BABY POMPADOUR MINSTRELS

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume II, Issue 115, 21 May 1881, Page 3

BABY POMPADOUR MINSTRELS

The " Baby Pompadour Minstrels " opened at the Hawera Town Hall last night. They are very clever, and in spite of the depressing effects of a half-empty house, each boy went tb rough his allotted part in a spirited manner. The performance is after the most approved Christy Minstrel pattern, but some of the ballads are new, and it is pleasant to hear the clear,, ringing voices of the boys, and to know that they so thoroughly enter into the spirit of the songs they are rendering. The^e were jokes, there were clog dances, there were farces, and tbere was some really good singing. We shall, therefore, be surprised if there is not a better audience this evening. Not that we are admirers of precocity in any shape, and we should, prefer to see the boys in their own homes, rather than on the stage. But they appear to be well cared for, and are under the tuition of one of the ablest musicians in the colony, Mr. Salvatore Cemino, who brought the Wellington Artillery Band (afterwards the Naval Brigade Band) to such a high state of efficiency, and who, as organist of one of the Wellington churches, made a name for himself and took high rank in musical circles. The "Baby Pompadour Minstrels " will give a performance this afternoon, in order that young boys and young girls around the district may have an opportunity of seeing them. No child can be hurt through going to tbe entertainment of these juvenile Christys, as they do hot court vulgar applause by means of anything which even the most fastidious can classify as improper. This evening Mr. Frank Wallace, one of our best amateur singers, and tbe possessor of a splendid bass voice, will render some solos, as he is desirous of lending a helping hand to the " Baby Pompadours."