OAMARU DRAMATIC CLUB.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1091, 17 October 1879, Page 2

OAMARU DRAMATIC CLUB.

The members of the newly-formed dramatic Club gave the first of two performances in aid of the hospital funds last evening in the Volunteer Hall. The Club was assisted by Mrs. Walter Hill and Mrs. W. F. Kinnear, and the Club is greatly indebted to those ladies for the admirable manner in which they performed their share of tlip worly. The front and socondseats were crowded almosttoexcess, while the back seats were tolerably well filled ; and the performance passed off remarkably well. There were, of course, some hitches here and there, but then, hitches are inseparable not only from amateur performances, but from all first representations. The comedy of " Black Sheep," with which the entertainment commenced, is one of those sparkling modern comedies, based upon slender but not improbable plots, that never fail to prove pleasing to an audience. The language is good and the situations striking. The piece was very well cast, the greatest advantage being taken of the talent possessed by the Cluh. Mrs. Walter Hill, as the heroine, Ethel Maynard, was everything that could be deaired j slip was easy, graceful, and natural. Unlike many professional actresses, Mrs. Hill did not strive to outshine the amateurs, but played in such a manner as to render the character thoroughly in keeping with the whole ensemble. There was no attempt at " showing up " the unfortunate amateurs ; 011 the contrary, every assistance and encouragement was given to them, and in acknowledging this condescension we think we are expressing the feelings of the members of the Club. Mrs. W. F. Kinnear, as Lady Barbican, appeared to revel in the' character', which she played to the life, Efer acting was free and natural, and the Club is to be congratulated upon having secured the services of so capable a lady amateur. The 3'oung gentleman who undertook the T.nrts of Mrs. Lester and Mrs. Todhußter deserving 01' very great praise for the way in which ho did hl'3 part' of the work. In' the part of Mrs. Todhunter he was especially effective. As Herbert Lester, Mr. S. E. Smith had a very difficult and, in some respectSj a thankless part to play, but he succeeded in giving a capital rendering of the character, His enunciation was exceedingly good, and the various emotions of which the part is made up were fairly pourtrayed. At times a little more life might have been infused, with 'advantage, into the character. Jacob Mortmain found a very good exponent in Mr. J. G. Moir. The quiet scheming, and not over-scrupulous, lawyer was very creditably played, though at times a little more fussiness might have been given to the character. The Jabez Bunny of Mr. J. Mitchell was a really clever performance. He fairly revelled in the character, and, from beginning to end of the play, had the audience thoroughly with him. Notwithstanding a severe cold, he spoke with much clearness and emphasis, a compliment we cannot pay to some of the performers, who were occasionally >

scarcely audible at the entrance end of the hall. Amateurs will do well to remember that to be heard distinctly, if they are in the least letter perfect, will go far to cover other shortcomings. Not that Mr. Mitchell's playing of so difficult a character left anything to be desired on other grounds, for he was " to the manner born." To those who have seen Buckstone in this, one of his great characters, or his colonial prototypes, Coppin, Greville, or our own evergreen Hoskins, the performance of Mr. Mitchell will not suffer by such comparisons. Jabez Bunny, the canting philantrophist, the hypocritical and pretentious humbug, culminating in the ambitious lover and the rollicking tippler, were each and all most lifelike portraitures, and fairly convulsed the house. Next to Bunny, the most important male character in the comedy is Tom .Shorter, tlie good-natured, jovial lawyer's clerk. The role could not have been placed in better hands, for Mr. B. \V. Hayes, a gentleman who has lately taken up his residence in Oamaru, was really capital, and equalled in excellence any othc/ performer in the piece. The ease and perfect freedom from nervousness which he evinced showed clearly that he is no novice. Mr. Cook would have been good as the Honorable Digby Hardpace had he spoken a little more distinctly, and kept the character more in keeping throughout. At times he became very unnatural, while the point of many of his speeches was lost, owing to a want of clearness of enunciation. His by-play was, however, very good, and he showed that he possesses a considerable amount of talent for comedy acting. Mr. Roy's make-up was very good, but, like many men who have risen to eminence on the stage, he gave evidence of the fact that he was new to the footlights. The curtain had to be raised at the end of every act, a fact which showed that the efforts of the amateurs were appreciated by the audience. We would be guilty of a grave omission were we to neglect to say something about the scenery. When the curtain rose for tho third act, a representation of a drawing-room was exposed to view that elicited a salvo of applause, mingled with demands for the appearance of Mr. Forrester. That gentleman made his appearance, and generously announced that the whole credit of such a piece of scenic handiwork did not belong to him, .is he had been assisted by Mr. Glass, a new arrival }>i these parts, and Mr. Lemon. W© haye never seen a prettier representation of a drawing-room, even in a pre- : tentious theatre. It caused one to forget that he was in the much depreciated Volunteer Hall, and we were pleased to hear Mr. Forrester remark that he had *¥> doubt that Mr. Glass would be willing to provide the Club with many other scenes. The performance concluded with the farce of " To Paris and J?A&k for £5," the chief burden of which fell upon Messrs. Moir and W;'J,ls, The former gentleman was i really good as Samuel Snozzle, looking and acting the character to the life, Mr. Walls was also very good as Mr, Charles Markham, though he could scarcely be heard at the lower end of the hall. The other characters were very well filled. To-iT,igiit the Club will appear again in aid of the same deserving object, and we hope to see the hall equally well filled. The comedy will be followed by "A Rough Diamond," in which Mrs. Walter Hill will sustain the character of Margery, a part in. which she has made a name for herself. A train will leave the station at o'clock for Waitaki Bridge, so as to afford country visitors in that direction an opportunity of returnt ing home.