THEATRICAL ENTERTAINMENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1448, 31 December 1885, Page 2

THEATRICAL ENTERTAINMENT.

The dramatic entertainment; given or Tuesday evening last in the Oddfellows Hull, Geraldine, by the Geraldine Amafears, was a pronounced success. Theplsj and the manner in which it was repre seated on the stage was sufficient tc ensure success before the most exacting audience. A theatrical entertainment, too, is a pleasant chance from an entire!} rocat and instrumental one. As the tickets went off rapidly, preparation was made for seating the hall to the besl advantage in order to secure room and comfort for a large audience. Over one hundred chairs were obtained, and the forms at the back provided sitting accommodation for upwards of two hundred people. On the doors being opened at half-past seven a perfect rash took place for seats, and within ths half hour before the opening of the performance the whole of the chairs with the exception of two or three were taken up, and the back seats were wall filled. At ten minutes to eight the proceedings were opened by an overture on the piano by Miss Fish. This lady’s finished style of playing has been so often and favorably commented upon that it will suffice to state that the pieces she played during the evening were a perfect treat, and fully entitled her to the plaudits which were bestowed upon her by a delighted audience. The first part of the evening’s performance consisted of the well-known sparkling comedy “ The Area Balle,” in which is pourtrayed some of the ex* penences of a domestic servant in a private house in London, The piece ia so well known that a description of the plot is scarcely necessary. The chief character, Penelope, “The Area Bede,” was sustained by Mrs Brisco, and of this lady’s acting too much cannot be said in its favor. She gave a vivacious, clever, and realistic represeatation of this very difficult character. Miss Foster acquitted herself well as the lady of the house, “Mrs Croaker,” showing much histrionic ability and a thorough acquaintance with the text. Of Miss Penelope’s thres admirers, Mr Donkin, ss Pitcher, the policeman, filled the part allotted te him with becoming dignity, bis elocution being a noticeable feature of the performance. Mr Hawkins, as a Grenadier Guardsman, acted well, and spoke his lines accurately. The part of Walker Chalks, a milkman, was done full justice to by Captain Moore. The piece ws« received very favorably by the audience, and it is full of ludicrous situations it caused a good deal of merriment. APer an interlude on the piano by Mies Fish, the curtain rose to the mirth-provoking farce entitled “ Whitobait at Greenwich.” The play may he •hortly sketched as followsAa old bachelor, Mr Benjamin Buzzard, and hi* spinster sister, Miss Lucretia, are living together, their house being kept by a servant girl, Sally. Miss Lucretia finding her brother was showing an undue partiality for Sally, resolves to dismiss the latter and obtain a man servant ; wlii'e at the same time Mr Buzz ml suspect* his sister of entertaining more than friendly feelings for their first-floor lodger, Mr Glimmer. It, however, turns out that a few days previous to this, and unknown to each other, Mr Buzzard has married Sally, and Miss Lucretia hai entered the matrimonial state with Mr Glimmer. The happy events were both celebrated on the same day, and each pair after the ceremony resolved to dne upon whitebait at the Crown and Sceptre at Greenwich, the brothsr and his wife ocaupying the Diana and his sister and her huaband the Apollo, each of course unaware of the other’s proximity. Their comfort is somewhat marred by the over-assiduous attentions of (he waiter, Jobs Small. Nothing of importance, however, occurred, beyond Mr Buzzird losing his snuffbox. When Miss Lucretia dismissed Sally, the man who waited upon them at Greenwich applied for the situation. Miss Lucretia and her brother recognise him, and offer him hush money, but as he does not remember then, the situation becomes exiremely ludicerous. John thinks the Buzzard family are suffering from temporary insanity, and makes a second mistake in fancying Miss Buzzard is “spooney” on himself, while in reality ahe is trying to confide in him about her relations with Mr Glimmer, To make the situation more complex and ridiculous Johe fancies he has discovered in Mr Buzzard his long-lost father. However, after some most laughable scenes the mysteries are explained and i

the secrets confessed, and all ends happily. This piece was enacted splendidly. Mr* Turton’a impursonttion of the spinster, Miss Buzzard, was a very clever piece of acting. It was (ho most difficult part of the whole piece, and the way she represented it would reflect credit on a professional actress. Dr Fish as Buzzard was inimitable, and acted the charater to the life, a fact which was testified to by the frequent applause with which he was greeted by the audience. Miss A. Fish represented Sally, the domestic, with chie and piquancy pleasing to witness, her by-play in the scene where she was dismissed being extremely good. Mr H. W. Moore’s part as Mr Glimmer was not an arduous one, but it was well sustained throughout. Captain Moore, as John Small, the Waiter, could hardly be improved upon. He made three most palpable hits in the situations at the supper-table when he supposed his mistress to be making love to him, and when he believed he had discovered his long-lost parent in Mr Benjamin Buzzard. Captain Moore’s acting all through was very cool and clever. The piece was remarkably well played throughout, and the audience showed their approval by frequent applause, and by throwing bouquets to the various performers. At the conclusion all the performers were recalled before the curtain. The singing of the National Anthem brought the performance to a oloia. It was repeated last evening.