EDMONDS'S GLEE CLUB.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1087, 27 March 1883, Page 3

EDMONDS'S GLEE CLUB.

Edmonds's Glee Club gava a perform-1 ance last Thursday evening in tho v'olun- j teer Hall. There wag a very large audience, and from a monetary point of view the entertainment was a success. The performance, however, had a great drawback. Mr In wood, of Winchester, was to have presided at the piano, but was called away to Christchurch on urgent business the day previous to the entertainment. This left the club unprovided with a pianist, and so there was nothing to be done bi't telegraph at once lo Timaru, and there was no one to be got there. A young lady named Miss Paul, however, volunteered, but, having had no previous rehearsal, sho was hardly equal t» the task, and her playing was u drawback. She, however, deserves credit, for she did her best, and it was not to Dp expected that she could play the Pinafore without any previous practice. Up to 'lie introduction of Hebe, who was represented by Mrs Edmonds, the singing was rather dull, but that la<iy threw some life into it This spirit was taken up by Mr Ashwell, who took the part of Sir Joseph Porter, K.C.B , and was the only one who was honored with an encore all the evening. Miss Lines deserves credit for her singing of the dual part of Little Buttercup and Josephine, the song "Sorry her lot" being well rendered. Mr Aspinall also acquitted himself capitally of tho part | of Captain Corcoran, and Mr Rutland sang

well as Dick Deadeye, the duet between ] them being very good. Mr Coltman as I Boatswiiin, add Mr Whitehead as Mate, sang welt. The latter has a very peculiar deep bass voice, and he uses it well and witli due regard to the music. Mr Williama sang tho part of Bob Backefc well, and the choruses on the whole was good, considering the dis advantage under which the singers labored owing to not having a competent pianist. It may be mid, however, that Pinafore as a conceit in not much. It must be acted and the sprightly passages in it must be sprken to be thoroughly appreciable. We believe that Mr Edmonds did his best to get it acted, but owing to circumstances over which he had no control was unable to do so. At the close ot the concert he explained the difficulties he had to contend with respecting a pianist and other things, and said that if any one else took t'ie matter up he would be glad to give his services and assistance in every way to get the piece acted properly It wa3 a pity, he said, after having gone so far not to act it now, and we quite agree with him, but we think that unless he takes it up no one else will. He certainly deserves great credit for the way in which he hud coached the amateurs tlirougb,and we are sure that had he the material to work with, he would have been able to produce the opera in a really creditable ityle. We hope that ha will persevere, and that on some future occasion the opera will not only be sung but acted a'so.