TE KOPURU.

Observer, Volume 5, Issue 120, 30 December 1882, Page 250

TE KOPURU.

An entertainment was given in the Public Hall, Te Kopuru, laßt week, by the local Dramatic Club. There was a very fair attendance. The overture, " Juanita," and all the musical selections were well rendered by Mr 3 Leaborn, who had to perform on an instrument frightfully out of tugg. The performance commenced with " The Momentous Question," which was rather high-flying for amateurs, and especially country ones. It would be unfair to criticise the performance from a professional point of view, but a few honest remarks may benefit the players on a future occasion. Mrs Boult'a Rachel Ryland was well played, considering what a difficult task it is even for old stagers to carry out the author's idea ; but it perhaps required a little more f eeling thrown into it. The Robert Shelly "of Mr Wharton was much better played towards the close. At first there was an appearance of stagefright. He was best in the prison scene (which, by-the-bye, reflects great credit on the artist, who, we hear, was also the energetic 'stagemanager — Mr Lindley). Mr R. Campbell, as James Greenfield, was rather " sticky " — too much of the walking gentleman, and not quite the model gamekeeper. The Onion Jack of Mr James Molloy was the life and soul of the piece. It is true he transformed a Yorkshire character into an Iri§h one, but the old saying, '•' Blood, will tell," did here, for a good deal of amusing stage business was introduced which shone with Irishisms. Mrs Howlett played Fanny with much spirit and abandon. The second piece was the ♦extravaganza "Bombastes Furioso." It caused hearty laughter, but wanted more rehearsing, especially Mr Lindley's King Axtaxo- 1 mqnes. He is quite an old hand, but we noticed he failed in.giving /he cues ; otherwise he was a success. His business was almost perfect. The Bombastes of Mr Howlett. was very fair, though he -wasjo^ather stiff. Mr. James Molloy played Fozboz very well, hut seemed a little out of his natural element, which we should consider was in a rattling farce. Mrs Howlett, as Distafina, looked and played exceedingly well, and seemed to*? Jive great satisfaction to the audience. The frequent dips of the drop-scene took away from the 'effect. The perfoi*mance was repeated on Saturday night with much greater .succesl, the players seeming much more at home.

Who is that J.P. in the Raglan district that headed a subscription list and then said he did riot intend to pay ? An affectionate father, on Saturday night, went into a shop in Queen-street to get a rocking-horse for his boy. He was so deeply agitated with the associations of Christinas season that he couldn't fetch the youngster whom he had left on the pavement. The. result was, that lie strayed from the child instead of the child straying from him. There was. trouble for him when he went, home, and he lost his back-hair.