S. ANDREWS FETE

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2601, 14 March 1889, Page 2

S. ANDREWS FETE

TO THB EDITOR. Siu —In the report of the recent Garden Fete at Cambridge, I think some praise should have been given to Mrs T. Wells for the success of the Gipsy encampment. Though the idea was originally started by another lady, I believe she became disrnir.iged, and the whole thing nearly collapsed had not Mrs Wells come to the rescue, and, by her vigorous efforts, ably assisted by Dr. Moon, given the affair such a fresh start that it was carried through, and the result was a complete success. Of l.ho tableaux more mention might well have been made of tha scene from " Norin.l," for it was the most effective and the 'most difficult one of all for the actors (if we may call them so) to sustain. Missß. Young as "Adalgisa," could not have bepn surpassed. The sweet, pathetic and pleading look on her face was perfect. Mr Bones' song, though it received a certain amount of applause, -vas not encored. Many of the audience thought it would have' been better omitted, and considered the lady minstiels, with their own aecompanyist, acted judiciously in leaving the sta<*e. It was a pity " Mrs Johnson unconsciously spoke so indistinctly and was considered «> " verbose," which, I believe, signifies " tedious." Judging from our own feelings, I wonder «ny lady could speak, or sing loud in such an oppressive atmosphere, and the strain on " Mrs Johnson in particular must have been very groat. Would your reporter, in personating such a character for the first time, have done any better? Perhaps not, uuder the circumstances, if he had so many difficulties to contend with throughout, even to the very rise, or rather drop, of the curtain. It was a new and rather conspicuous part for a lady to undertake. " Mrs Johnson" had not the least idea as to the best way of carrying out the role allotted to her. Sho had only her woman's wit to trust to to sustain an impromptu conversation with Messrs Tambo and Bones. She was very fatigued, bodily and mentally, and, at the last, rather unnerved. I am quite sure " Mrs Johnson " tried to please, and I am equally sure she will feel very sony if, after all, she failed.—l am, &c, Finis. March 9th, 18S9.