MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC SOCIETY

Marlborough Express, Volume XXIII, Issue 103, 7 May 1887, Page 3

MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC SOCIETY

, o , — •• If there is one work of his early life to which Mr F, ■<!, Burnana, the present Editor of the Londo i Punch, can look back upon with unmised satisfaction, it is certai.ly not his burlesque of "Lord Lovel." There is, as most people know, an old ballad, treating of the love Bind misfortunes of Lord Lovel and his Lady Nancy Bill, and upon this ancient, effusion Mr Barnand, so long ago as the war with China and the foundation of the ticket-of-Jeave eystem (the onty matters to which there is any rational ail ision m it) wrote a dreary and stupid burlesque, abounding m ■word-torturing puns..but ntterlv devoid o humour, and containing several snatches o£ songs, wedded to barrel-organ tuue3, and -bordering m some eases perilously near'to the valg-'-ri It was not to be expected that anch a-" burlesque, especially aa it is written for a small » amber of characters, and has only one female part, should escape the "beagle- heye" of amateurs, and accordingly our local musical and dramatic society produced ie m Ewart's Hall, to a small audience last night. The following was 'the cast :— Lord Lovel, Mr Paul Douslia : Baron Billy Bell, Mr K. B. Mclver ; Ramtifoozle, Mr G. Griffiths ; Brigands, Messrs Hillman: and W. Griffiths ; Betainers, Messrs C. .Scott and G. Carter ; Jnnr. Lady Nanoy Bell, Miss Maggie Normanby. Now a burlesque, however poor it may be —and Lord Lovel certait.ly is poor stuff— can always have something made oat of it on tbe stage; but, to dc so, the performers must have some appreciationof tbe spirit of burlesque, (which, like blank terse, olives, recitative, and dare t, is an acquirpd taste), and, _ above all, must have committed their lines to memory. With eveiy wish not to discourage our amateur friends, it is right to say that m both these things they were found wanting. Mr Griffiths is, of course an able and experienced burlesque actor, and Mr Hillman seems to have some knowledge of the quiet fun and by-piay bo indispensible to burlesque. But of the rest it is more charitable to be silent. Messrs Mclver and Douslin spoke their ljnes as though they were figuring m a genteel modern comedy, and hence the effect of nearly eiery one of their puns was lost. Miss Maggie . Normanby sang well and looked charming, but she mnst articulate more clearly and bring out the points better before she will Bhine m burlesque. . Still, however, she was evidently a favourite with the audience, and what honors there were she and Mr Griffiths fairly divided. The dresses and appointments were m good taste, and, if Mephi3tophlees ever possessed an ancestor, JRnmtifoozle was evidently that man. The most successful scene was the wedding banquet, m which some burlesque juggling was introduced with amusing effect. But the worst defect must not be pasßed over, from first to last "the voice of the prompter was heard m the land," and, to do that official justice, he wes heard all over the Hall with unfailing regularity. The after-piece was the evergreen «• Waterman," and m this Mr Lucas was as successful aa on previous occasions, as Tom Tug. He gave the good old songs, " The jollyyoung Waterman," and " Then farewell my trim built wherry " very well well indeed, and w '.much applauded. Mr Griffiths— we Bhould not like to hazard a guesa how ir any times he has played this part — waa an pmußing Robin, and ._his eong " Cherries and plums" received in -encore. Mrs Mullen mi le one of the Lest Mrs Bundles we have seen on the amateur 8 age, and Miss Mc>gie Normanby (who must take < .?e to be letterperfect m her songß on another occasion) was certainly a very attractive \tfilhelraina. Mr Paul Donslin was good as old Bundle. Upon the whole the "Waterman " was satisfactorily performed. But; if we may be pardoned for giving Mr Griffiths, the excellent Stage Manager, a serviceable hint — to make the Society a success m the futnre he must get fresh blood and modern pieces.