LADY MINSTRELS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3610, 10 September 1890, Page 2

LADY MINSTRELS.

Perhaps ono of the most sparkling and entertaining evenings we have spent in the VVairarapa was that <vith tho Lady Christy Minstrels in the Foresters Hall, at Greytowa, last night. They achieved a brilliant success, and conducted thoir undertaking with wonderful and almost Surprising ability. : When the ourtain rose, the ladies, fourteeu in number, were seen seated in the usual semi-circle of chairs, and with quite the custouary allowance of burnt cork, for they were all as black as ink. The costumes, were vivid in color, but simple in dosign, The corner women, for instance, wore a silky-looking material, of pink, light green, and black. These colours alternated in long broad widths in the otherwise plain skirt and loose garibaldi jacket. They also were adorned with the time-honored huge white collars and cuffs. The vest of the ladies, including the interlocutress, were attired in a variety of extremely gay colors, converted into gowns of a loose flowing character Their appearance indeed was more typical of India and the East than the usual sample of negress, for they mostly wore turbans,

. The iuterlooutrow discharged her important datiaa with due dignity, wh{le the corner women were simply admirable. "Dinah," who handled the 11 bones" with very effective facility, was brimful of fun, and helped things on amazingly, "Topay," on the other hand, seemed to be the vory essence of mischief, and as she deftly and recklessly knocked music from her "tambo" on her head, her elbows, her knees, she seemed the very embodiment of all that was impishly mirthful. The following, formed the first part of the programme—Overture; Opening Chorus," There's a Meeting here To-night"; Song, "The Mississippi Shore" ; Qomic, «< Is there any Harm in That"; Song, "The Old Folks at Home"; Comic, " Just'to Please the Boys"; Comic," The Boy in the Gallery" j Song, "King, fling the Banjo." During its progress applause was very frequent, Numerous toquets wero throw on the stage, and encores had several times to be granted, Between the songs appropriate jokes wore aptly introduced by - the loquacious Dinah" and the irrepressible " TopsyThese mostly had a porsonal application and referred mainly to.gnntletnen of moro or less celebrity who wore among the audience. The ladies, however, handled their viotims very gontly, and'tho jiudienco laughed again and again. Minstrelie array was not adhered to daring the second half of the programme, Tho most noticeable items

on it were the trio '"Three little Maids," and a song "Johnny Sands" by a popular Greytown vocalist. This gifted lady had to oomply with an emphatic encore, and she responded by singing an English ballad of tho modern type with exceeding obarra of voioo. The evening conctaded with a stump speech delivered in appropriate costume by a well known Greytown lady of scholarly attainment. This address wsb a very clever production, and it was.inimitably delivered. The of its occasional lunges earned forgij& ness by the adaptne3S' with they were introduced, and the fr&n| impartiality with which they were bestowed by ' the speaker as (ir ßlio summed np s tbe little weaknesses of several ot Greytbwn'e prominent residents. It was intensely funnfL Tho orchestra and the piani| accompanied the vocal selections w|t| very good taßte and .wore not too prominent, a yery good feature. 7 The ball wja not quite full, but; as the prices. were fairly high, the audience would be a very payable we.; All .connected; with laßt night) entertainment deserve congratulation. The result ww highly creditable,