THE HUDSON SURBRISE PARTY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 6, 12 September 1879, Page 2

THE HUDSON SURBRISE PARTY.

# . — ' — • — — On Tuesday nnd Wednesday evenings last, the paople of Foxtou enjoyed a rare treat, in the performances of the Hudson Surprise Party. Crowded houses greeted Ihe troupe on eaoli occasion^ and when we say that the audiences were the most enthushstio wo have seen in Foxton, our readers wilf see that the company must be in every way an excellent one, to have the power of amusing and entertaining to suoh a degree as to merit the storms of applause with which they were rewarded on e;ich occasion. The company is .very strong in female talent, which preponderates. The lady performers' „are—M isses F. and V. da. Gay, the former of whom U an excellent pianiste, never for a second faltering, but throughout performing the accompaniments in a finished, artistic/ and appreciative manner; in this work she is ably seconded by her sister, who is a violiniste of great merit, and who during the musical portion of the-progr.imme contributes a violin obbligato to each song and dance accompauiment. Coming to the singers, Mias Burton undoubtedly carries off the palm, her superb, mellow, contralto voice being a marvel of purity and richness ; Misses Mayen and Morton are also excellent singers, the formsr being a mezzo-so-prano, whilst the latter has a rich voice of considerable compass. The male performers are Tom Hudson, Charlie Wallace, and Clias. Glover. Hudson and Wullace are so well known in the Colonies that to praise them would be giving bush to what everybody knows is good wine. Perhaps it would Be impossible co find in the Colonies two other men such masters of the nigger business as they are. Hudson as Bonos, or in Uncle Jeff, or in fact at anything he takes in hand, is simply incomparable ; whilst Wallace as Tambo, or a dancer, or in any part of a nigger entertainment, stands as the worthy compeer of Hudson. Their performances of Tuesday and Wednesday evenings have, we venture to say, impressed themselves upon the memories of those who saw and heard them to such an extent that years will not obliterate, and quite apart from the roaring fun of the few hours spent with them, the lasting memory of their comicalities, which cannot be described, is worth a shelf of trashy novels as a future recreation. Mr Chas. Glover acts as John, son to the party, bat does, not darken his

complexion,. His voice is a dear, ringing, tenor, and m oomio ballads he is always successful. To refer in detail to the performances on each occasion would trench to far upon our space. We must, howovsr, mention the splendid rendition of a fantasia on Scotch airs on the violin by Miss Do Gay, with piano accompaniment by her sister. Miss Burton's "Little Bluo lives, " and " Ituby, " were also fiuely sung, whilst Miss Mayen achieved great success in '• Whip poor will." Miss .Morton al. j did well in her songs. Mr Glover mado a name for himself in, " He gets more liko his pa, everyday," which was capitally rendered. Of course the burden of the entertainment falls upon Messrs. Hudson and Wallace. To describe them in their hundred and one different parts, characters, dresses, and songs would be impossible. They are indescribable, and inimitable. The entertainments are extremely varied and well arranged. The first part partakes of a Christy Minstrel performance, only Bones and Tarabo being blackened, whilst the three ladies and Mr Glover form the chorus. Then follow in rapidsuccession, Negro farces, dances, &c, interspersed here and there wi h ballads, duets, or violin solos. The whole proceeds so rapidly that not a moment is lost, and the interest never flags for a second. A very excellent feature of the entertainment, — and one we cannot too highly commend, — is the total absence of anything even approashing coarseness. There were no double entcndrcs, coarse jokes, nor short dresses. It was simply a drawing-room entertainment with which, not even the most prudish could find fault, and we express the opinion of^ll who visited it, when we say the entertamrnent is one of the best and most enjoyable that ever visited M-tnawatu.