The Payne Family

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 116, 14 November 1893, Page 2

The Payne Family

+ . Speaking of the above company, who appear in the Assembly Booms on Thursday, the Hobart Mercury says :— After an absence of nearly two years the Payne Family renewed their acquaintance with Hobart last night, giving one of their clever entertainments at the Town Hall. The boisterous weather had no apparent effect on the attendance, for scarcely a vacant seat was visible. Large and appreciative audiences, by the way, are what the Paynes are accustomed to face from one end of the Australian colonies to the other. Indeed, their performance last night was quite equal to any previous effort. The programme was lengthy and varied enough to satisfy the most fastidious, even in these days when the popular taste demands so much in the way of light amusement. There is no attempt to wander into the highest flights of classical music on the part of the Paynes; they hold hard and fast to the popular, and their abilities to touch the sentiments of large audiences by charmingly rendering the most simple airs was demonstrated last night, when many found themselves involuntarily accompanying the performers. From the opening chorus, performers and listeners were on good terms with each other, and the bright vivaoious entertainment sparkled merrily along to the end. It was the music of the bells that captivated, however. In the manipulation of a hundred or more bells the company are very clever. Each selection was encored vociferously, though four appeared in the programme. The best item in campanology was the ' Signal March,' the ringing of which with a muffled refrain, produciug the effect of chimes in the distance., for graduation of tone and other qualities was excellent."