"A CHRISTMAS CAROL."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1009, 27 December 1910, Page 5

"A CHRISTMAS CAROL."

— -fl • RECITAL BY MR.- LAWRENCE -CAMPBELL. . -. The English-sneaking people of to-day wo more to:.Charles.Dickens than they ma. ever hope '■ to pay, for he had that Faculty of instilling into his stories an element of the kindliest humanity. His villains, such as Sykes, Quilp, and Co., were but brilliantly brutal foils to the ?entle, tender-hearted, forbearing folk who havo wound 1 themselves about tho lieart of the nation. Christmas has alivays made an appeal to the mind religious, but the writings of Dickons have surely accentuated tha spirit of charity prevalent at this season. So long as Dickens is read, Christmas will never fail in the hearts of the people. Of ill his writings that touch on Christmas none makes a mora vividly human appeal than "A Christmas Carol," that wonderful dreaim fantasy, which plays so gently i'et so firmly on- tho' heart-strings at all times,- and particularly whe.n Christmas is at hand." The story,' favoured by all 3lbcutionists, was told by. Mr. Lawrence Campbell at tho Opera House oh Sunday evening to an appreciative audience, ipart from tho recital being a wonderful 'eat of memory—Mr. Campbell took twoiiours in the recital—tho visitor proved his value as a pleasant,, easy-going raconteur, renoseful and .intimate in style, and irith a "marked gift for characterisation, flis voioeis as pleasing and as free front nonbtony as, his style,.and, from time to ime, when he nlausod ■ for, breath more han- anything else, lie was enthusiasticlily atrolauded. The dialogue was crisply littered, but never too. fast to .obscure ■ho humour or pathos of the lines, and Mr'.- Campbell .was very milch at home .vhen'half a- dozen characters were employed co'nvei'sationallv. Each was'a disinet entity, and had tho indicatory words lecn' omitted, the characters would .have seen easily reCognisablo to those with- a jnrsory' knowledge only of the Carol, t was altogether a very delightful •coital, which should go a long way awards ensuring Mr. Campbell liberal patronage for tho rest of his .perform-, inftes in Wellington. _'-..-. THE SECOND RECITAL. There were spare scats in the Concert Dhamber at. the Town Hall last evening, >ut this is-no reflection on the entertaining capabilities of Mr. Lawrence Campjell and his company. Enthusiastic ilaudits. followed every item, and the ludicnco at times became somewhat un-■easottable-in the/insistence with which t pressed its oft-repeated demand for an "We songs of M.' Eugene Ossipoff were •dually potent -in their effect on. the mdienee.- For his rendition of the proogue from. "Pagliacci," and of. Torealor"".M. Ossipoft was enthusiastically moored, and' his closing item,, Barcarilla," produced no fewer than three reVe'ntion must bo made of! Miss Itenee Lees who accompanied M. Ossipoff with sympathy and skill in each of his liumerms items, and Mrs. Shaw-Mayer who n-as responsible for a couple of brightlyrendered piano solos, and accompanied Mr.'-Campbell in his musical mono ogues. To-night, in the Concert Chamber ot the Town Hall, Mr. Campbell and his lompany will give their third recital The programme will - include a scene from "Othello," "A, "village Priest and a musical monologue, "A Bunch of Roses."" The fourth and final Tecital will "be given to-morrow evening.