ENTERTAINMENT IN AID ,QF MRS. YETTE, .

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 90, 8 November 1879, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENT IN AID ,QF MRS. YETTE, .

The entertainment given fay the Workingm,en's Dpamatie Club in.aid of the widow' and children of- fche late Mr. Vette, wbo recently lost Kis life at Bunhythorpe," came off on Tuesday to a crowded V>ouse, arid proved on unrnist akeable success. The programme was a most enticiipg one, fo 1?---beside the info pjeeed presented by the members of the Club, it.waa further supplementud by tin ejcelleafc recitation by Mr... Farmer, and fche songa," "The Will 'o th£ Wisp," and " Let me liko a Soldier Fall,'.^ by Mi\ Stevrarl; Porter, late of th,e

moth. Minstrels. Before proceeding to speak of the merits of the pieces, or the individual acting of those who took part m them, we must bestow a well-deserved compliment upon the Club for the manner m which they have succeeded m decorating the stage and adding to the scenery. Since they Lave taken possession of the Hall, tht blank bare walls m the background present quite a different aspect, and now appear beautified with some capital sketches j whilst the stage not only possesses side scenes so as to prevent the audience from stai'ing into the wings, but each act !had scenery adapted to the text .of the piece. The performance commenced with the comic drama, " Irish Assurance and Yankee Modesty ;" and, as m all pieces where the Irishman is introduced, Mr. Pat was the hei'o of the play, and upon the shoulders of his representative lay the burden of the evening. Mr, Morgan, it 13 needless to say, played the leading fihar.actei», and sustained it as if " to the manner born," while Mrs. T. Woods enacted the port of the Yankee girl, and when she had been but a few momenta before the audience, it was quite evident that she was no stranger to a stage. The ease and absence v of all nervousness, and the very excellent rendering of the part of the pert, loquacious, and :selfpossessed Yankee girl, m which she was letter perfect, was a pleasing contrast to the timidity of the other lady performers, who, however, looked as it was intended they should, exceedingly pretty and captivating. ' Mr. J. Hartley wou,ld. haye been more effective had he thrown a little more life into his love-scenes, but possibly he was but ; a novice, at the business— we mean- the love-making, not the acting, Mr.: J. Lane made a capital old "Buffer," and Mr.-S. Lane was irresistibly amusing m his representation of the English swell. After "the conclusion of the first piece, Mr.. Stewart Porter sang, m magnificent style,, "The Will o' the Wisp," and upon being recalled, gave "Tact me like a Soldier Fall," but the latter was by no means of 'equal merit: Mr. Stewart possesses a capital baritone voice, and as the gem of Maritana is usually given by a tenor singer, perhaps thstjinay account foji the defect 5 or it may have been that the accompaniment was not as good as it might have been ; but, however, be the cause what it may, his last effort wasby no means as good as his first. Still be is a grand singer, and as. we believe Mr. Porter is likely to be a permanent resident' m Palmerston, we tr"ust to have the pleasure of hearing him upon future occasions m such songs as " The Sexton," or "TheTillage Blacksmith." A most difficult and lengthy recitation, entitled "The Legend of the Rhine," was delivered with capital effect by Mr. Farmer, the fact that during its lengthy recital he enchained the atten ; tion of his audience, being sufficient evidence of his merit as an elocutionist. The spark-' ling drama, " Retained for the Defprice," has been given by the Club at a former entertainment, when we reviewed it at considerable length. Ou Tuesday evening, however, two of the characters had new representatives —Th wates and Miss De Windsor— and we must say that the former lost nothing by the change, Mr. Coe being' highly successful m the part of the eccentric mongrel waiter and gardener. As we have never seen the Miss Agatha de Windsor, wp cannot say whether Miss Hansen re-; sembled that young lady, but if the priginal was m the habit of appearing m the costume assumed by Miss Hansen, then Mias. Agatha de Windsor, beside being an exceedingly attractive young person, must have been a terribly expensive one, and we are not at all surprised at her saponaeibus sire wishing to shift the expense of her wardrobe on to' the legal Whitewash. And that reminds us that Mr. Woods essayed that character, and was an immense improvement upon bis predecessor, Mr. Br°vrn. The whole performance was a most enjoyable one, arid was exceedingly well received by the. crowded house which . ha.d, bestowed ; .its' ; patronage. Upon the rise of the curtain, Mr. -Farmer delivered the following . .. : PROLOGUE. The curtain's up } the play will ebor begin' ;" .And I've been asked to crave your kind endurance } "Retained for the Defence," we trust applause to win -...--., „ ; W*th. " Yankee Modesty " and " Irish Assurance." The reason why we make our bow to-night, And c.om,e. b.efora you m our various parts—: . ■ Whose spirits ara so high, whose thoughts so light — ..'.,- . . Is to lift the burden, from some/ heavy : hearts. i Both you and I haye. lafs the %a!s oh.e.erful side , . r-; To meet together with otn.a coinTion aim, [And though our chosen parts he somewhat wid.e, ../: -..-.■ ..,-.. .■■;.. ; : . .-■-. Qur mission's not-^foß 6.ur en^d's; the same. . To help the widow m her hour of need, To ease her sorrow— give her children h,read, This is the. cause for which, to-night we plead, And stand as sponsor for him, that's dead. We are no veterans m the Thespian art ; . Our Club's composed of, n,on,e bi\t •vfdrking men'; While that some fco-uight enact their maiden P* rfc • ..'." . ...-.' Should take the satire from the critic's W ' ■■ • ' -.; ••".. ;■■;■:,; The curtain's up ; the lights are full ablaze, So I my exit am compelled to make. Excuse our." Modesty,'-' and the "Defenbe" will raise ■'.';-' That our " Assurance."- h.aß b,een no mistal^e.