Entertainment.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4652, 1 December 1883, Page 2

Entertainment.

An entertainment maid of the expenses attendant on the breaking up at Christmas time of the Kauaeranga Boys' and Girls' public schools was given in the Academy of Music last evening? 1 and passed off very successfully, the arrangements reflecting great credit on the committee. The house was well filled throughout, the front seats especially being liberally patronised. The musical portion of the programme opened with a chorus from the compauy, " Come to the fair ; " Mr Coney following with "The Free Lance," for which he was applauded. Miss Bridson sang "The Flower Girl" very sweetly, and Mrs Brassey's rendering of " Jessie's Dream " was warmly appreciated. A song by Mr Vowles, " Good-bye, Sweetheart, good bye," was rendered with his usual precision, and Mrs Mackay was also successful in "Darby and Joan." An amusing duet, •' Money Matters," by Mr and Mrs EL. Phillips, was the next item, and provoked roars of laughter, the singers responding to an encore with " Fanny Grey," which also called the risible faculties of the audience into play. Mr Airey's voice was heard to advantage in " The Scout; " the Misses Coney were loudly encored for the duet " The Fairy Queen," and pleased the audience by their rendering of " May'st thou dream of me," when repealled. Mrs Payne gave " Come back to Erin," and when encored j " Killarney." The quartette, "The Village Chorister," by Mesdames Smith and Phillips, and Messrs Airey and Phillips, brought the musical part of the entertainment to a close. After a short interval to make preparations for what the programme designated " Mrs Jarley's Waxworks" an impromptu showman came before the curtain and " harangued " the audience on the perfections of the show, and the great future before his assistant " Patsy," a very " patchy" looking specimen of Irish boyhood. The drop scene was then raised, and a splendidly got up tableau (with living pieces) of Dickens sketch in " The Old Curiosity Shop,'' was displayed. The showman pointed out each celebrity, explaining what they were noted for in a few words. The characters represented were: Mrs Jarley (proprietress of the sho^), Brittannia, Mrs Hannah Moore, Hinemoa, Little Bed Hiding Hood, Chang (the -Chinese giant), the statue of Galatea, Mrs Squeers and hungry scholar, The Three Graces (Joy, Pleasure, and Splendour), Cleopatra, Cinderella, Flora McDonald, the Daughter of the Regiment, and the Farmer's wife (with three blind mire). The figures were arranged round the stage in a most effective manner, the Three Graces occupying the foreground, while Britannia formed the ceatre of the background, supported on the left by Galatea and on the right by Chang and Flora McDonald ; the remainder of the figures I were arranged along the sides. The costumes were well conceived, the attitudes excellent, and the way iv which the positions were maintained without moving highly creditable to the performers. The impersonation of the statue of Galatea was exceedingly realistic, and the young lady who took this part deserves praise for her conception and acting. The concluding portion of the entertainment was the farce of " Beautiful for Ever," in which Misses Crowther and Harris, and Messrs Gerring and Christie sustained the characters. Their acting was good, the interest being well sustained throughout. The entertainment was got up almost entirely by the teachers and scholars of the two schools mentioned, and the money raised should be ample for the purpose in view.