STAR JUVENILE TROUPE.

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 6, 10 November 1887, Page 2

STAR JUVENILE TROUPE .

This troupe made its debut at the Harmonic Hall, last night, but, unfortunately, too many counter attractions during- the day militated against the attendance, -which accordingly was not up to the mark. With such juvenile performers, realistic acting could not, of course, be expected, but the parts were all most carefully and perfectly gone through, the prompter \ being but very little required, a hint j which older performers might take ! with advantage. The opening over iturewis well till brilliantly played ! by Hisses M Hamerton and Jacomb, | and was exceedingly well received and I applauded, and the curtain bell rang immediately for the opening piece, 1 Felicity.” We shall not particularise, as it would be scarcely fair tc ! such young people to do so, more es- [ pecially where the range of ago is considerable, out we venture to think that very few of the audience expected to hml the piece either so well staged, dressed, or played as it really was, and the juvenile troupe certainly earned its right to the prefix “ Star,” Master Powdrell, as Dr Trepan, carried the palm amongst the boys, and Miss Konworthy, as Mrs Charloeh, amongst the girls, though Miss A Hewitt, as Miss Charloeh, would bo very difficult to beat, and John Paterson took the invalid old man’s part uncommonly well. It is of course necessary to find fauP. (Our Critic j loves opposition, and we must give i way, thou .hj unwillingly, to his weakness}. There was too much curtain, truo the intervals were filled most ably by Miss Jacomb, on the piano, whose rtnertoire of good music seemed perfectly inexhaustible, but, admirable as curtains undoubtedly are, there is a limit to their beneficial use, and that limit was overstepped last night, It might bo unavoidable, as the stage appurtauees are too limited to allow of the preparation of more than one scone, so many objects require removing and replacing, as the piece progresses, but some means should be devised, whereby this could be effected | more rapidly than was the case last I night, with this exception, the piece was thoroughly successful. Part II opened with an overture by Misses Jacomb, a brilliant piece of music, remarkably well executed, and which was enthusiastically applauded. The song “ Will o' the Wisp, ’ by Mr Horner, was given in his usual faultless manner, Miss Black then came forward, and gave a most excellent rendering of the song “ Message from the Qu en,’'which, was a perfect gem,being sung with capital exv rassion, and as Miss Black was in excellent voice ; she scored a most undoubted success. The quartette “ Sleep gentle lady,” by Mrs Watts, Miss Hamerton, Messrs G- D Hamerton and Horner, was the next number, bm the piece Was not at oil rendered, there being far tio much of the “ go as you please” style about it, which, though possibly pleasant and easy to the performers, is by no means grateful to a music loving audience, and the effect of the piece was certainly entirely marred by this total disregard of time, as when . each performer of a quartette undertakes to “ go as ho pleases ’’ the result is more easily imagined than described, and wo would venture to p> e scribe a little more pn-actioo together, before producing- it in public. The gem of the evening followed this quartette in the song “ Never More,” by Mrs Watts, a lady who made her first appearance before a Patoa audience, and whom we hope to often hear again, as the perfect enunciation of a thoroughly educated voice well under

control, is a treat none too often met with. Mrs Watts has a most powerful voice of good range, and being- so completely under control is capable of giving grand expression tc her subjects. A most uusilenccable onehore was acceded to bj repeating a portion of the song. Tke duett “ What are the wild waves saying.” was capitally given by Mr and Mrs Homer, The contrast of the voices being particularly pleasing, while the blending in the duett parts was equally perfect, a duet on the piano by Misses Black “The Wedding March” gave a most suitable finish to a capital musical interlude, and was loudly applauded The same ladies played the overture to the third part in which they were s'iil more successful. The evening concluded with the comedietta

“'Wedlock” Miss Jacomb sustaining the chief lady character, and Waster W Hirst the principle gentleman character. The chief interest in this was centred in the dressing and staging of the piece, and when the curtain rose one of the most perfect pictures con ceirable was displayed in the bridal party assembled. The effect of the acting was, however, considerably marred by -hoiincoutralablG laughter of the bridegroom, and at a time wdien anything but laughter would bo expo, t xl. Whhjtae exception of such unfortunate cvnlretcmp> tiro piece was placed exceedingly well, Miss Jacomb having two appropriate songs in her portion, which added much to the effect. The curtain-music, fpardon ns for using this compound word here, it has another very different applica tion at times), was supplied by Miss M Hamerton This piece, like the first, suffered somewhat, though in a much diminished degree, from “ curtain” as it was a little too often down, but with that exception, the entertainment was certainly good, and reflects the greatest credit on both the actors and their tutor, Mr Cf D Hamerton, w'ho has bestowed unwearying pains on their training, and has succeeded beyond evoryoms expectation, and gave a must enjoyable evening, and it .s matter for ro/rot that there was not a fuller house to enjoy it.