AMUSEMENTS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 76, 22 November 1912, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS.

THE DARKOTA MINSTRELS

There was nothing wildly exciting about the entertainment provided in the Town Hall last night by the Darkota Minstrels, but it kept a fairly large audience in good humour, and in occasional merriment, and, for an amateur organisation, was distinctly good. The time honoured chestnuts inseparable from the coloured circle, were served up piping hot, along with quite a nunfber of mkes that were really new, while more wore also other evidences of novelty, chief among which, was the arrival by “wireless” of a black gentleman from New York. Coon songs, to the accompaniment of banjos and bones, and ‘ all kinds of music,” wore the. staple bill of fare, Miss Butler scoring a decided hit .with her two items. There was plenty of vivacity and expression in tier singing, and the songs were much enjoyed. The Misses Jones, King, and Black gave songs in good style, and applause was frequent. Among the male members of the minstrels, Mr. Wilkie, as principal cornerman, was always in the picture. Mr. Wilkie would pass for a good “professional” any day, and last night he was distinctly amusing in his songs, jokes, dancing, and general foolery. Messrs. Jones, Wilson and Lander figured prominently in the circle, contributing songs anti generally disporting themselves in the orthodox nigger fashion. The performance closed with the arrival by “wireless” of Uncle Afose. Two telephones rigged up oil either side of the cage were kept constantly jangling, as Uncle kept the excited niggers posted as to his whereabouts. Intense excitement was aroused, culminating in bursts of applause when the visitor duly arrived, fresh from the U.S.A. In the second half the niggers were displaced by one or two wellknown Stratford amateurs. Captain and Mrs. Dampen, who have won such golden opinions for their respective performances in “Our Regiment,” were associated in a capital little farce “Diamond Cut Diamond.” Hero and heroine meet after nine years’ separation. They had been very close to marrying eaeli other at Monte Cailo, but Fate had willed otherwise. In the meantime they had “done somebody for a living,” and, both, by a curious coincidence, had married, not once, but twice. They looked down from the windows of the hostel, on one side was a bath chair and a millionaire—“My husband,” said the heroine~-on the other side a similar bath chair, a lady, also the proprietor of millions—“My wife,” sadly declaimed the other deceiver. Both Captain and Mrs. Dampen acted splendidly, and the farce was a particularly bright spot in the evening’s entertainment. Several clover impersonations, of a dude, a coster, and a socialistic orator, were also given by Captain Dampen,' and two excellent little recitations by Mrs. Dampen. Mr. H. Twiss sang the “Deathless Army” really well, and Messrs. Wilson and Wilkie also contributed good items. The Stratford orchestra, under the capable direction of Mr. Rogers, performed creditably.

THE GEISHA. Two hundred and thirty odd pounds for a two days’ production of an amateur performance is surely a record, and if the New Plymouth theatre had been bigger even this liguro would have been passed, as on the second night of the performance of the Geisha, hundreds were turned away, the New Plymouth Fire Board prevented the sale of any more tickets. The box plan opened on a Saturday morning at eight o’clock, and before a quarter past nine, over £IOO worth of seats had been booked, and people strolling leisurely to the booking office at half-past nine found every good scat upstairs taken, and most of the others gone too. “The Geisha” will l>e produced here on AVeduesday evening, and all can conscientiously be recommended to see it. Wun Hi’s local hits on the first show night are a treat. So, also, are Miss Buckman’s charming rendering of “0 Mimoaa San,” Miss Bennett’s interpretation of “Molly Seamore,” Jack Haslam’s idea of “Lieu. Fairfax,” Jack Somerville’s stately and imposing rendering of the “Marquis Imari,” Miss Clark in her splendid role of Lady Constance Wynne, the four chief Geisha, the officers of H.M.S. Turtle, and last, but not least, Tommy Stanley, the middy. Stratfordites who journeyed to New Plymouth to see the performance of “The Geisha” were more than satisfied. They were specially charmed with the ballet, and with the fine chorus work. Box plans for the short season opens tomorrow at Grubb’s, at 9 a.m. Queue will be formed at 7 a.m.

BERNARD’S PICTURES. /A large audience was the order at the popular picture theatre last night, when the programme screened was absolutely one of the best yet seen here. No doubt Madame Bern rd is securing some of the world’s best, i lie variety, comprising education, travel and dramatic, is of the finest order. The star drama “Sands o’ Dee” is ; very fine production, taken from the well-known poem by Cbas. Kingsley, and is carried out faithfully, some of the incidents being thrilling and others pathetic. The grandeur of tho coast scenery of the “Sands o’ Dee” is remarkable. “The Romance of Icefields” is another groat production, showing some realistic acting and genuine snow effects. The great ice waterfall, from where the boro of the drama is saved, is what one would term an eye-opener. “Thousand miles through the Rockies” shows to advantage the Rio Grande Canyon and JOOO beautiful spots of the Rocky .Mountains. “Lena and the Geese,” “Bridget Fx plains,” “Making a Soldier,” ard “An Indian Summer” are undoubtedly the best of comics. This bill will ho hard to boat. Next week tho management have secured a great double picture bill, something that will fond to satisfy the most fastidious. Pictures for the education of the farmer, and dramas that will hold one in a grip. The usual prices will bn charged—namely, D.C. Is Gd, stalls Is.