AMATEUR PERFORMANCE AT THE GREENSTONE.

Grey River Argus, Volume VII, Issue 512, 27 April 1869, Page 2

AMATEUR PERFORMANCE AT THE GREENSTONE.

(from ottr own.. .correspondent.) . ' * The amateur performance in aid.of thg fund for the sinking of a deep shaft on the Duke of Edinburgh Terrace took place a.% Bocharty's dance-room on Monday night last, and was a complete succes§. The, whole arrangements connected with the. performance were well carried out, Thei room wa3 given gratis, as well as the services of the actors and musicians. Unfortunately it was a very wet night. .an<l the. attendance was not nearly so good as, it would otherwise have been ; neverthe^ less there was something like £40 taken, and as another performance was announced. - to take place when the weather had cleared up, no doubt another ,£SO or £60 will be added to the fund, and the main object for which the- first performance on the Greenstone was instituted, will be a, benefit to everyone, viz., the proving of the Duke of Edinburgh Terrace on othe? bottoms than those upon which they have already obtained gold. The amateurs, adapted a piece to tha properties over which they had control, is so far as. scenery or other adjuncts are concerned, which at the present time, for other pieces, would be a matter of impossibility to obtain on the Greenstone. The performance commenced with "Time Tries All;" and although many went with the idea that they would have a laugh at the performers, they left perfectly, satisfied. To praise the whole of the evening's entertainment would be fulsome, but a brief summary of the proceedings would give an idea of how amateurs in the Greenstone make their first appearance. The character of Laura Leeson was taken by a lady who, it is to be hoped, will favor the Green> stone with her habitation as long as such, social and charitable entertainments are on the board. This was her first appearance on the stage, and during many a first night (even of professionals)few have come forward with such eclat as the lady who adopted the character of Laura. " Time Tries All" is a play well known, so that the plot of the piece need not be mem tioned. Matthew Bates (taken by Mr Drury) was well handled in every pointy and the performer seemed well up to stage business. Mr Davis, as Yawn, moved the. risible organs of the audience into bursts of ! laughter, while his friend Clinton (MrHalliday) absolutely acted to life. Mr Morgan (as Tact) did the comic business^ i with the other lady amateur who took th§ part of Fanny Tact, and the twp ; com^ bined were certainly humorous. Leeson 0 (taken by Mr Wilson) was about as well got up a character as any in the piece. Thus "Time Tries All" went off to the perfect satisfaction of both actors and performers. The musical melange* which followed was a perfect treat, so seldom do.wQ ! hear anything like such good singing with. [ so. little nervousness amongst amateurs ; . where all were good it would be invidious' to mention name", but evtvf one was encored. Nigger business is so thoroughly well known that mention need not ba made of the ministrel programme. Suffice. . it to say that all went smoothly, and with the exception of the tambourine none of the musical instruments got out of tune, the tambourine, as usual, being .srn.ashedV' in the first offset over "that ere nigger's head." Mr ' Hill'- solo on three drums does well deserve particular mention, and it would be hard to find his equal on th^ coast. " The Greenstone Ball" conclude^ the entertainment; but as time was; speeding it was in a great measure curtailed. The curtain rose at a little before 8 o'clock, and did not fall until close on 12 o'clock. A better got up entertainment it would be hard to find. There ia not the slightest doubt this was owing altogether to Mr J. A. Phillips' tact and complete mastery pf his. position as stage manager. When it is considered that Mr Phillips took the Great Stump Oration (which, by the way, contained some capital local hits) and Sam Slim in the last part, as well as one of the ininistrels, he had all his work before him ; and it reflects great i credit on him that not a single Mtch hajn . pened during the whole of the evening. After the performance was over dancing commenced, which was kept up till th§ small hours, with any amount of zest.