COMUS DRAMATIC CLUB.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1232, 22 May 1880, Page 2

COMUS DRAMATIC CLUB.

The first performance of the season given by the lady and gentlemen members of the Club came off in the new Oddfellows' Hah last night ; and we may say, not using a somewhat hackneyed phrase without meaning it, that it was a thorough success, in a dramatic sense at any rate. The Club has on former occasions given evidence of what it can do, and the changes which have taken place in its constitution since the last performance have not tended to rob it of any of its prestige. The success which attended the efforts of the members last night has, however, only been attained by long and patient effort. From the first rehearsal the absence of a suitable place for the purpose was severely felt, the excellent stage and appurtenances which met the eyes of the audience last evening having been erected entirely within the past week or two. The audience was a large and fashionable one. The Hamilton Light Infantry Band, in aid of the instrument fund of which the entertainment was given, was present, and. performed some very pleasing selections by way of overture. The curtain then rose to "AH that Glittsrs." The chief merit of this, one of the best pieces of the ingenious playwright Maddison Morton, consists in the general interest with which nearly all the characters are invested. It is in no sense a one character play, and if one actor succeeds in distancing the others it arises from one of two causes ; either he is more than commonly adapted to the requirements of his role, or the other characters have been badly cast. The plot is very simple : Jasper Plum, a rich cotton-spinner, has succeeded in bringing about a marriage between his youngest son, Frederick, and the Lady Valeria, the daughter of an earl, and the first act discovers the old gentleman busily engaged in arranging for the wedding which is to take place immediately. Meanwhile his son Stephen, who has not received the advantages of education and culture possessed by, the other son, has fallen in love with one of the factory girls, Martha Gibbs. When this becomes known to the father he runs almost destracted, and resolves to place every obstacle in the way of the union. Stephen imparts his secret to Fred, through whose good offices Jasper is induced to regard the proposed match more favorably, on condition that it should be postponed for three mouths, during which time Martha is to be taken into the family, and to be treated in every respect as a member thereof. Strangely enough Martha Gibbs and the Lady Valeria had been companions in their youth, the former having been taken charge of by the countess on the death of her own mother. Martha is not long in discovering that although Lady Valeria is to be married to Fred, her heart has been given to another, in the person of Sir Arthur Lassell, and preceiving the heartless natnre of the latter she determines at all hazards to cure her friend's infatuation. Sir Arthur is invited to the wedding by the unsuspicious Fred, and on arrival is recognised by both Valeria and her aunt, the Dowager, instantly conceiving that as he once saved her life his presence is due to her attractions. Toby Twinkle, the attached dependent of Stephen, and the humble friend and admirer of Martha, is the valuable ally of the former in his love affairs, and is continually on the alert when anything is to bo done for his master's son. Matters are in this complicated state at the end of the first act. When the curtain again goes up a period of three months is supposed to have elapsed.; Frederick has been married, and thanks to his "friend," Sir Arthur, he has been despatched on a foreign mission. Sir Arthur thus having the field to himself prosecutes his suit with the Lady Valeria, whom Martha saves at the risk of her own reputation, in this wise: knowing Sir Arthur's true character, she induces Valeria to be a listener at an interview, which she secures with him and the horrified young wife listens to the scoundrel's tale of the love he professes to bear to Martha, and opens her eyes at last to the danger which menaced her. Lady Leatherbridge has, however, been a listener too, and carries the tale to Jasper, who, secretly glad at the intelligence, resolves to turn Martha out of doors on account of her infidelity to the man whose wife she was to have been. The story is told to Stephen, who refuses to believe it, but is at length convinced and is overwhelmed by the discovery. At this point Frederick returns, only to find that Martha is to be turned out of doors, and he agrees with his father's determination. Lady Valeria, however, at the risk of losing her husband's affection, boldly tells the truth and saves her poor friend. It is> then Frederick's turn to be stricken, while Stephen regains all his former lightness of heart and fairly cries with happiness. The erring, but not guilty wife is forgiven at Martha's earnest entreaty, and happiness reigns. Most inopportunely for himself, Sir Arthur enters to welcome his friend, and meets with a reception wanner than he bargained for, only barely escaping being kicked out. Lady Leatherbridge, albeit shocked at the turn affairs have taken, looks at the matter in a philosophical light, and now that she has lost Sir Arthur turns her attention to Jasper, who, however, declines, by mute but unmietakeable signs, to have anything to do with her. The observant Toby thereupon offers to marry her Ladyship on condition that she dies as soon as possible, and leaves her money to him. This of course has the immediate effect of ridding the room of her presence, and the curtain falls on the happiness of the Plum family. Of the several impersonations it is not our intention to say much. Amateurs are, by long established custom, exempt from

the tolls imposed by criticism, and very jastly so. The members of a dramatic club ought to constitute a happy family, and their harmony would only be disturbed by laying down distinctions which of necessity must be invidious. We, however, intend to say something, premising that if we look more favorably upon one than upon another it is not because the part was deserving of more praise, but because we enjoyed it more. Of the ladies, indeed, we find it hard to speak, each having fulfilled the task assigned her in a way so munistakeably good. Our favorite was certainly Martha Gibbs, the high-minded and generous factory girl, whose varying emotions were so faithfully pourtrayed by the lady amateur who took the part. In the love scenes, but more especially in those situations where she had to feign a love for the villain he* soul abhorred, her success was very marked, nor was it less so in the conversations with the gentle, but guileless, Lady Valeria. The part of Lady Valeria requires that it shall not only be performed with ease and grace, but with power and feeling, and it is no more than justice to the lady who took the role to say that these conditions were faithfully fulfilled. The part of the dowager, Lady Leatherbridge, affords scope for the exercise of a talent for eccentric comedy, and in the hands of the lady who filled the position was a thorough success. Of the male characters we say, unhesitatingly, that Mr Swarbrick's "Jasper" gave us the greatest pleasure. A better piece of amateur acting we have seldom seen, and it is not intended as a bad compliment to the gentleman to say that he not only acted his part well, but he thoroughly looked it. In the part of "Stephen," Mr S. E. Smith had a difficult task, and in some of the parts the evennets of execution necessary was wanting. His enunciation was however always clear and distinct, and when impassioned tone and action were alike appropriate. Mr J. Wood's "Frederick" was in every respect what the author intended it should be, a gentlemanly young fellow, with excellent motives and with no suspicion of evil in anyone else. Mr Wood is entirely new to the stage, and gives promise of becoming with care a capable amateur actor. The part of Sir Arthur Lassell was played with the utmost care by Mr Field, an old member of the Club and a good one. The cool impertinence and the deep villany of the roue were admirably brought out, and the character, which is not likely to be a favorite with any pit, was in every way a success. The rollicking Toby Twinkle could have fallen into few better hands than Mr H. Steele's, though he was if anything rather too lively. Though somewhat tall for the part, his make-up was splendid and his rich jokes were given with a gusto that fairly brought down the house. Master Dawson made a good Harris and the minor characters were well filled. The applause all through the piece was incessant and was fairly earned. Mr S. E. Smith then came before the curtain and explained that, owing to an accident which had happened to one of the gentlemen taking part in "Checkmate " he would have to play his part in a chair, and after a short interval the comedietta of "Checkmate" was presented. The plot is so well known as to need little description. Sir Everton Toffee, a proud baronet without money, comes home from India, with the avowed purpose of marrying his cousin Charlotte Russe, whom he has not seen since she was a little girl. He, however, fearing tint she would accept him not for himself but for his title, hits upon the expedient of changing costumes with his groom, Sam Winkle, and the plan is accordingly adopted, it being understood that he is to make love to the heiress. Charlotte, who is rich, has an idea that her cousin wants her for her money, and, in order to test his principles, exchanges places with her maid, Martha Bunn. The result may be anticipated : Sir Everton is disgusted with the supposed Charlotte for her vulgarity, while Charlotte herself is equally shocked at the want of manners displayed by bam in his assumed character. Sam and Martha, each deceiving the other, fall desperately in love, and when, in tbe course of events, the two cousins discover each other, they bind them to promise to many. They then discover themselves to che servants, who, as may be imagined, are thoroughly disgusted with one another, but finally make it up. The lady who played Martha Buun cannot be complimented too highly on the excellent use she made of her opportunities. The impersonation was irresistably funny from the rise to the fall of the curtain. The part of Charlotte was performed with a ladylike finish which left little to be desired. Mr Field's Sir Everton too was a very fair performance, and demonstrated the fitness of the gentleman for this style of character. Mr Bell's Sam. was a grand piece of comedy, and at onco hit the taste of the audience: the get-up, tone, and gesture at once bespoke the finish which was imparted to the role. Of the minor characters, Mr Swarbrick's Waiter ami Master Da wf-on's Cheeks were exceedingly good, and the r> st were all fairly filled. There \va«, feowever, a stiffness about the piece which denoted unraistakeably that rehearsing had not been properly nt tended to ; but, when we take into consideration the difficulties we have already alluded to, this can bo easily forgiven. The Comus Club has evidently strengthened the good reputation they have hitherto held, and we hope soon to again see them ocenpving the boards of the Oddfellows' Hall/