THE CHRISTY MINSTREL CONCERT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 729, 18 July 1878, Page 2

THE CHRISTY MINSTREL CONCERT.

The entertainment of Tuesday evening might be correctly viewed as one of the greatest financial successes that have ever been attained under similar circumstances ill Oamaru. Without -wishing to reflect upon the charitableness of the public, we think the primary reason for this satisfactory result is to be found in the character of the entertainment—the numerous performers, several of whom have deservedly grown popular, and the consequent expectation that variety would be one of the most prominent features of the entertainment. People, although perhaps not niggardly under any circumstances, give more freely when they can see some return for their money, mure especially if that return be a fair quid pro quo, such as was the case on Wednesday evening. The Masonic Hall was closely packed in every part, a circumstance which, whilst it fully attained the object for which the concert was given, so affected the acoustic properties of the room that it could, be scarcely said of a single soloist that his voice was sufficiently resonant to reach in any volume very far beyond the front Some of the gentlemun that put forth every effort to make themselves heard will doubtless be surprised to I-urn that all those in the gallery and b:;ck seats were being treated to was the artistic manipulation of iheir mouths, in order to give what were • ally artistic efforts if they could have been ' A-.-u.rJ. It is surprising what an influence the form of a room, i«s emptiness and fullness, exert on sound. The effort that will unpleasantly fill a room with sound under certain conditions, would not be heard at all under others. Now that we have thrown out the hint, no doubt it will prove useful. The Christy's had been rehearsing in a comparatively empty room, in which they could hear their voices to advantage without much exertion ; the result being that when they brought the same efforts to boar in a full room, the result w r as rudely implied by the occupants of the gallery, when some of them shouted " Sing out!" &c. Notwithstanding the difficulties of the position—and it would have been a difficult one, even to professionals —those in the front seats, at all events, had reason to be gratified witli the singing of Messrs. G. Booth, Walls, Mitchell, and llalland, whilst in the case of some others who appeared for the first tiire on such an occasion in Oamaru as vocalists, there are evidences that they rray yet give a better account of themselves. Thpn there were character songs and dances which are deserving of favorable comment, by Mr. A. Smith and Mr. Yates, the dances being such as would excel the efforts of many a professional. Nor must we omit to make mention of the excellent manner in which the farce, " The First Round for John," was played by Messrs. Yates, Smith, and O'Beirne. The appearance of the characters was so comical that it provoked continued mirth from all parts of the house. But, in our judgment, the best of all the performances were the choruses—not the opening chorus, for that was decidedly faulty both as regards time and intonation, but the choruses to the various songs. The troupe must have practised these well, for although sung without the aid of the text before them, it cannot bo said that there w r as any perceptible slip, whilst some of the tsoito I'oce repetitions were really delightful. The band als •> is to bo complimented upon the success it achieved. The instrumentalists -Mr. Samson, leader (piano), Mr. Earle (Ist violin), Mr. O'Gallaghor (2nd violin), and Mr. Pheloung (cornet) —played with so much care that we remember no instance in which they gave way to the too frequent practice of each playing solos on their own account. Mr. Samson's accompaniments to the songs, too, were most eonsideratelv and carefully played. Many a more pretentious player might take a lesson in this respect from Mr. .Samson. Mr. Mitchell made a capital "Conductor" of the Minstrels ; but the jokes, while not good, did not possess the virtue of being very bad. Many of them were old and foreign. Local hits tickle the taste of an audience, and that is why we think that it wa< a mistake to omit the Stump Speee.h | usual 011 sueh occasions. Nevertheless, same 'of the j.ikci were funny and we,ve greeted by evident appreciation. On the whole, the Oamaru Christy Minstrels are to be complimented upon the musical excellence attained by them notwithstanding the changes which have lately taken place through the departure from their ranks of some of their number, whose places had to bo filled at the last moment by others—and deserve the thanks of the eommuuity for having brought about so satisfactory a result, it being likely that the amount of L4O will be handed over to the Hospital funds. We shall be glad to see, thorn appear again shortly for their awn benefit. as their last entertainment was, Ave belinve that the next will be an improvement thereon, and amongst these improvements we hope that the troupe will equalise the two parts of their next programme, and not have it quite so lengthy. Of course a vote of thanks wa< accorded to the Chiisty's for their kindness, proposed by the Mayor in the absence of the Chairman of the Hospital Committee, and carried by acclamation.