THE AMATEUR DRAMATIC PERFORMANCE.

Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 180, 9 March 1867, Page 3

THE AMATEUR DRAMATIC PERFORMANCE.

OnTliuradayeveuiuganumberof gentlemen amateurs, assisted by Miss Rosa Cooper, Mrs O'Brien and Mr L. Harding, gave a dramatic perfoimance at the Union Theatre, for the benefit of the Groy River Hospital. The thetvtre was crowded to suffocation, the audience being decidedly one of the most numerous we have seen in this town. The pieces selected for representation were, Tobin's comedy "The Honeymoon," and Courtney's petite comedy "Time Tries All.'' It is usually considered that amateur performances are only fair subjects for praise and not criticism, but the gentlemen who appeared before the public on this occasion displayed so much of the real dramatic spirit, and gave evidence of so much histrionic talent, that we think it only due tp them that they sloild be ie 3 '.irded as worth something more than a passing notice. We are -the more induced to. pay them this compliment because it is very desirable that encouragement should be given to induce them to persevere, and, if possible, establish an efficient dramatic club. The cast of both plays was evidently a judicious one, the several actors filling their parts very fairly— in some instances excellently. We may, without unjustly disparaging the other per. formers, speak of Messrs Johrstone, Cohen, and Elmer as having displayed the greatest aptitude of speech, ease, and knowledge <f stage business. Mr Johnstone particularly distinguished himself as Count Montalban, and as the Hostess in the "Honeymoon," and as the Hon. Augustus Yawn in "Time Tries All." His make up, as I;he Hostess, was capital. The "part of Montalban 'does not afford much scope for display, • but Mr Johnstone made the most- of it ; whilst as the yawning lackadaisical scion of aristocracy Air Colander Yawn, he fully hit the idea of the author. Mr Cohen's Jorte weshould certainly take, to be" low comedy, judging from the excellent manner in which he played the Mock Duke, especially in the audience scene. Still he showed, in the short scene from Julius Caesar, that he could rise to the higher standard of classical tragedy. Mr -Cohen -played Cassius to Mr Elmer's Brutus,- arid both gentlemen showed a thorough acquaintance with their parts. Mr Elnier has more command over his voice, and modulated it to the language with a better result than Mr Cohen ;" but each declaimed well. Mr Simpson made a tolerable Captain Rolando, but he lacked spirit ; the part of Charles Clinton suited him bet. er. Mr Barke had a very heavy part as Don Balthazar, but he acted with' so much evident desire to act well that he could hardly but succeed. Mr George filled the part- of Lampedo admirably and grotesquely enough, aud his Tommy Fact was not wanting in humor. Mr Kirby. had not much to do, but he did it satisfactorily; and. the same may be said of the gentlemenwho filled the other .parts. Of, Miss Rosa Cooper's acting we cannot speak too highly. Her Juliana was a most artistic performance— full of spirit without being overstrained, and a thorough impersonation of the author's pictured .heroine. It would be needless for us to instance .particular passages out of so much general excellence ; all we can say is that Miss Cooper brought forth all her acknowledged talents, and exerted them successfully in both plays. Mr Harding might, we thuik, have acted better and more.evenly ; attunes he threw off the indolence or listlessness which appeared to influence his acting, and when he did so, he displayed his true powers as an actor. Mrs O'Brien played very pleasingly; Mr Strike's attempt at performing the celebrated feat of the Davenport Brothers, was a most successful one. Capt. Boiiner, of the cutter Dart, voluntered to tie Mr Strike, and at first did it so harshly as to eutirely stop the circulation of the blood in the performers hands, but afterwards the rope was relaxed a little, but still left to all appearances securely tied j but.in about two minues Mr Strike succeeded in freeing himself. Prof essor Sampson's j>oses in imitation of classical sculptures were very clever and artistic. An agreeable addition to the programme waa^made by Mr Smith who. sang two songs— one from the opera of ' Montana, ' and the other," Hattbn's ballad 'My Pretty Jane. ' Both were beautifully rendered, and elicited warm applause. Mr Smith possesses .. a tenor voice of fine quality and compass, and he sings with great musical taste. Mr Wright's violin-solo. 'The Carnival of Venice 1 with variations was played with, all the skill and finish for which this. talented; performer is noted ; he was encoredand played a second solo equally well. The whole entertainment was ably managed by Mr Lionel Harding and was a decided success. The only fault wa3 its too protracted length, it being half-past twelve o!clock before it terminated. At the 1 fall of the curtain, Mr. Revell, thanked the audience on behalf of the Hospital Committee and tendered their acknowledgments to the various performers professional and amateur, for the service they had rendered. We may here mention that Miss Rosa Cooper, Mrs O'Brien, Messrs Harding, Pamson and Wright liberally gave their services free, and that Mr Kilgour made no charge for the use of the theatre or lights. It will be seen by an advertisement in another column that the. Gentleman Amateurs will perform again this evening at the Union "Theatre, in a complimSntary benefit to Miss Rosa Cooper, -when we trust there will be a bumper house. The nett amount realised by the amateur performance for the benefit of the Hospital was L3O. The actual receipts were L4B, from which Llßhadto be deducted for the ; necessary expenses. 1