ABBOTT'S OPERA HOUSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8065, 28 September 1887, Page 5

ABBOTT'S OPERA HOUSE.

MRS. McGOWAN'S BENEFIT. The performance of Guy Maunering by a strong foroe of amateuis, which was given on Monday evening at the Opera House, for the benefit of that sterling actress Mrs. liftchlan McGowan, now unfortunately disabled by illness from following her profession, was repeated last nighb. Tnere was a large audience. The attendance on the first night wae materially interfered with by the great interest centred in the general elections, and this was a pity, for a great deal of pains had been taken in, staging Guy Mannering and the individual roles were in noino instances artistically tilled, while in each case the musical selections incidental to the drama were given with artistic ability, the solos being received in every inetance with loud applause and hearty encores, and the choruses exhibited skilful training, and a good deal of rehearsal. The staging, as already stated, was effective, and the principal roles were sustained ; with more than the average amount of amateur ability. Last night Mr. J. Welsh was eomewhat unexpectedly called on to fill the role of Colonel Mannering in place of Mr. H. A. Keesing, who had played the part the previous night, and considering all the circumstances, he acquitted himself very well. Dr. Dawson's make up »s Dominie Sampson w»s strikingly effective, and his intuitive knowledge of character enabled him to place before his audience a capital impersonation of the innocent pedant. Dandie Dimont found a capital representative in Mr. Lachlan McGowan, who in accent, gesture, and mannerism fully reproduced that ideal of the " Grreat Wizard of the North." Mrs. C. Cooper played with much grace and spirit as Julia Mannering, and Miss Halstead as Meg Merrilies certainly deserves credit for her acquittance of such a difficult role. It is not necessary to refer individually to the others who took part in the drama, and so far as the staging, and groupings, and scenic etiects were concerned they were excellent. It wae, however, in the musical portion of the drama that the greatest merit was exhibited. The barlad, "O Slumber, My Darling," by Miss Danahor, was a very pleasing number, and the echo duet, "Now Hope, Now Fear," by Mrs. C. Cooper and Mr. A. L. Edwards, was iu all respects a treat of no ordinary kind, and was, aa it deserved to be, vociferously applauded; but the musical treat of the performance was, without doubt, Mrs. C. Cooper's beautiful ballad, "Cherette. ,, Amidst storms of applause and showers of bouquets, Mrs. Cooper had to respond to an undeniable encore. The other selections all evinced tracee of oare and precision, and the orchestral and musical department, in charge of Mr. Baxter as conductor, gave the greatest satisfaction. In the interval between the second and third acts of the drama, Mr. McGowan, on behalf of Mrs, McGowan and himself, thanked the audieDce for their patronage, and the performers for their kind consideration, and made especial reference to Dr. ind Mrs. Daweon as the prinoipals in originating the entertainment, and Mr. Baxter, for undertaking the conductorship of the orchestra.