MR. COTTERELL’S ENTERTAINMENT.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 189, 14 August 1869, Page 4

MR. COTTERELL’S ENTERTAINMENT.

On Tuesday last we had the pleasiu-e of being present at Mr. Cotterell’s musical and dramatic entertainment in our Provincial Hall, which was full to overflowing on the occasion, not only every available seat being brought into requisition, but the platform was supported by a number of visitors, while one gentleman perched on the chimney-piece. The performance is appropriately named “Table Talk and IJnframed Pictures." The performer introduced himself, in the guise of a Dundreary gent, as “ Adolphus Boosher, Esq.,” and commenced to talk a great deal, with very little meaning in it, but greatly provocative of laughter. An Anglo-Maori Song partook of the same characteristics, and brought the house down completely. He then announced himself as a Mesmeric Lecturer, in which capacity he made passes and passed into the chair himself, where by numerous and almost instantaneous changes he successively personated Old Whitehead, a regular growl; An Invalid ; a Prize fighter, who gave a brief specimen of his talents; Monsieur Philigree, a French photographer ; Bob Boniface, the landlord of the Red Lion Inn ; Watkins and Walker, two gossips at the Red Lion, who discourse upon love, courtship, and marriage, and the latter sung “ The Joily Waggoner ” in the regular style as seen in the roadside inns at home. As Professor Fidget, the University lecturer, the makeup and impersonation was really splendid, the philosophy somewhat doubtful, amounting to 2 + 2 = 4, which he taught us was a well-understood fact now-a-days, but what it would be 2,000,000 years hence he could not tell, but it might be shown thus : 4 ingly on faces and brains. In his own proper person, we next had a somewhat lengthy but exceedingly ludicrous song, entitled “ Beauty and the Beast.” After a brief interval, “ Mr. Boosher,” habited in dressing-gown and slippers, recommenced his Dundrearyisms and Table Talk, singing an original song—“ The New Chum’s Lament”—which appeared to hit off all the provinces in the colony but our own, which he begged to omit. A story of an adventure with a disturbing cat in the dead of the night succeeded, from which we learned that with feint and voice he succeeded in catching the feline intruder, and expelled it in somewhat rough style through the window, all which he afterwards effectively poux*trayed as a “ Sonambulist.” The next dish on the carte was the impersonation of the several visitors at a wedding party, including Dr. Ponder, the di’eary medical friend of the family; Mr. Shyly, the bridgroom, who could say nothing for joy; Mr. Lonesome, the anxious

one; Mr. Wily, the pathetic; Captain Founder; Master Twemble ; and lastly Mr, Swills, who was fond of champagne. Her Von Prozy delivered himself most unintelligibly on several matters, and then recited “ An Ode on the Empire City of Wellington,” the elocution displayed in which was the most finished we remember to have seen hitherto. A most laughable performance entitled a “ German air,” accompanied by himself on the piano, preceded one of his best character’s—Mrs. Meals, who told us how she had got through three husbands—one who loved overmuch wines and spirits, a second who loved her, and the third who loved himself. A most ludicrous song, “ The Twin Brother’s,” brought the performance to a close. Looking back upon the whole, the principal impersonations were undoubtedly the Professor, Her Von Prozy, and Mrs. Meals, in all of which he displayed a polygraphic talent rarely to be met with in the Colonies, and in which his elocution was most perfect. Every character, however, excited his audience in an unusual degree, and from what has reached us out of doors, the satisfaction has been universal, with perhaps a solitary exception. Mr. Cotterell, being well-known here, especially among the older settlers, had no doubt much to do with the large attendance, and we are glad to find that it resulted satisfactorily to all parties. We learn that it is Mr. Cotterell’s intention to pay a second visit in a few months, when he will present an entirely new entertainment.