AMATEUR ENTERTAINMENT.

North Otago Times, Volume XI, Issue 360, 3 November 1868, Page 2

AMATEUR ENTERTAINMENT.

The miscellaneous entertainment, given in compliment to Mrs Mitchell, on Thursday evening in the Masonic Hall was an undoubted success. The building was crowded, some of the audience being unable to find seats. The gallery was also in the sense of numbers well-filled, though as to the behaviour of its occupants badly-&\\ed would be a more correct expression, for, the first part of the entertainment, the concert, was robbed of half its attraction by the unruly conduct of some persons upstairs, who seemed to think that they had paid their money for the privilege of annoying the vocalists and the audience. Not that there was any appearance of studied insult, but that " the gods" would persist in carrying on conversations and indulging in laughter at their own wit in anything but subdued tones. To such a pitch was this unseemly conduct carried, that; after one lady had finished a really beautiful song under very trying circumstances, a gentleman found it necessary to come forward upon the stage and request the , gentlemen? in the gallery to pay some little heed to decorum. The applause which followed his remarks, both. from many persons in the gallery as well as from the body of the hall, resulted" in keeping the unruly spirits more in check, and perhaps the appearanrg of an officer of the " blues" among the back benches may have added point to the warning. If, however, such annoyance as was given on Thursday evening again occur, we would recommend that in future the gallery should be closed. The Concert opened with a pianoforte solo very brilliantly executed by a lady who afterwards played with great skill and taste a " Fantasia from Faust." " A Message from the Sea," by a well-known tenor who was in very good voice, was loudly applauded. " Walter's Wooing," by a lady, who is a new and most welcome addition to the ranks of the amateur vocalists of Oamaru, was deservedly encored, when " M\ Heart is over the Sea," was very sweetly given. " O Erin, my Country," by Mrs Mitchell, was, it is needless to say, beautifully sung, though we have heard this lady to better advantage on previous occasions. In answer to an encore, this lady sang " Long time ago," in excellent style. The " Women of England," was the best effort we have yet heard of the gentleman by whom it was given, and was redemanded, the encore being acknowledged by repeating the last verse. The gem of the Concert, however, came last, the duett " List to the Convent Bells," by Mrs Mitchell and a lady amateur, whose smooth and mellow voice proved a gi'eat acquisition, being unquestionably the song of the Concert. It was eacored and the last verse repeated. After an interval of five minutes " Box and Cox" I — with Mr Clapcott as the printer, Mr Thompson as the hatter, and Mr Rowlatt as Mrs Bouncer — was performed in the very best style of these really clever amateurs, and provoked the hearty laughter of the house. i The novelty of the evening was to come, and on the curtain being raised upon the Oamaru Amateur Minstrels, their really professional appearance and their con ical get-up elicited the admiring surprise as well as the genuine amusement of the audience. Many of the songs, too, were very well sung, and the instrumental.accompaniments were also good' The song " Weeping Sad and Lonely" was really excellent, and was loudly encored and repeated. ' * The "Laughing 3ong and Chorus," carried the whole house into convulsions, so genuine and hearty did the simulated laughter of the performers appear. Mr Farr as Sambo, Mr M'Fadjen as Bones, and Mr Rowlands as Mr Johnson, acquitted themselves to perfection ; the first-mentioned gentlemen being the very beau-ideal of the original Ethiopians. During the conventional conversation intervals, some very good puns were made, of which the two following are specimens : — Why is the Emperor Napoleon's son like a certain merchant of Oamaru? — Because he is intended to represent the whole of France; and — Why is the Bank of New Zealand, in Oamaru, at a disadvantage as compared with the Bank of Otago ? — Because it has lost its Locke. After the ridiculous farce of " Photography" had been given, the performance concluded with a still more ridiculous " Plantation Walk Round," the Audience separating about midnight, having, each and all, thoroughly enjoyed themselves.