MR BURTON'S "EVENING"

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12649, 10 November 1905, Page 5

MR BURTON'S "EVENING"

A GREAT ARTISTIC SUCCESS".

Those who braved tho elements las£?i evening anA-attended St. Paul's HaIFS. enjoyed a rare intellectual treat whenes Mr Burton, well known in the Souths* Island sa an elocutionist of a yeiyhiglfeorder, appeared in Wanganui for tber*«first time. The subject chosen was .the»--works of the immortal writer Charless. Dickens. The Burton divided his atten — tion—(l) "The Terrible" ("OliverrTwist"), Bill Sykes and Nancy; (2) "Tfcew Pathetic" ("Domibey and Son"), libttew Paul Dombey, "the* child born to die"p^ and (3) " The Humorous". (" Pickwicknr Papers' 1), Sam Weller, From start tos* finish the entertainment was a hugew success, and in the skilful hands of the;-— scholarly exponent the characters liter— _ ally lived. His powerful description off_Syke's assassination of Nancy, his flighty and terrifying end, were delineated most; powerfully, and made a decided impres—' sion upon the audience. Turning quicklj;from thra somewhat lugubrious subject^, the talented enteribainer 6ho\i^e4t.tliat be-;-is thoroughly au feit with ohifd-life, an^"while listening to the sad story of poos-l-ittle Paul " -ttie Mg round tears " wera^ dangei*ously near more than one pair ofceyes. The advent of "The Humoroas/^" however, saved the situation, and magkrlike th© change from ga*ave to gay was^almost anistantaneous. " Pickwick " iiEgeneral was briefly outlined, and as a, finale spetedal attention was devoted tc»* the two Wellers, and heaaity laughtesrrewarded tihe efforts of the artistic read— er. After the holiday pressure on over - space prevents the detailed report war-— a-anted iby the merits of the entertain--ment, (which froim an intellectual <antE», educational point of view is worthy a£~ esbensive patronage. To-night Mr Bur--ton %vill .make his final, appearance, on^?i Thackeray's "Vanity Fair" will be ther.sttbject of his discourse. The following no— 'tico from what i& an essentially. criticalL•paper ds of interest:— <" The author Jaids:l under contribution by Mr Burton was=Thackeray, and the readings selectecE:. were from "the gi"eat isatirist's master—pieos,'" Vanity iFair." Mi* Burton was;in <capital form, and ifae audience werec> affoixled ta, rare elocutionary treat, the -' • humpuiS the "pathos, and the satire oC" the author baing interpreted in an c/x — oeedingly eflfeciave manner. For nearly*"' two hours <Mir Buriton succeeded in en— ' gaging the earnest attention of those---present^ >and no^^only was he applaude^l 'With::jgreab heaxtmess from time to time;^ dua-ingth^ evening; bntwheu he con—■eluded he was greeted with, a. loud ancfc'prolonged • outibursfc; of applause.'' " Otago -Daily Times." Atifa^ -Wght's enfei-tainment Mr J— Hv'iKeedmg acted "at chairman, and ireintroducing r ''Burton paid a higls.^. tribute )bo his reputation %s an elocir— tionist. ',