THE WORKINGMEN'S ENTERTAINMENT.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 64, 9 August 1879, Page 2

THE WORKINGMEN'S ENTERTAINMENT.

ui .....+ ■ . - ■ - The newly-formed Workingmen's Dramatic Club made its bow to the Palmerston public on Thursday night, when a concert and drama was given m aid of tha Wardrobe and Library Fund. No doubt drawn by the yery excellent programme submitted, and a desire to witness the maiden efforts of its members, the public mustered m large totub, auu. umoi'tt uufr uiU'Bun roia-TinrTKir was filled" m every parfc The programme was, as we have said, very judiciously divided into two parts— musical and dramatic, and decidedly the latter- was. the. better portion of the two. The concert opened with a pianoforte solo, by Mr. King,— who presided during tha evening— followed by the character song "Lit^ Brown Jug," given m capital style by Mi. Hart whose make up and bye-piay waa really excellent, the singer appearing* quite at home before his audience, and with none of that nervous diffidence so common to amateurs. He was vociferously applauded, as he deserved to ba, and m response gave the serio-comic song, " Firs* she would, and.:. %hva she wouldn ? t," with good effect. Mr. Q-eorge Hartley received a boisterous enqore for " The loved ones at Home," and Mr. Morgan, though evidently suffering severely from a heavy cold, which at times madeihis voice|al- ' most inaudible, manfully struggled thorough two amusing Dutch songs. Notwithstanding the very greatdra wback under which he labored, it did not take him long to be on tha stage before it was made evident that|he was a veteran at, tha footlights. Mr. Batchelar sang " Dear mother, I've come home to die," and upon being recalled gave the simple but pathetic ballad "Tis but a little faded flower," m splendid style. We always listen to Mr. Batchelar r with pleasure, but upon Thursday night he was m splendid voice and fairly excelled himself. '■ After Mr. had convulsed the audiance with "Tha Black Man of Sedan," came a Scandinavian glea, sung'onlyae those gentlemen can give concerted music, whioh was,' as it always is, received with tha utmost enthusiasm, and received an encore. "The Irish Apple Womanj" by Mr. Morgan, was' an amusing item, the nail-brush mou«tache.of the singer adding to, the ridiculousness and absurdity of the carica,ture. The itams on tha programme were supplemented by some very excellent step dancing by Mr. Wyley, but its performance was considerably marred by the drawback that the evolutions hadtotaka place on top of a carpet, and' a not. yery good one at that. This brought the first portion of the entertainment to a close, when after an interval of some twenty minutes, the. curtain rose for the petite comedy "Engaged for the Defence." This part o"f : the programme Was., immeasurably superior m merit to the [ first, the different actors ' sustaining j their yarious impersonations with remarkable correctness, and the whole performance being notable for. two facts — one that each of the characters were letter perfect, the absence of the voice q| t\p prompter being anagreeable surprise., and the total avoidance of those hi tones which areal most inseparable to first performances. The variaus dialogues whioh we're long and trying, were carried through, not only- without a faltes, but with a most commendable regard for the|eubsta"nce p| the,conyers"ation^ which re.sulted m making the piece a thorough sue-, cess. If there was a weakness exhibited it was m the inclination evinced to wander up and down the stage while engaged m dialogue, but this 5 indeed, was a small "defect, and not worth cavilling at. As the ignorant old " Pawkins," Mr. Morgan looked,"dressed, and acted the character to life, whila Mr. S. Lane, both by his makeup and impersonation converted his twenty years into sixty, so as to.resemble the ace en-; trie old soa.p manufacturer. Mr. Hart, as the improvised servant man, was irresistibly comic, and Mrs. Brown w &s a very excellent representation of Agathe da Windsor, the soap man's daughter. Mr. Brown was a little too stiff as Lawyer Whitewash, and the same may be said of Mr. J. Lane's "Furguson," but it must be recollected that tha pav.ts were long and trying, and as far an Palmerston is concerned. Jfche. firß,t appealance of the members of the Club. For our own part we were most agreeably surprised, at the whole draniatip pei'f ormagce, wliiqh

evinced the possession of ability ibr which we were not inclined to giro the Club credit. The programme was by no means strictly adhered to, but if some items were omitted, others of a pleasing character were substituted, notably Mr. J. Lane's song of "On the daring slack wire." Taken as a' whole the Workingmen's Dramatic Club may be heartily congratulated upon their first appearance m public, whioh was m every sense thorough suocess. At the con* olusion of the entertainment the Hall was cleared for dancing, whioh was kept up jvith great spirit until near four o'clock. The ball was equally as well patronised «■ the concert, there being all through the night no less than five sets or dancors on the floor.