CHRISTY MINSTREL CLUB.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1010, 28 September 1882, Page 3

CHRISTY MINSTREL CLUB.

The attendance at the entertainment given in the Volunteer Hall last Tuesday evening, under the auspices of the Christ}' Minstrels, for the benefit of Mr E, Stratton, musical director, was not nearly so well attended as we expected. We have already referred to Mr Stratton’s qualities, not only as an excellent musician, but as a citizen, and we certainly thought they were such as would bring a crowded house to his benefit even in Temuka, but that awful want of piblic spirit which is so characteristic of the great majority of the people in this town cannot be shaken off by any influence. Mr Stratton, therefore, may console himself with the consciousness that it was not because he did not deserve it, but because the people are dead to any sense of what is due to merit if it involves expense, that his entertainment was not better attended. We are not surprised that he is in a hurry to leave a place when his abilities as band instructor are not more substantially recognised, and we must say that we enry more than pity him in being able to bid the place good-bye. The extraordinary progreff the band

has made during the time they have been under his conductorship and instruction, was never shown to greater advantage than at his entertainment. The three pieces they played, entitled 4 La Recreation Musicale,’ ‘La Favorite,’ and the 4 Commander-in-chief,’ were rendered in a manner that took every one by surprise. In fact we do not think that it would be possible to improve on the way they wore played, especially the two first named pieces. There is no doubt that the members of the band possess musicil talents, and it is therefore very much to he regretted that their instructor is leaving them, as if he were to remain a few years longer we would have a band capable of entering into competition probably with any in the colony. The band have done their share, they have worked hard,with creditable results, but ha ve met with no substantial support. They have frequently got up excellent entertainments, but the people won’t go to them, nor give them any assistance whatsoever. The band has acquired a degree of perfection that should make the people feel proud of them, but notning will arovse the citizens in this town to feel a piide in anything. This terrible want of taking pride in anything local is the ruin of Temukn, and will be until the people shake it off. The entertainment was certainly capital. The music, as we have already pointed out could not, be much better. Mr Edmonds sang ‘ The Gallants of England,’ though not •qually as well as usual, in first-class style, and Miss Brown followed with 4 The Blue Alsatian Mountains,’ in a manner that elicited an encore. Mr E. Stratton’s cornet solo ‘ Divertissement,’ accompanied by Mrs Cox on the piano, was certainly the gem of the evening, and showed what a thorough master of the instrument he is. ‘ Good Evening,’ a comic song by Mr Burrows, went well, and Mi Rutland’s song ‘ The Noble 24th,’ was exceedingly well song, as was alsd his song ‘ Friend of the Brave,’ which was accompanied by Mrs Cox on the piano, and Messrs Stratton and Harrison on cornets, 4 Scenes that are Brightest’ was also well sung ay Miss Thomson. Mr Clinch created a considerable amount of amusement with his song 4 Naughty, Naughty,’ and 4 The Cousins,’ a duet sung by Misses Thomson and Brown was well sung. Mr Bolton’* 4 Skienstiffic Lecture’ was very amusing, and very well done, barring that it was too long. ‘ The Mulligan Guards,’ in which eight or 10 performers took part, was done exceedingly well. Mr Wilkinson sang two comic songs in a most amusing manner, and the whole performance wound up with a farce, entitled 4 Rum’ns from Rome.” In this Charley Chump has a foolish passion for curiosities, and two young men try to obtain his daughter in marriage #n consideration of giving him an ancient statue. The first gets a negro to appear on a pedestal as a statue, the second does the same. In the absence of all the others the two statues get drunk on a bottle ot whiskey, and both appear on the pedestal together discussing the whiskey between them. The end ot it is that Chump finds he has been imposed upon, and then lets his daughter marry her choice of the lovers. Of the actors in this Mr Levens, a* Julius, was certainly the best. A professional could not have done better. Mr Edmonds was capital as Smith, Mr Bolton as Chump, Mr Williams as Joe, Mr Coira as C. C. Chipps, and Mr Guy as Arabella Chump, acted well. On the whole the entertainment was a capital one, and a great deal of its success was due to the excellent accompaniments of Mrs Cox.