THE AMATEUR DRAMATIC ENTERTAINMENT.

Kumara Times, Issue 1529, 22 August 1881, Page 2

THE AMATEUR DRAMATIC ENTERTAINMENT.

“THE STREETS OF LONDON."

We were almost inclined to coincide with the opinions of some sceptics that the capacious theatres of this town would never again be filled in the manner they have been when some specially attractive professional or amateur theatrical company or lecturer has in times gone by performed or held forth ; for the reason that almost every kind entertainment of late has been but very poorly attended. And it certainly speaks well for this, a mining community, that whenever they are called upon to come up to the help of the sick and the infirm, they break through all “the chills of ceremony and selfishness,” and there seems to flow through every heart a feeling of sympathy and succour for the distressed. Such was the case on Friday night last, when an entertainment got up by the newlyformed Amateur Dramatic Company came off at the Adelphi Theatre. Every part of the house was well filled long before the performance commenced, and shortly after eight o’clock, Rossini’s charming Overture “ II Tancredi ” was played as our local orchestral trio— Mrs Williams (pianoforte), Mr A. Miller (violin), and Mr Brewer (flute) know how to render it, with pleasing and judicious effect. There were two dramas announced. We purpose only to notice the first on the programme—- “ The Streets of London ” (or, as it may be more familiarly known by old theatre-goers,” “ Fraud, and its Victims ”) —a sensational drama, in four acts, by J. Stirling Coyne, author of a number of dramas. The following is a sketch of the play : —ln the prologue, Mr Hngglestone, a hanker of Liverpool (which cast fell to Mr G. B. MTntyre) is informed by Torn Trnmper, his confidential clerk (Mr W. Warren) that he (Hngglestone) having got rid of all the securities entrusted to his care, is about to abscond. At this point Captain Seaborne (Mr W. H. Raleigh) comes to deposit £10,000; he obtains a receipt and goes away, Trnmper accepts £BOO as the price of his silence. But the Captain re-enters hastily and demands his money, and whilst pleading for it, being after bank hours, he becomes excited, is seized with a fit and dies. Hngglestone absconds, but Trumper, his clerk, secures the receipt. Act 1 introduces Mrs Seaborne, (Miss Power) wife of Capt. Seaborne, and her son and daughter, , verging on poverty; also Patty Roselips a flower girl (Mrs G. B. Way, and Gabriel Plummypot, a painter (Mr J, Shrives) —her sweetheart. Tom Trumper becomes hard up, and sells knives in the streets. Hngglestone, under the assumed name of Warrington (Mr M'lntyre), with his daughter Isabelle (Mrs Spyer) and her suitor, Sir Frederick Alymer (Mr Jenkins) are seen entering, and Warrington is recognised by Trumper as his former master. Gold again secures his silence. Count de Yalmore (Mr H, Hope), a poor French Count, and a former schoolmate and old sweetheart of Marian (Miss A. F. Rogers) meet, and he is invited to dinner at Mrs Seaborne’s. Tom Trumper, in restoring a handkerchief which he had picked up in the street to its owner, sees the portrait of the late Captain, rccognues it, and learns that Alfred (Mr W. H. Raleigh) is the son of the late owner of the receipt for £lo.ooo'. In the second act we find that Isabella is rejected by Sir Frederick Aylmer, and is resolved to purchase the Count de Yalmore as her husband. Marian, who visits the house as dressmaker, throws over the Count, and spurns Isabella’s offer of gold with scorn. Tom Trnmper enters, is very insolent, and lets Warrington know who Alfred Seaborne is ; whereupon Warrington sends Tom Trumper to the refreshment room, and offers Alfred a situation in Calcutta. In the meantime Tom Trumper, getting drunk, is handed over to the policeman (Mr J. H. King). In the third act, it transpires that Alfred Seaborne, who has sunk into poverty, after refusing Warrington’s offer, picks up a £loonolei dropped accidentally by Hargreaves (Mr J. Carei) and rushes off to restore it. Tom Trumper, after his three months in gaol, makes an appointment with Warrington to meet at his garret. Marian and Mrs Seaborne, who are starving, beg for broad. In Act 4 Mis ideaoorne is represented as being driven to that extremity of poverty that she resolves to die by the fumes of charcoal.

and Marian offers to share her fate. But Alfred comes back jnst in time to save them. Warrington demands a receipt at the point of a revolver. Tom Trnmper, however, gets possession of it, and Warrington agrees to bring the money. They agree to wet the bargain, and whilst Tom is a\Vay to fetch some water, Warrington drugs the gin. Tom Trnmper drinks and falls senseless, after placing the receipt in safety. Warrington, who returns to see the effect of the opiate and secures the receipt, meets Alfred. Tom recovers and tells Alfred that Warrington robbed his father of £IO,OOO, and is about to give proof when he falls senseless. The wedding of the Count de Valraore and Isabelle is about to take place, when the Count rejects his bride, and is re-: stored to Marian’s affections. Alfred denounces Warrington. Tom Trumpet rushes on to the latter, restores the receipt and hands Warrington over to the police. The other and minor characters were sustained by Miss Kate Stenhonse, Mr M. Maloney, and Mr W. F. Thompson. Where all, without exception, took their respective parts so well and effectually, it is needless for us to single out the individual characters; indeed we have already exceeded our prescribed space. It is sufficient to say that we believe this to have been the best-pre-sented and faithfully-pourbrayed amateur theatrical performance ever given in this town. Of course much of the success of the entertainment is due to the able stage manager, Mr W. Warren (late of the Dramatic Company). The scenery surpassed anything we have before witnessed on a Kuraara stage, and was entirely due to the efforts of the industrious proprietor of the Theatre, Mr J. H. King. During the interval, Mr John White, a member of the Hospital Committee, took the opportunity of thanking the public, the Friendly Societies, the Volunteers, &c., for their patronage; and also the local Amateur Company Tor their kind services, which had produced so satisfactory a result. We were then favored by the orchestra with a selection from “ Lucrezia Borgia,” commencing with “Dipescato reignoViile.”

It was late when the curtain rose for the second part of the entertainment, which consisted of the one-act comic drama “ Nan the Good for Nothing,” the characters in which were su-tained by Mrs G. B. Way, and Messrs Raleigh, •Shrives, Hope, Jenkins, and Maloney. It was played equally well.

The National Anthem then terminated this most successful amateur entertainment, which adds (with the Government subsidy) about £123 to the funds of our local Hospital, and the expenses of which came to the very moderate sum of scarcely £ls.