ENTERTAINMENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2348, 26 April 1892, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENT.

Messrs Gates and Wood made a mistake in selecting last Friday for their entertainment at Geraldine, as on that evening there were counter attractions in some of the country districts, which called from Geraldine a number of persons who appreciate an entertainment such as given by the “ Gates and Wood Company.” Perhaps, too, the company suffered for the want of publicity and an advance agent to boom it. Certainly they had the smallest audience ever seen in Geraldine, too small even for a thirdjT'.te minstrel show. Those who did attend, however, were not in any way disappointed, for the company put heart and soul into their work, utterly ignoring t’ie fact that to a certain extent they were wistin° r their “sweetness on the desert air,” or as Mr Gates, the company’s cimic member, afterwards put it, “it was the funniest audience he had played to, for he could hardly see it, and nearly sawed his bass-viol strings through to get up steam.” The entertainment itself was first-class, and those who did not attend can be aasured that they missed a musical treat which they do not got from every company that visits Geraldine. The company consisted of Mr llichard Wood (Timaru) Leader, and Mr H. A. Gates (Ashburton) Musical Director, with an orchestra as follows : Violins, Mr R. Wood, and Mrs C. Wood; Viola, Mr Charles Wood; ’Cello, Miss Ada Gates; Bass, Mr Horace Gates; Pianistes, Mrs Charles Wood and Mrs Olaridge. The orchestra had the feat place on the programme, with an overture, “ The Harpers of Wales,” rendered Wltli faultless expression and melody. In this Mr R. Wood, with the leading violin, showed himself at once to be no mean player. A pretty duet followed, called “ Flight of the Swallows,” by Mrs C. Wood and Miss Wood- The voices blended sweetly, both ladies proving themselves to be more than ordinary vocalists. The song, “ The Wreck of the Hesperus ” came next, by Mr Horace A. Gates. This gentlemen, although he does not possess a first-class musical voice, spoke the words of his piece with Such effective expression and clearness, that everyone could easily follow the narrative. The first encore was gained by Miss Wood, for her singing of ° The Better Land,” with violin obligato byMrR. Wood. Miss Wood’s singing was without a doubt a prominent part of the entertainment. On the platform she appeared quite young, but her voice was as sweet ai'd mellow as could be expected from an oMer person. Responding to the encore, she sang *'• Come back, Sweetheart, come back,” accompanied with Mr Chas. Wood, on the ’cello, and Mrs Chas. Wood on the piano. Mr R. Wood then came in for a good roivnd of applause and an encore, for a violin so'lo played in a masterly style. Mrs 0. Woo'd sang “No thank you, sir ” in a very winning manner. In some passages her voice had a full, rich, tone whiihat forte had a powerful effect. The only faults which mar her singing are, that she appears to sing with too much effort. The time-worn duet “Very Suspicious ” was well rendered by Miss A. and Mr H. A. Gates. This closed the first part of the programme. The other half of the programme was commenced by the orchestra with selections from the “ Bohemian Girl,” a splendid item, which was loudly applauded. Mr Hoarce Gates put the audience in fits of laughter with his comic song “ Here he Goes.” Mr Gates has a happy knack of raising mirth without showing any vulgarity. He had to respond to the demands of the audience with another song “He was a careful piau.” Mr Charles Wood’s

violin solo was a clever performance, and it seemed as if something more than “ the mantle of the father had fallen on the son” in his case, for his playing was equal in every respect to that of his father’s, and the clear tones he brought out in the high octave were even bolder than those of Mr Wood, senior. The next appearance of Miss Wood was received with applause from the audience, and for her perfect rendering of “ Katie’s Letter” she was again encored, and bowed her acknowldgements. Mr It. Wood then distinguished himself on the viola, with the solo “ Larghetto ” and one of the gems of the evening came next; a duet “ I Heard a Yoice in the Tranquil Night” by Miss Wood and Mr Gates. In this Mr Gates’ voice was heard to better advantage than in any of his previous songs, while Miss Wood as usual excelled. The other items were an instrumental trio “ Reissiger,” Mrs C. Wood (piano), Mr R. Wood (violin), and Mr 0. Wood (’cello), and a selection of English Airs by the orchestra. One thing about the performance worth mentioning was the care and precision with which Mrs Charles Wood and Mrs Claridgeinturn accompanied the vocalists with the piano. We understand it was Mr R. Wood’s intention to visit Geraldine professionally once a week, but the smallness of the audience on Friday night would give him little encouragement to do so.