THE MERCHANT OF VENICE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2472, 19 February 1881, Page 2

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE.

It is rarely that such a house as assembled last night to witness Herr Bandmann’s impersonation of Shylock has been seen in Timaru. There was not standing room after eight o’clock upstairs or down, and yet people continued to arrive every few minutes and block up passages and doorways. The drama was listened to with the closest attention, and, in fact, it is no exaggeration to say that a pin might have been heard to drop in the celebrated trial scene, while the discoiniiture of the Jew on realising that he must forego his bond was received with loud and prolonged applause. Miss Beaudet uppeared to advantage as Portia, and pleaded Antonio’s cause most eloquently not merely by the words but by looks and gestures. The characters of Antonio, Bassanio, and Gratiano found able exponents in the persons of Messrs Cathcart, Hall, and Reynolds, while the minor characters were all fairly represented. At the conclusion of the piece the principal artistes received an imperative re-call, and their appearance before the curtain was the signal for an enthusiastic round of applause. As soon as this had subsided, Herr Bandmann addressed a few words to the audience, his remarks, he said must be neccssaiily brief for the steamer was then waiting to convey the company to Dunedin. Before going, however, he must thank the public of Timaru for the manner in which it had supported the company during its brief stay here. He was glad to tliink that they had met with such appreciation, for the fact that so much interest had been taken in the production of the works of the great dramatist spoke volumes for Timaru. Timaru was not an unimportant place, considered locally, but when one had travelled a few thousand miles few people would know where Timaru was. But the town had the elements of greatness in it, and if it had not quantity it

had quality—both quantity and quality—wore represented at the theatre that night however. (Laughter and applause.) In conclusion he could only once more thank (hem, both for himself and for the members of the company, every one of whom was as favorably impressed as himself he was sure, with limaru and its people, and he hopad that on some future occasion they would renew their acquaintance with this town, and that the people would retain until then the kindly feeling that they had shown to himself and the company generally. Herr B mdmann’s words were greeted with considerable applause.