ENTERTAINMENT AT THE EXCHANGE HALL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 3265, 23 October 1897, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENT AT THE EXCHANGE HALL.

■ Andrew,A. l fiofoaa.> Society’. njAyt ilia heartily ncongratnlatedjjupoiy the given it fey the ledlea wh» deyteed And earned out the unique and delightful entertainment which took place at the Exchange Hall last night. The programme was a welcome departure from that of many of the ordinary everyday concert, ■ It comprised operatic soenas—solos, duets and choruses —recitations and dances, concluding with . a laughable performance by a ' burlesque orchestra j and, moreover, tbe.fcrogrammo was in another sense novel, as it was carried out entirely by ladies. “Butterfly Land ” was the title of the extravaganza which formed the first part of tho entertainment. Ihe Queen of the Butterflies, seated on a rustic thronOj Was - surrounded by a pretty group of her subjects, who sang the appfo* priato chorus "In Lazy LanguorV’from Gil* beet- and Sullivan's “ Utopia* limited Miss Phoebe Pafaohs taking the the solo from 44 Christopher Columbus ” “Lazily, Drowsily ” (sttng by Parsons) with its Quaint hiimming accompaniment. Then the Qneofi (Mua X; Watson), who looked daintier than! Any. butterfly in her roho -.■of silk, With a jowpJled headdress and Wihgd* and a sceptre, of sovereignty, proceeded to inouloato a moral lesson derived from witnessing tho activity and industry of the humble bee, and to tho profound amazement of the denizens of Butterfly Land, suggested that they should follow the bee’s example. "You say that with work only can we bo blessed ?” queried one of her subjects. "That is the attitude I wish, you to take up,” she re.lied. "'.That is the beoattltttdo We .do not Want ” such is the 6urfyiifefcoEd?ttoof Butterfly Land, according to Mr Et- B. Brides, who is the librettist of this clover little production. The Queen having made thio suggestion of a scheme of activity, those present resolved themselves into a caucus, and various professions yrerq suggested -tj iaw, p-uniahstn. and politics* pntil i eventually mpsic and tho drains. wore r.hoscfl' b£' the as tho field in which they - were,. „ most likely to bo successful.* Uhe music introduced in the course of HhU discussion’ was excellently kivon.' ‘ Where the Bee Sacks,” wna eung tastefully by hlisa PhtPbe Parsons (in the unavoidable of Mrs B. M. Wilson), and encored. Miss QueOnie LcthanVa "I Don't Want to Play in lour Yard,”, was given with such naivete and appropriate spirit as to earn k lewd recall, this number being one of tho best or the evening. . The very pretty skirt dance ’ by six Of the butterflies, with its changes of' limelight, - also took imineh«ely aud had to be . repeated. Xu was olnioua during this dance that the sWo to<o < t-roali. Miss Parsons was roCalUd for oh, Honey I”, while Miss L. Watton’a recital of iiret Harte’a well-known poem 41 Her Letter ” wva likewise vrvll applauded. Alins A«,wton and Mips X’hcabo Parsons mad© a great fcuooeas of the operatic fevena from the " Pirates of Penzance,” Mips Parsons being encored for "Poor Wandering one.”-■Another selection from "Utopia, Lim.ted,” and. a chorus " Quaff tho Nectar ” preceded on© of tho best items of the evening, the ridloulouely-comioal duct and dance, by Misses Newton, deaciibing an ill-starred ride in a motorcar. This was irresist : b!y laughable and brought down tho house. It is a parody on “ Finicule, Fiuicu'a,” and of course bad to be repeated. In tbe seoond part of tho entertainment, Miss Hencah sang in good voice " Tho Link Diviup ” (Miss Eleio Hennah playing a violin obbMgat >). Miss D. Grieg sang tastefully, Mina Holmes waa deservedly encored for a recitation and Mrs MaoDuffrßoyd sang aduiirably "Tho Braes of Gleniffer.” Tbe burlesque orchestra waa one of the funniest things possible. Many of the ladies were made up to represent well-known mnsiciana, and as each of those walked on to take his place amongst the players, the laughter and applause were deafening. The leader c£ the .orchestra was recognised at once tho original was amongst tho audidcco, and thought it with everybody else a great joke when; hla double .glared, through his spectacles at tbo people in characteristic fashion. Tho flato player was also easily recognisable, and so with the double baaa player. Whoa tho two pianists entered there was a roar of laughter and appreciation, but tho climax came when the conductor entered, made up to represent a musician now in Sydney. The playing of the orchestra waa completely lost in the shrieks of laughter. The instruments used by tbis burlesque band of players wereapparently for the most part kazoos, or something of that kind; but the French horn and bassoon players made great effect as they introduced their instruments, deploy: ably out of tune, and possessing a bellow considerably resembling that of aiimll. Various selections from operas were given, only partly heard on account of the laughter; but when one of the popular airs waa encored, a great hit -was made as one of the players, who represented a gentleman well known for hia aversion to encores, got up and strode off the stage, to be dragged back again by tho conductor, • whose exaggerated gestures tickled tho house immensely.. There was a crowded audience, and the entertainment was thoroughly well received. The suggestion that it ought to ba repeated might well be considered. The make-ups of tbo playcri in tbe burle-qno orchestra were designed by Miss HiOhard*on and Mr A. Newton .