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Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2756, 16 December 1871, Page 2

Crowded Out. —Owing to pressure on eur space, we are obliged to omit several locals, correspondence, and a special article. Scholastic. — We understand that it is the intention of the High School authorities to reproduce their last night’s entertainment soon after the close of the midsummer vacation. Princess Theatre.— The attendance last evening was good. The programme of the preceding evening was repeated, and elicited the usual applause. We notice that an entire change of programme is offered for this evening, and we have little doubt it will attract a crowded house. The Infallibility Question. Bishop Strossmayer, whose thoroughly Protestant sprech at the late (Ecumenical Council we published some time ago, is practising the faith he then preached. He has thoroughly identified himself with the present religious movement in Germany. One of his latest acts has been to forward a message to Dr Dellinger, approving of the path on which the veteran Professor has entered, and expressing confidence in its successful result. He tells the Doctor that he honors him as he would his own father. — Cork Constitution. Concert. — The concert in the Halfway Bush Sclioolhouae last evening was a decided success, both as regards the attendance and the quality of the entertainment. Almost every song was encored. We have not room for a detailed notice of the concert, and must content ourselves by remarking that two young ladies from Dunedin lent very valuable assistance, singing “ Whispering Hope” and “ O’er the bill,” among other songs, with much taste. Messrs Drew, Matheson. and Gillies were the principal gentlemen singers. Mr J. P. Hepburn was in the chair, and Mr Sykes presided at the piano. High School. —The annual entertainment of the High School boys took place at the Masonic Hall last evening when Shakespeare's Julius Caesar was represented. One of the most brilliant audiences we have «,er seen in Dunedin assembled to witness the performance. To select Julius Caesar for representation was a bold stroke. Such a piece to secure entire success requires the highest efforts of the histrionic art, ami for this reason we were disposed to question the wisdom of the selection. We expected to see, not only Caesar, but Shakespeare murdered. We expected the boys would certainly chatter their parts, but that their efforts at best would merely illustrate the capabilities of memory. We were mistaken. The boys spoke their parts well, in some instances, indeed, in voices happily modulated, and appeared to thoroughly understand the requirements of the piece, showing considerable insight into character, and giving upon the whole a very fair representation. Some of the passages, notably the quarrel scene between Brutus nnd Cassius, and Mark Antony's oretjpn over the dead body of Caesar, were rendered with a force of meaning and a depth of feeling which perfectly surprised us and elicited the approbation of the audience. Great descriminatiou had been exercised in the distribution of the cast; the jpore important characters being given to evidently the pupils best adapted to sustain them ; apd we cannot refrain from singling out for apecLl commendation Black, as Mark Antony ; Solomon in the difficult part of Cassius, and Pa?k as Brutus, whose excellent readings were thoroughly admired and applauded. These were gentlemen who came out with the “grand.” In fact, if we dare find fault with anything of Shakespeare’s, we should fay that in “Julius Caesar” everybody is on stilts except poor Portia, and Patterson as Portia not only made a pretty wife, but paid due deference in very pretty style to her imperious lord. The Masonic Hall not being fitted up as a theatre, is necessarily deficient in scenic accessories ; but these were not altogether absent. In this respect very efficient assistance was rendered by Mr J. S. Willis, whose talent as a scene painter and knowledge of stage management were wisely availed of. To him the public are indebted for (two appropriate scenes, one Rome and the other of the plains of Philippi. To him were intrusted the dnties of stage manager, and by him the stage properties were provided, and the arrangement of what may properly be described scenic positions were made. That they were effectively and carefully done was evident through there being no hitch in the whole proceedings. C:esar, Cassius, Brgtus, th,c friend of Cassius, all died in due form, the ghost had his appropriate atmosphere of ghastly fire the lightning flashed its warnings, and the tljupdor rolled its foreboding, the trumpet blast, and the soldier’s drum, announced the march of earth’s leaders or the clang of battle, and the tide of wav rolled backward and forward, as one or other party gained advantage in the struggle for empire over the world. The dresses were provided by the parents of the lads, and were clipped into Roman togas, sandals, &c, under the direction of the Rector. The musical arrangements were rather meagre considering the length of the piece, and perhaps owing to the strangeness of the position in which amateurs were placed, not quite so effective in the overture to “Masaniello ” as we have heard it by the same hands. The overture to “ Tancredi ” went better. It was not so much the quality as the quantity af music that was deficient. In the second part .the orchestral arrangements went off well. Miss 'Bell presided at

the piano : her old supporters played with her iu the overture to the “ Caliph of Bagdad,” which went with accuracy and spirit. The prayer from “Mose in JSgito ” w; nt off well as a concerted piece, as did also “ Farewell to the Forest,” and “ Since first I saw your face ” ; and the ladies who sang ’‘The Blind Girl to her Harp” and another solo were dctenninately encored, as were the two ladies who sang a duet. Miss Bell played the accompaniments throughout effectively; and cm the whole we may pronounce both the Thespian and musical portions highly successful. In this opinion wc believe all present will coincide. The Union Permanent Building Society’s Office will be open this evening and every Saturday evening, from 7.30 to g o’clock for receipt of subscriptions, &c. We notice by advertisement that Batchclder’s Panoramic Views of the American War will be exhibited in Dunedin iu a few days. The Masonic Hall is taken, and will, it is announced, be opened on Wednesday next.