the principal character of Samuel Snozzles, which is the life and soiil of the whole affair. He made every hit tell, and his acting kept the aitdience in thorough good humour throughout. The characters were the same in number as in the drama) and were taken by the same gentlemen ; and each showed to much greater advantage. Mr Little made up and acted excellently as the „,old man of the piece. Mr Hogg, as Charles Markham, who plays up to Silozzlesj was very painstaking and sue* cessful. Mr Algie, also, as the waiter, was very good* The other characters,---Lieut. Spike by Mr Canning (who made up very well), Pounce the detective by Mr Peach, the superintendent of the railway by Mr Frier, and the telegraph clerk by Mr Reunert,— all played well, and gave good support. The part of Miss Spriggins was looked to perfection by some one who figured in the programme as Miss Wynn. Altogether, the farce was very creditably gone through, and created a much more favourable impression of the power of the amateurs than the drama. The National Anthem on the, piano brought the affair to ' a conclusion. •