"Dred"

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 20, 4 August 1892, Page 2

"Dred"

Our readers are reminded of the performance to be given tomorrow night in the Assembly. Booms. The following is a notice published in the Manawatu Times of Tuesday last :— " A very successful full dress rehearsal of " Dred " and the farce " Vandyke Brown " was held last night. The members of the Club acted their parts with great care, and the stage manager is sanguine of the piece going off smoothly and well. The drama is to be staged tonight for the first time in Pahuerston. The local band have kindly consented to lend their assistance and will play under the leadership of Mr W. Rankin, outside the Theatre before the performance commences. The following is a brief account of the plot : — Harry and Tom Gordon are the sons of Colonel Gordon, a wealthy cotton planter of America, who dies and leaves Harry (his illegitimate son by a quadroon slave) free and to share in the pro* perty. The will is lost, but falls into Tom Gordon's hands, the legitimate son, a brutal debauchee, and no friend of his half-brother Harry. Tom comes home from abroad to take possession of the plantation, and falls in love with Harry's faithful and pretty quadroon wife, and wants to take her from him. Harry and wife fly to the " Great Dismal Swamp " to join Dred, a revolted slave. Tom lets loose the bloodhounds and goes in pursuit, intending to kill Harry, but is shot in the arm by Dred. His wound getting well, he continues the chase, and finally finding Harry, shows him the will, and after reading it to him, is about to tear it to pieces whan Dred appears on the scene, snatches it from his grasp, and gives it to Harry, but is stabbed in the back by Tom. Dred recovers for a moment, rises and shoots Tom who tails dead." Mr W. G. Shearer, has kindly offered to supply the necessary furniture for the production of " Dred " by the Falmerston Amateur Dramatic Club, to be played here on Friday August sth. The company played at Palmerston on Tuesday night to a large audience and were well received.