AMATEUR DRAMATIC PERFORMANCE.
Notwithstanding the inclemency of the weathr-r, there was a good attendance at the Theatre Itoyal last evening, on the occasion of the benefit tendered to Mrs Gaffney by the m-mbers of the Amateur Dramatic Club. The curtain rose to the. comic drama of '• A Bachelor of Arts," a piece that when well played will bring down the bons3,but in this instance it ran far from smoothly ; there was a tnrneness and want of life throughout of both acts, and the promj -
ter's services were constantly in requisition. This, however, was more than compensated for in the very able manner in which the burlesque of " The Lady of Lyons" was put on the sta»e, the actors being almost letter perfect, the dresses appropriate, and the scenery effective. Mrs Willonghly, as Pauline, acted with a thorough conception of the part alloted to her, and we consider this lady's acting tendered materially to ensue the success of the piece. Mr J. S. Jolly, as usual, was in his element, as " a youth of imaginative temperament." Widow Melnotte by Mr C. King, jun., was as far as dress, perfect, his make-up and action as the widow provokingjroars of laughter, especially in the pudding business; bat we would remind this young gentleman that widows with particularly bright faces have as a rule a voice to correspond and in this he was deficient. Damns (Mr North) made a very fierce-looking soldier and apparently " a strict discipline, hairy 'un." Mrs Magee, who took the part "of the "good lady," played it to the life. Beauseant (Mr Morgan) looked the beau ideal of what he impersonated, " a heavy villian of considerable weight." The minor characte. s of the Grocer, Landlord, and Porter, were filled respectively by Messrs Coughlin, Blackburn, and Woods, who hy their byplay greatly assisted the other characters". The Dill man's Town Band performed several selection! dimng the evening, on a highly creditable manner, and on the, whole the benefit to Mrs Gaffuey may be considered a decided success. •
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Kumara Times, Issue 548, 29 June 1878, Page 2
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336AMATEUR DRAMATIC PERFORMANCE. Kumara Times, Issue 548, 29 June 1878, Page 2
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