Musical.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 8, 20 May 1893, Page 9

Musical.

H.M.S. PINATOKE. The members of the Invercargill Amateur Operatic Company, to whom the public owe many pleasant hours, set cut on a short cruise on Tuesday evening on. board Gilbert and Sulivan’s famous craft. The voyage ended on Thursday night. Its progress was followed from start to close by a large number of spectators, who were delighted with the performances alike of the officers and crew of the ship. In other words, crowded houses were the rule, and the result will be a substantial contribution to the instrument fund of the Garrison Band. This is satisfactory, but it has also to be recorded that the season was a musical and dramatic success. Indeed the remark was frequently made that’ professionals could scarcely have given a better account of themselves. Mr F. Woodward, in addition to undertaking and discharging satisfactorily the onerous duties of stage-manager, took the part of the Admiral, and rarely has the benevolent yet inconsistent autocrat of the quarter-deck been more tellingly represented. Nothing essential to success was wanting, and the droll satire of which the Admiral is made the vehicle was conveyed to the audience in a manner that never failed to impress. Miss Geddes essayed the role of Josephine, and found ample opportunity for the display of her fine voice. Her acting, too, while occasionally lacking in animation, was on the whole good, and she distinguished herself in the scena beginning “ The Hours Creep on Apace,” of which a fine interpretation was given. Little Buttercup, as represented by Miss’ Little, soon won a prominent place in the good graces of the audience, the lady being equal to every requirement. To Miss Lithgow was entrusted the part of Hebe, and she speedily proved that a happy choice had been made. She ably seconded the Admiral in his public deliverances, and chaperoned with becoming dignity his numerous feminine relations. Her singing of the interpolated song “ Love’s Requital” in the second act was a feature of the entertainment each evening. Mr F. J. McDonald, as Captain Corcoran, was an ideal naval officer—his singing and bearing were alike praiseworthy. The Ralph Rackstraw of Mr E. B. McEay was also a highly meritorious performance, and he fared well at the hands of the audience. The Dick Dcadeyc of Mr Grenfell was a clever study of the grotesque as embodied in the cross-grained member of the jolly crew. Mr Kiernau did good service as boatswain, and had a capital mate in Mr G. Searle, while the midshipmite found a good representative in Master Siddall. The hornpipe danced by one of the tars (Mr A. Potter) was invariably well received—a fitting tribute, for the item was most skilfully given. The concerted singing was spiritedly rendered, the costumes and appointments were first-class. Mr R. Nash was responsible for the mounting, which is enough said on that point, and Mr G. Double made a good maker-up. Special mention is well-deserved by Lieut. W. Y. Siddall, who had charge of the musical arrangements and the orchestra. Neither he nor the musicians left anything to be wished. Shortly before the opera closed on Thursday night Mr Woodward acknowledged, on behalf of the Garrison Band and Operatic Society, their sense of the manner in which the public had patronised the performances, and also thanked the members of the Society for the way in which they had supported him in his duties as stage-manager. The opera, we learn, will be produced in Gore on the evening of the 31st inst.