CHAS. J.S. PALMER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4113, 14 May 1892, Page 2

CHAS. J.S. PALMER.

J Visit to Mask) ton. ,t Referring, to Mr C.J. S. Palmer n and his company now announced to 0 open in M'natorton on Tuesday next, n the Ditnedin Star says:—"Aunt 10 Lucinda" served |to introduce a : constant succession of songs, duels, it part-songs,■ medleys, and' other w musical numbers of greater or less n importance and varying value, pro-' viding, however, in the bulk a lively 9 ' and cheerful, entertninnieut which at once Hit the taste of the large' n audience. The story of the piece beis ing simple, a brief reference to it will ie suffice. Aunt Lucinda is described " in the opening scene as an eccentric h lady who has mysteriously disappeared and is supposed to be dead, leaving j 8 behind her a will, the main provision i„ of which is that her money is to be d held in trust by. Mr Straw Berry, d who is to hand it over to the first of n her two nephews (Wilfred Norman and Eric Thorndyke) who shall marry, jj but if neither marries within a year t ot the date of the will the property is i] to become the absolute possession of d Berry. This gentleman does his best ■f to keep the nephews in ignorance of 1 the peculiar condition of the will, hoping that the twelve-month will * expire before either marries, but when h only three more days have to elapse a the young fellows got to hear of their aunt's stipulation, and each becomes I* anxious to be the first to marry. Each r falls in love with a member of a 0 comedy company on tour, and it is a ° fair ra:e for matrimony, both being lt handicapped by Berry, when Aunt !, Lucinda herself turns up very much i. alive, and all ends' happily, Mr if Grattan' ,Coughlan; who BUstainß 11 the part of Straw Berry, ia a e -vivacious low comedian. Mr Eo- [ bert Baxter, as Mr Berry's y friend—Mr .Havem-a part that gives Mr Baiter opportunity to work off ,a some really clever eccentric' business' e notably a whimsical trifle called ij " Sailing," v/liioh took the house by ■ storm" and provoked encore after £ encore, which Mr Baxter had to put 0 a stop to by at last giving a recitation, i. We take Mr Baxter to be one Of the a funniest eccentrics ever seen in Dun- & edin, Our old friend Mr T. Bergin 1 also occupies a place in the cast.'. He ' is Mr Wallace, a stage manager who always wants people to Bing, and to t allow him to sing too. His well" i tuned baritone voice waß perhaps - heard to the best advantage in the « sons; called " Vanity," but all his 8 singing was; acceptable, Mr Oliver 9 Leighton,. who takeg the part of Wi|frpd Npripah in' tliat capital song 9 " The Pirate," appeared to have a' £ serviceable bass.: yoice. Miss, Eya . Gleii'and Miss Obrey, wSre t allottsd the parts of Winnie Burst • and Connie Adair, the comedy com- | pany.young ladies above referred to. : In so doing they both saugina manner ■ that (net the approval of the audience,' J Last {jut not least, is Mr Palmer him-' j self, who plays Erjc Thorndykß iu the ~ first part and then Aunt 1; Luoioda.MMr Palmer eifigs'siiwellfls 1 ever ; he haa loat none of his ability I as an actor; and we may perhaps not ba far from, the mark in guessing that ''AUnt Lucinda* wai wfitten specially for ..him, Wh ether tha tis the case or not, his part is one that could not be better filled. Mr Palmer knows how .to be lively, without descending "to j[ulgarity ( ,a[)d/in all respects he is a success,. A l, o'apable orchestra-under the conduct of Signor Equalise "plays the accompaniments with 'taste; and also fills in theupare time id a pleasant manner,