GISBORNE DRAMATIC CLUB.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 227, 2 December 1874, Page 2

GISBORNE DRAMATIC CLUB.

Another of the season’s performances of tJiis Club took place in the Music Hall on Tuesday evening, the 24th November, on which occasion, we are happy to state, a large and evidently delighted audience assembled to greet the members after rather too long an interval. We must, however, do the Club the justice to say that the interruption of the periodical entertainments promised at the outset of its career, was caused solely by circumstances over which it held no possible control. The domestic and other family cares of those from whom we draw our amateurs, will not, at all times, admit—especially with ladies—of their services being at the Club’s disposal; and to the fact of a lady having generously consented to fill up the gap, is due the present performance, if, indeed, not that of the existence of the Club itself ; therefore, we desire to meet generosity with its kind, and return the lady the thanks of the community for aiding so effectively in giving a very agreeable evening’s amusement. As “ Rachel Ryland,” in Fitzball’s well-known Drama, “The Momentous Question,” Miss Stanley, was, in the main, thoroughly at home ; she has a good delivery in those parts where a slight tremor does not mar its effect. She is evidently not a debzitante. and, we have no doubt that further familiarity with her audience will soon remove that small defect. Miss Stanley was a little wanting in pathos ; but we should have been surprised if all the fires of Venus herself could, have inspired her with the “master passion ” before such a vipid lover and husband as “James Greenfield” was rendered on’that occasion. Mr. Drummond must make love in earnest before he can aspire to a character on which greatly depends the success of the piece in which he plays an acted part. The “ Momentous Question”is properly called a “thrilling” piece of representation, and it is between characters we have mentioned, and the two “Robert Shelly” that the chief interest of the piece lies. Mr. Drummond is a man of mark, notwithstanding, and a valuable acquisition to the Club, but the character of “James Greenfield ” —at any rate the love-making part of it —is not, unfortunately, in his line of business. Mr. Butt we fully expected to realize the opinion we had previously formed of him, and he did it. He has a confident, outspoken style of delivery, and had a very fair conception of a poacher — cum — smuggler hero. “Union,” or “Onion Jack,” as he would persist in calling himself, was ably sustained by Mr. Whitehead, whose drolleries were in happy contrast to the more lacerating parts of the play. After the interval, Mr. Dufaur, and Mr. Turner sang two or three songs, the latter of whom was, as usual, vociferously encored. Mr. Wilson also gave a reading from Mark Twain.

A fearful tragedy called the “ Domestic Hearthstone,” or the “Virgin Maiden’s Revenge,” sustained by Messrs. Piesse, Jefferies, Nash, and Steel, caused much fun on account of the excessive unreality of the circumstances that brought about such lamentable results. The “Spectre Bridegroom ” Farce was capitally put on the stage, and something more than creditably played by all who took part in it. Mr. Brodie played “Nicodemus” to the life—almost to the death, according to the plot—and Captain Porter and Mr. Jefferies did good service as “Captain Vauntington ’’and“Paul"respectively. Of Mr. Bettington’s “ Squire Aidwinkle,” and Mr. Piesse’s “Dickory,” too much cannot be said in laudation. These gentlemen are much above the average calibre of what is seen on amateur stages, and it is not too much to say that to them the success of the Club is mainly due. Mr. Bettington never played better, although he is always at home in all his parts ; he lias a clear, retentive memory, and never losses his head. We hope soon to have the pleasure of recording the success of another entertainment similar to that we are now noticing.