DRAMATIC ENTERTAINMENT.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1753, 18 March 1874, Page 2

DRAMATIC ENTERTAINMENT.

An entertainment, musical and dramatic, -was given last night in the Volunteer Hall by a number of lady and gentlemen amateurs, in aid of the funds the Literary Society. The- house ; was crowded in every part, more especially the front seats, and the pecuniary result must have been a very handsome sum. If there is one thing niore than another which anyone who is fit to make a criticism should utterly dread , it is an amateur performance, but there was not much room for hyper-criticism last night. The corps dramatique was not large, or experienced, but it had the advantage of being painstaking and showing a capacity for special parts which is seldom seen in a stock company. " Jocrisse the Juggler " is not a good drama for amateurs ; in fact • it is one of those things which depends for success entirely upon : the acting of two or three prominent characters. There :is no continuity in the plot, and the play, like most of those of the same school, rests mainly upon striking incidents, and not upon the easy and natural process of dramatic action. Amateurs are removed from newspaper criticism, but we must say that Mrs Kyle, Mrs Burget, and Messrs Leech^ Kyle, and Raphael, acquitted themselves in a" manner which would have done justice to a much more ambitious stage. Nor would it be right to pass over cum silentio the admirable pianoforte accompaniments, and interludes, which under the skilful fingers of Miss Sims so largely assisted in securing the success of the. evening. The hall was crowded, and every one went away well pleased with the programme. So successful was the performance last night that in response to most pressing invitations the company will repeat it tonight.