SMITH'S COMBINATION TROUPE.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 44, 21 July 1874, Page 2

SMITH'S COMBINATION TROUPE.

Mr Smith was not favoured with genial weather on the evening of his introducing his talented troupe to the public of Christchurch; but notwithstanding this drawback to the success of the entertainment, the house was crowded in every part. There can be no question but that Mr Smith has got together a company each member of which is thoroughly up to the part she or he may have to take in the entertainment offered nightly to the sight-seeing public; and, in consequence, the performance of last night went off smoothly. The people showed their appreciation of the efforts made to amuse them by frequent and hearty applause; and every one went away satisfied at the treat that had been provided. The proceedings commenced with a scene between Mdlle Montcbcllo and Mr S. Vincent, into which many songs, of the class which Mr Harry Ilickards has made popular, were introduced. The lady, who appeared in a very " girl of the period costume," has a powerful voice, and has evidently been accustomed to a larger hall or theatre than ours in thi3 town. But the scene was a complete success, and the audience seemed thoroughly satisfied with it. The hcxt performance was by Signor Do Castro and his children; and the latter went through their evolutious on the lings with an ability and fi arlesmiesa rarely seen in such small specimens of humanity. Professor Saunders gave some selections on the harp, and responded to an encore which was vigorously demanded. And then Mr Val Vose with his comical puppets made his appearance on the stage, which he retained possessor! of for about half an hour, during which time the delight of the audience never flagged, and ho certainly is a most amusing and excellent ventriloquist. The fust part of the entertainment was brought to an end by the performance of two of the children of the DeCastro family, who displayed the same fearlessness and grace that they had done in their previous exhibition. After the usual interval, Mons. Airec was the first to appear on the stage, and ho merits all that has been written and said in his favor, as his scene on the "A re vol ante" was d i sti n gu i sh cd by a n ease and grace that is never attained except by the very highest clnss of performers; he in his turn gave way to Mr St. Vincent, who sang a version of his own of the familiar song, " Castles in the Air," and thus treated the company to a rustic ditty, interspersed with remarks in a Yorkshire dialect. The whole concluded with a first-rate display of acro-

batisrn by all the membersof the DeCastro family, and we advise bur readers to go and see them, and they will have a better idea of the way in which boys can be whirled through the air, and turned an incredible number of summersaults, than we can give them by writing. We prophecy that Mr Smith will have what our American friends would call " a good time " with his troupe as long as he remains in Christchurch.