CONCERT AT BANNOCKBURN.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 146, 27 August 1872, Page 5

CONCERT AT BANNOCKBURN.

There was a large gathering at the Bannockburn School-house, on Tuesday night! last, to witness the entertainment given for the purpose of defraying the outstanding I balance due on that building. The night be- j ing a moonlight one gave an opportunity to j persons at a distance of being present on the occasion, and Carrickton and Cromwell wcro very fairly represented. When it is consi- j dered what difficulties and impediments lie i in the way of getting up an affair of this, kind, with any degree of success, in a district with such a scattered population, I think it will be admitted by all who were present at j the performance on Tuesday evening, that the vocalists and others engaged succeeded ! in accomplishing the desired result,—that of j giving to the public as attractive an enter-! tainment as ever has been ottered " in these . parts." The programme was an excellent one, and was adhered to throughout; the frequent plaudits of the audience, and the j constant bursts of merriment evoked, bearing | testimony to the tact and good taste displayed j in the selection of songs, &c., by those ania-1 teurs who took the most prominent part in I the arrangement of the evening's amusement. | An overture by the Band was well played, j and was well received by the audience ; after j which " Erin, my Country," was sung by Mr Welling. This gentleman has a rich, mellow voice, admirably adapted for such a plaintive air. Mr Storey followed, with a song, which at once put the audience on good terms-with him. A ballad by Mr Berry was encored.— praise in itself sufficient, without more being added. The dulcet tones of Mrs Jackson's voice imbued the audience with a desire to hear her again. She gracefully acceded fo their request, her second song, if po-sible, excelling the first in sweetness. The universal acclamations of the audience followed a Scotch air by Mr Stuart, who ha-i a cheerful and pleasant style of singing, which never fails to carry his hearers with him, Mr Woodward gave "Poor Joe the Marine" in his usual manly and vigorms manner. '' Her Nainsel" was sung by Mr M: c.;r.'gor, who indubitably contributed his share to the even- j ing's amusement. This gentleman was fob lowed by Mr P. Smith, of Cromwell. Without attempting to pass anv encomiums on Mr j Smith's abilities, I will simply say that the success of the (-.ntertainment was considerably augmented by his presence and services. Roars of laughter plainly a tested the mirth-! provoking qualities of this gentleman as a ludicrous imitator of character, and his) " olio of characters" was a felicitous wind-up '■ to the first part of the programme. After a lapse of fifteen minutes, the '' cullud j pussons," rejoicing in tho appellation of the , " Bannoekburn Jawbreakers," made their first appearance. The " Jawbreakers" met with a cordial reception on coming upon the stage ; and much fun and merriment was caused by the aged Jawbones and his Madagascar fiddle. The fiddle is one of no mean dimensions, and is of a most bizarre description ; quite a phenomenon amongst fiddles.

in fact. Under the able leadership of Mr Moore as "Johnson," this part of the programme passed of with much ecla*; the different choruses being well rendered, and the two corner-men (Messrs Chadwii-k and Humphries) emulating each other in their attempts to ''bring down the house" ; both of them having a choice budget of jokes, conundrums, and local hits, which at times fairly convulsed the audience. Mr Simpson's smging was much admired ; and the concerted finale, the " Railway Galop," was capitally given by the company.

The floor was cleared of the seats at the termination of the concert, for the purpose of allowing those inclined for a dance todisport themselves on the light fantastic toe ; and morning dawned ere the last votary of of Terpsichore left the roof of the Bannockburn School-house. Orpheus.