THE DRAMATIC ENTEREAINMENT.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume III, Issue 329, 28 December 1881, Page 3

THE DRAMATIC ENTEREAINMENT.

As \vc anticipated the local Musical aii'l Dramatic Society's entertainment on Monday evening was a great success, On this occasion the members attempted a greater task than any previously undertaken by them, and nut, only did they succeed in their cllurt, but the entertain merit was also a decided improvement upon the last, in fact it, may he said that the higher the members have ventured, the better have they acquitted themselves. The programme on this occasion certainly comprised a piece which is far above the average of those presented by amateurs, and there were not wanting many who predicted a certain failure. Amt the slightest hitch occurred, however, from beginning to end ; every part was wcT pot traycd, and when the curtain fell at the conclusion the hearty applause that followed was a true indication that the players had succeeded in pleasing a sonicv. hat criti a! audience. The first piece on the programme was a comedietta entitled “(.fitly a Halfpenny.” In this piece 1 lie Society labored under a serious dilliculty from the fact that the member who was to have taken the part of Stanley Jones was too ill to attend, ami the pp.it had to lie nad by Mr Paget Jones, who, considering the slant, notice he hail received, acquitted himself in lirst,-class style, and did far better with the part than could have been expected. The lady amateurs wiio took the parts of Henrietta and .Bridget played in a manner which showed great natural ability, improve l by careful study. As the embarrassed but alicctkmate uncle, Fitzrny I’laulagcnct, Mr Pratt also did well. After an interval the curtain rose on tlie lirst scene in “ The Seven Clerks,” and from then till the liuisli the interest of the whole audience was centred in the play. The lady who took the lengthy and diliieult part of A ietorme is deserving of every commendation lor the manner in which she delineated the ieelings of the hcioine in the various trying situations of the piece. In the part where A icturine pleads with her father tor the life ot her lover, her acting was especially realistic, and also in the scene v.here she calls upon the throe thieves to surrender. As (.'lamle Darmuul, the denouncer, M r ( iriftii hs was, as usual, perfect in every way. The part of the heio, Adolphe do jJiiaiicuuri, was taken by Mr i

■ Paget Jones, and certainly no exception > j could he taken to the irareor in which it I was rendered. On a previous occasion we j had to caution thi.3 member against addressj iug the audience, and we were glad to notice | that he prolitc-d by our advice, and tho- ■ | roughly identified himself with his part. Ij He has greatly improved since his last ! appearance, and we trust to see him again i in some even more ambitious character, i Samuel Siegel, Dartiaud s servant, was a ] part apparently exactly suited to MrOlliver. I Tee ecstacy of the poor half-starved wretch j at the prospect of a good meal was well depicted by him, and created great merriment amongst the audience. In comic delineations MrOlliver is a decided acquisition to the Society. The minor parts of Gustavos, Larose, and Pierre, were well represented by Messrs .Pratt, Grimstone, and Uousliu. The Dutch thief, by Mr A. Clark, the Italian, by Mr Montalk, and the English cracksman by Mr Wilcocks, were also capital representations. The drossts, scenery, and stage effects were really excel-

lent, and altogether the piece must have taxed the resources of the Society to a very heavy extent. \\ c regret that the sp ice at our disposal precludes us from criticising the entertainment in such a detailed manner as we desire, but we may summarise our remarks by stating that no fault could lie found with the main item on the programme. The excellent manner in which j it passed off was really a pleasant surprise j to the audience, who had come prepared to ! he satisfied with much less. Last night the entertainment was repealed to {mother full house with equal success, and we arc only echoing the general wish when we express a hope that these entertainments will be more frequent in the future than they have been in the past. On both evenings the musical selections by Herr Norborg’s string hand added greatly to the success of the entertainment.