THE WAIKATO MUSEUM.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2501, 21 July 1888, Page 2

THE WAIKATO MUSEUM.

As briefly reported in our last issue, a coi cert and dramatic entertainment was give: in the Public Hall, Cambridge, on Wednes day evening to raise funds to form ; nucleus for the proposed Waikato museum As we anticipated, the performance was : grand success, both artistically and finan cially. The hall was crowded, and man; who were unable to be present took ticket to help forward the cause. We are unabl at present to give the exact amount rea hsed, but it will not be far short of £20 which in these depressed times is no meal amount to bs gathered in by a single enter tainment, especially when the prices o admission are fixed at 2s and Is. The ide; : ,[ a Waikato Museum was one of th methods suggested at a public meeting a i fitting way of celebrating the Queen': Jubilee, it howerer did not find favour witl the majority, and was abandoned ; race; And a citizens ball being substituted. M lleorge Shirley did not believe it ;he matter being shelved, as wa Jone at the Jubilee meeting, and shortlj ifter volunteered to get up an entertainmen ;o put the matter on a tangible footing vhich resulted in the performance given m Wednesday. Mr Shirley has l«n i resident of Cambridge for a com laratively short period, but during tha ime he has instituted and managed somi if the most succssful concerts and entertain nents that have ever been held in the own ; and when we say that this one wa: he best of them all, it will readily bi inderstood that it was of no mean order n the trial sccne, Bardell v. Pickwick, tht itnge effects and the dresses worn by th< lerformers were exactly such as thosi lourtrayed by Dickens in liis celebratec vovk. New scenes were painted, and it onscu nonce of the stage not being largi inough to allow of the usual drop sceni leing used, when the witness and jurj joxes wore fixed, another one wf*® hunf ome distance out in the hall, which over :ame the difficulty. The programme w;o s follows :—Part 1. Hunting song, Ok bowler." This grand old English song vould perhaps be better known as This lay a stag must die." The solo was taker jy Mr Shi rely, owing to the indisposition if Mr C. Huntor, and he was supported bj i chorus of ladies and gentlemen, all o: vhom were attired in hunting costume. A.l me portion of the chorus, where it come: ' Hark forward away " with a long sus ained note on the "away;" Mr Charle: iitchnian (behind the scenes), gavs very correct imitation of the 'gone away" call as given by tin mnbsman when tho fox breaks cover, vhich greatly added to tho effect o he piece. The chorus was composed of thi ollowing ladies and gentlemen : The Misses ■Valker (3), Taylor and Moon, and Messr: 3arr, Phillips, Taylor, Pilling and Pritt The song went well, and the dresses—espo nally the scarlet—made the scene a verj iretty one. Song, "Laddie," Miss Cham >ers; song, "Old Timber Toes, Mr H ,Vilson; recitation, "How we Beat tin favourite," MissH. Walker; duet, " Wher he Wind Blows in from the Sea," Mrs ant diss Chambers ; song. " Eileen Allannah, »Ir Russell; song, "She WoreaWreatl if Roses," Miss Wallace. The whole of tin 'ocalists sang well, and wero loudlj .pplauded ; Miss Wallace, however, had t< epeat a portion of her song, as the audienci vould not be denied. Miss Walker's reel ation was a most difficult one for a lady tc indertake, but it was, nevertheless, giver vith a spirit that clearly showed slu iraspid the moaning of the author, the latt Ldain LindseyGordon, the prince of sporting loets. Part 11. consisted of the celebratei ireach of promise of marriage trial, Bardel •. Pickwick, which is undoubtedly oni if the masterpieces of the immorta jharles Dickens. The following ari he characters and their impersonations rustico Starleigh, Mr Hyatt; Sergean iuzfuz (counsel for plaintiff), Mr Gharle; Liick ; Sergeant Snubbiu (counsel foi lefendant), Mr Geo. Shirley ; Mr Pickwict defendant), Mr Kent; Mr Winkle, Mi Vard ; Mr Perker (attorney for defendant) ,[ r J. McVengh ; Sam Weller, Mr Tyer klr Griffin (foreman of jury), Mr McDer nott; Clerk of Court, Mr Angus ; Oner dr H. Wilson ; Mrs Bardell (the fascinatini ilaintiff). Miss Walker; Mrs Oluppia. plaintiff's friend), Miss K. Walker ; Mr: launders (plaintiff's friend), Mrs ])ickin on ; Mrs Bardell's son, Master Brennan those of our readers who did not wit less the performance and yet w*h_ ti :now what the stage and dresses were like ,■ e, would refer them to tho Pickwick and they will be able to form ' ;ood idea, and at the same time we canno lay the performers a greater complinien han by so doing. Where all did so well, i s perhaps invidious on our part to men ion anyone in particular, but as some ol he perfomers had litttle to do —neverthe ess, they did that little well—we are snn hey will not grudge a word of praise to tin eading characters. The ladies were al ■ery good, and looked the stuffy old dame: hey represented, to the life. Mrs Bardel ainted in what we should imagine wohli io the correct style of that time, and wa: jrought to with a drop of comfort out of i mall bottle. Mrs Cluppins was a perfec liagpie in the witness box, when ouci airly started on her domestic troubles, sh lowever, to our thinking, took rather toi nuch of the comfort from the little bottle Mrs Saunders manifested a motherly nterest in Mrs Bardell's son (Mastei Brennan), and furnished him with i figantic bun at which the little fellov iegged away manfully. He was a mos lecided " hit " and took his part well. 0 .he gentlemen of course Sergeant Buzfu itands first, and anyone who has seen M 3has. Tuck in low comedy must know tha .his is a character that would exactly sui lim. We have seen several pro essionals that could not equal him ii his character, and tha whole o ,he long address to the jury be deliverei ve believe, without onco looking at hi: lotes. His facial expression when examin ng the witnesses was grand. Mr Shirley is Sergeant Snubbin, was a counsel of i nilder type. He delivered his address tc he jury in a forcible manner, but there ii lot the scope for acting in this character t< inything like the extent that there is ii: -hat of " Buzfuz." Mr Ward made a first ilass " Winkle," and muddled up his evr lence in a perfectly natural manner ; and vlr Kent, as the irascible " Pickwick," was ill that could be desired. "Justice Stare eigh" (Mr Hyatt) and " Sam Wellcr " (Mi Pyer) were well up to their parts ; and the ' Clerk of the Court" (Mr Angus) caused ;reat amusement when calling over the lames of the jurymen by mentioning the atest edition of Auckland bankrupt celeirities. The audience were convulsed with aughter during the greater portion of the jerformanee, and we think everyone went ,way feeling satisfied that they had had heir monoy's worth. We think it a pity hat so much trouble should be taken with uch a piece for one performance only, and vould suggest that it be repeated, for we relieve the hall would again be full to see t. The public are greatly indebted to Mr Shirley for having made a start with the nuseum fund, and we hope they will coninue to add to it.