DRAMATIC ENTERTAINMENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2282, 19 November 1891, Page 2

DRAMATIC ENTERTAINMENT.

If the clerk of the weather had been in Geraldine on Tuesday evening we should not have cared to hold a policy on his life; for after the beautiful evening on Monday people fully expected to have fine weather for the dramatic entertainment in aid of the funds of the Geraldine Drill Shed. Had it been favorable weather there would undoubtedly have been a large attendance. Even as it was, with an incessant fall of rain from before the opening of the doors to the finish of the entertainment, every seat in the hall was more or less occupied, and a number at the back had to stand. The hall looked, when lit up and the drop scene exposed to view, as though it could compared favorably with any of its kind in Canterbury, if not elsewhere. One very choice feature of the entertainment was the excellent music supplied by an orchestra of seven, consisting of Miss Fish (piano), Messrs Coventry, T. Sherratt, and Robson (violins), Mr Crowe (clarionet), Mr Vincent (cornet), and Mr Colbert (euphonium). The programme was opened by an overture by the orchestra, “ Swinging Waltz ” (Ed. Silvu). The orchestra in this was accompanied by a number of male juvenile voices, and pleased the audience greatly. This piece was followed by a polka, “ Dutch Dolls/’ after which the curtain rang up on a drawing-room scene, with Doctor Fish as Toby Whiffler, the superannuated exciseman, in the act of diligently polishing a coal scuttle, and Miss A. Fish, as Mrs Whiffles, carefully dusting the furniture. From the doctor’s perfect impersonation of the gouty old pensioner we would assume that in his younger days taking part in amateur theatricals was one of his chief recreations after study. Certainly he was not a bit “ stagey,” and seemed as much at home on the boards as anywherfe. Miss A. Fish, as the fastidious old lady Mrs Whiffles, was perfection itself, both in get-up and acting, and raised many a laugh by her imperious bearing towards Mr Whiffles, the latter falling into utter distraction at the voice of his arrogant spouse. The part of Mr John Brownjohn, in love with Lydia Whifflles, but a little suspicious as to the means of the Whiffles’ family, was ably taken by Mr P. H. Pearpoint. Mr W. M. Moore, as the innocent young man Pygmalion Phibbs, was extremely comical in his get-up, and maintained his part with a good deal of animation. Miss Wilson Smith had one of the most difficult parts of the piece, that of taking part in a love scene, without overdoing the part. This is a very difficult thing to do without making it somewhat nauseous for the audience, but Miss Smith went through the ordeal in . a very ladylike manner without in any way overdoing it. Her part was that of Lydia Whiffles. The orchestra at the conclusion of this farce, which was entitled “ Done on Both Sides,” went through- the “Swinging Waltz” again, ,

and treated the audience also to the “ Star of Love ” valse. The musical charade “ £ s. d.” came next, but as this has been previously criticised by us we have nothing to say of it beyond that Mr A. G. Cox, Miss Cox, and H. W. Moore seemed to throw more life into their parts than they did on the former oc- i casion. Miss Cox looked very nice, and, like Miss A. Fish, was the recipient of a i few handsome bouquets. “ The Little j Sailor’s Waltz ” by the orchestra was o have been the next item, and was looked forward to by some as the best piece of ! the evening, but unfortunately, by some mistake, just as the orchestra were about to commence, the curtain went up for the farce “ Toby Tweedleton’s Tail Coat.” This farce was gone through equally as well as at the previous entertainment, and the ladies received quite a number of bouquets at the conclusion. Col. Bailey came before the curtain, and said that on behalf of the committee and volunteers he wished to say a few words. They all remembered the old Geraldine Drill Shed of a few months ago, with bare walls and roof, in which they were always perished with the cold. Great improvements had been made, and now they had a good public theatre or hall for entertainments. He wished to thank all who had turned out on such a night; also those ladies and gentlemen who had kindly taken part in the entertainment, and more especially Captain Temple, who painted the beautiful drop scene—(applause), and. he thought it could hardly be equalled in New Zealand. (Hear, hear). It was a most beautiful scene, and made the hall a perfect little theatre in itself. He was sorry the elements were against them, but it was intended to , hold another performance in a short time, when he hoped they would have favorable weather and a good house. (Applause).