MR STEPHEN MASSETT AT THE ODDFELLOW’S HALL.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1257, 29 March 1878, Page 3

MR STEPHEN MASSETT AT THE ODDFELLOW’S HALL.

Mr Stephen Massett’s entertainment last evening at the Oddfellows’ Hall drew a crowded audience, the hall being filled in every part. As an entertainer Mr Massett is certainly entitled to take high rank, lor during the whole two hours, in a programme ranging from grave to gay, he kept the interest of his audience fully alive, and received for his efforts the keenest appreciation. Mr Massett appeared last evening in the threefold character of singer, reciter, and reproducer of the prominent characteristics of eminent men. In all of these he was successful, and it is seldom that an opportunity of spending so pleasant an evening is to be had. The programme was divided into two sections —the first comprising serious and serio-comic recitations and sketches, together with musical illustrations. The two ballads sang by Mr Massett, “Sunset” and “My bud in Heaven,” gave him an opportunity of displaying his very sweet and musical voice to advantage. Both pieces were sung with great feeling and in a manner that shows Mr Massett to be a musician of no ordinary merit. Of the serious recitations and readings in tho first part, special commendation may be bestowed upon “ The Dame with the Caraelias,” in which the old story of a woman loving not wisely but too well, was told with much pathos and fidelity to nature, “ The Death of Little Joe,” from “Bleak House,” which was a very fine specimen of elocutionary power, and a little sketch, “ The Dyiug Bootblack.” This last is a perfect little gem in its way, and we hope to have the pleasure of hearing Mr Massett recite it once more. It is that quaint mixture of humour with the pathetic, characteristic of American poetry of this class, which is really so affecting, because it reproduces so naturally life as it is. Mr Massett reproduced this trait with astonishing fidelity and truth, and the loud plaudits which greeted him at its conclusion proved how thoroughly the audience enjoyed it. Of the other scenes in this part we may gay that the description of how the old farmer and Betsy fell out, and made it up again, was excellently done, and so also was the comic description of two characters in the representation of tho “ Lady of Lyons.” This was rendered with a keen sense of the ludicrous, and a dry humour which made it irresistibly funny. Tho imitation of Madame Anna Bishop in singing “ Home, Sweet Home,” was perfect both as regards facial expression and the intonation of the voice. In the second part Mr Massett gave some very clever imitations of celebrated men, those of Charles Kean, Artemus Ward, and Charles Clark being admirable. Altogether the entertainment throughout was a very enjoyable one, and Mr Massett’s announcement that he would appear again this evening in a new programme was received with loud applause. As announced elsewhere, Mr Massett will give another entertainment to-night, and those who had not the pleasure of seeing him last evening cannot do better than take this onp'wtnmfv of doing so.