AMATEUR DRAMATIC ENTERTAINMENT.

Marlborough Express, Volume XV, Issue 204, 1 September 1880, Page 2

AMATEUR DRAMATIC ENTERTAINMENT.

An entertainment was given at the Assembly Hall, Picton, last night (August 30) for the benefit of the -principal sufferers by the lafe Benwicktown fire. The night was cold and wet, which in part accounts for the total absence of what is called by courtesy (courtesy only) the " upper ten." This being the case, of course the audience was not good, but at the same time, taking everything into consideration, not so bad ;as wasj at first expected. Indeed, shortly before the performance commenced, it was even suggested that the entertainment should be postponed, as only two or three spectators had appealed ; these, and the general desolate appearance of the Hall reminding one forcibly of Miss SnevelliciV "Bespeak!" In all affairs of the kind, that is to say amateur performances, a great deal has to be forgiven or excused, as it is not to be expected that those who appear, may be, for the first or second time on the boards, can play with all the confidence and vcive of finished actors, therefore we must not be too severe in our criticisms. The performance commenced with the well-known farcial comedy, " A Day alter the Fair," the " cast" of which was as follows :—Old Fidget, Mr H. Brewer; Mr Sterling, Mr C. Godfrey; Clod, Mr S. Harris ; Jerry, Mr A. L. Palethorpe; Polly, Miss Emily Joyce. As the piece is so familiar to most play-goers, it will not be necessary to give a digest of the plot. Suffice it to say that it was fairly well performed, and merited the applause it won. Miss Joyce made a very piquant " Polly," her only fault being that her words were indistinct. This, perhaps, may have been caused by a slight nervousness, aa it was her first appearance "on any stage." Mr Harris made a capital " Clod," and his rendering of the character was most successful. Mr Brewer looked " Fidget" all over, and what little "Mr Sterling " had to say was delivered easily and naturally. As for " Jerry," while allowing for the difficult and trying nature^of the character —no less than five complete changes of dress and person having to be made—we must say that the role might have been given to one better adapted for it than was M Palethorpe. In one or two of the impersonations. " Susan Squall," the itinerant ballad-singer, and " Octavius Moonshine," the madman (notably the latter) the acting was all that could be desired, and it woukl'notjbe discreditable to any professional, but in the other phases of the character Mr Palethorpe was utterly out. One of the greatest arts of the actor is to appear natural, and this Mr Palethorpe fails to do. We are not at all inclined, to be lenient in the niacter, as if gentlemen will take characters altogether iinsuited to them, they must expect to be criticised. So much for the "Day After the Fair." In the interval betweea the abovementioned play and the concluding force, a few songs were intnduced, "The Village Blacksmith," by Mr F. Long ; and " Tom Tiuelove," and " The Broken Rose," by Mr A. L. Palethorpe. If Mr Palethope is not an actor, be is, at all events, a singer, and oue of no ordinary merit, as was plainly shown by his reudering of the last-mentioned song. The performance concluded with the farce " D'ye Know Me Now ? " The Picfcon Amateur Dramatic Society might have chosen a piece which did not abound with quite so. much vulgarity, but such as it was, it was moderately successful. Ohaiactus: "Nogo

Dumps," Mr F. Muir ; "Samuel Waitwell" Mr T. Law; "Septimus Sellwell Jolly," Mr A. L. Palethorpe ; "Jabez Sniggins", Mr R. Long, A slight hitch occurred now and again, as one geutleman occasionally forgot his patt, but it was hardly noticeable to the uninitiated. "Mr Sniggins" and "Samuel Waitwell." were really very clever, and caused a great deal of amusement. Taking the performance as a whole, we may say that it was not bad, and deserved a better house. We wish every success to the Pictou Amateur Dramatic Society, and trust that they will not think that because we have been so far as we can, impartial, we at all intend to " damn them with faint praise." The pianoforte was presided over by Miss Harris, a young lady, who played with remarkable skill and grace, and contributed greatly to the enjoyment of the evening.