HUDSON'S SURPRISE PARTY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5583, 7 October 1879, Page 5

HUDSON'S SURPRISE PARTY.

A well assimilated acd variety and minstrel company made their debut last night at the Lorne-street H.ill, uuder tho nara>» of the Hud oa Su- rise Party, aurl the name on the whole may be said to be appropriate. The programme w.is a ringed in the usual order of negro minstrelsy, but when the curtain rose, instead < f exhibiting a row o£ blackened face?, there wer; five elegantly dressed young Indies— seated at the piano, a second with a violin in her hands, aud the others without musical instruments other than thise which they subsequently shew id the audience they were eudnwed with by nn;ure. Tnerc were tliree men. Mr. Glov-.-r, dressed in evening costune, presided as interloc.itor; and the only b'ack faces on the were those ot Mr. T. Hudson, as Bones, nnd Mr. C. Wallace as Tambo. During the first part of the programme the fair miust.rels an 1 their coloured brothers placed themselves high in the opinion of their audience. The choice of songs was excellent, and the first. " One Thread of Silver," was allotted to Miss M. Norton. This lady possesses a contr .lfco voice of considerable c .mpa-s, aud did fuil justice to the pretty ballad. Giving precedence to the fair sex, we next to Miss Ad* Maven, who sang " De.ir Little Sham.ock" in a very pleasing manner; and was su ,:ceede' by Miss M. Burton in the song "Little Blue Eyes," in wuich slv.* created a most favourable impression. Mr. 15. Glover who is evidently an accomplished character sii.gerj gave the "Q»ieS Little Home," aud Measrf, Hudson and Wallace supplied thj humoious element in the songs ''Biby's First Tooth" aud " Blow the Candle Out." A burl tque act, the " Srrpr s; Musketeers," which fairly set the audience inroar-< of 1 aught r, brought the first part of tho programme to a close. Some of the couuudrums and passage* of arms between Bonej aud Banjo were highly amusing, and h.ul the merit of not being hackneyed. I'he second w i.-j decide lly the best part of the progra iime, an i introduced the individual merits of the perform rs in the best light. It opensd with a cleverlyexecuted musical selection by M 'ss V. DeGay (violin), and Misj F. DeGay (piano.) Both are accompli he J musician.*, and the harmony was all tk .t c mil be deiived. Subsequently Miss V. DeGay performed a violin solo on Scottish airs, bho is a clever performer, thoroughly at home in the manipulation of this instrum mt, producing the most difficult passages apparently without effort, aud her performance was enthusiastically applauded, la response to an un -euiable encore she played " Auld Robin Gray " with exquisite feeling and pathos. Miss Burton aud Mies Maven sang "JuaniU," as a duet, with such success thet chey hid to respond to an eucore, and subs q'-ntly Miss Bjrton sang two ballads very sweetly and effectively. Mr. Glover sang several character songs, and Messrs. Hudson aul Wallace, by their aamsiug dances, aud oddities, kept the house m roars of laughter while thay occupied the stage. Au ainueiug farce " The Paris Exhibition," brought tho per« formance to a cloie. No d *übt tha company will have a successful season. We may add (although it seems odd that we should have to do so) that there is nothing in the entertainment to which the slightest objection oan be taken, and we quite believe that it will be as popu ar with tho I.dies as with the gentlemen. The present programme will be repeated to-night for the last time.