ETHIOPIAN ENTERTAINMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2480, 2 June 1888, Page 2

ETHIOPIAN ENTERTAINMENT.

The Ethiopian entertainment in aid of the Hamilton cricket and football clubs, was given in the Hamilton Hall on Wednesday evening. The Hall was comfortably filled, the whole of the front seats being occupied, and some holders of front seat tickets had to be content with back seats, there being in all, about 200 people in the' Hall. Promptly at 8 o'clock the programme was commenced by an overture, piano and violin, selections from Les Cloches de Corneville, by Miss Newell and Dr Murch. This being followed by the opening chorus, Tue solo for which was written and sung by Mr T. G. Sandes, the subject being England v, Auckland, the programme as published in Tuesday's issue was theu gone through. " Swanee Kiver," with banjo accompaniment, Mr C. A. Davis, the banjo, being rather a novelty in these parts, this item was well received, as was also the next song, "Raspberry Tart." by Mr P, O. Gibbes, one of the corner men, Mr C. Le Quesne then sang "Grandmother's Chair," for whiah ho was loudly applauded, and had any encores been allowed, Mr Massey (Tatnbo), would have had to give one for his rendering of the " Butterfly Dnde," which fairly brought down the house. In " Sweet Chiming Bells " Mr Mulgan's fine voice was heard to advantage, and the chair business in which several local hits were introduced by the cornor men concluded with a local song, " The Hamilton Borough Council," by the company. This song was written by Mr Johnson for the occasion, and as all the councillors had their little weaknasses displayed, the curtain fell amidst roars of laughter. The second part was opened by an overture, "The Blue Bells of Scotland," by Miss Newell and Dr. Murch, and then Master Mettain was encored for his cornet solo, " Home Sweet Home," as were also Messrs Massey and Somers for their double song and dance, " I'm going to get married next Sunday," Pastor Gibbes created roars of laughter by his negro sermon, " Halfway Doin's." Mr C. A. Davis treated the audience to several banjo selections, and the ■' Warrior Bold " by Mr Kemy Steele was loudly applauded. This part concluded with a stump speech by Mr Massey on Language, and the language he used created peals of laughter. During the interval "Life let us Cherish," was played by Dr. Murch and Miss Newell, and then the farce "Ebenezer's visit to New York " was performed. The plot, if such it may be called, is briefly this, Julius, (Mr P O. Gibbes) the under boots at a boarding house in New York, is ordered by the landlady to kill an old dog belonging to the house before Mr Ebenezer Zephiah, the coloured member for Congress for Ohio, (Mr T. G. Sandes) arrives, but before he has time to do so Ebenezer arrives and engages a bed, and as he has to mske his maiden speech in Congress the next day retires early, but not to sleep, for the other lodgers are not nice, quiet 'spectablo people' as Julius has led him to believe, for first of all there is a gentleman upstairs who practices on the cornet, and not being able to sleep through a cornet practice he prepares to leave, when he is met at the door by old Startle'em. (Mr C. Le Quesne) the ghost of a man who cut his throat in this room. Having got rid of Startle'em and the cornet having ceased he propares to get into bed again, when he hears a row outside and Sirs Quintus Quietus, (Mr D. Flood) rushes into his bed room to escape from her husband, after a deal of trouble Ebenezer gets rid ot Mrs Quietus, but she takes his clothes with hor. Mr Quintus Quietus, (Mr R. J. Gwynne) then rushes in and throws Ebenezer down and rushes otf for. his pistols. Julius then enters and thinking Ebenezer is asleep says he must do the deed, and the knife being sharp says it won't take long, Ebenezer upsets the table as he thinks he is going to be murdered and theu a general row ensues, in which guns are fired, bells rung, and everybody rushes on to the stage, when Ebenezer says that Julius was going to kill him, but the latter explains that it was only the old dog he was going to kill, and the curtain falls. All through this farce the audience were in fits of laughter, and judging from their faces went home having thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The dance which followed was kept up until the small hours, and was very enjoyable.