BENCOUGH, CARTOONIST.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10240, 1 September 1909, Page 2

BENCOUGH, CARTOONIST.

Bengough, the Canadian entertainer, will open in the Opera House to-night. Bengough tells stories graphically, and humorously, recites dramatically his own verses, gives musical burlesques, and is in addition the only cartoonist who makes a specialty of embellishing his programme with sketches of local notabilities and cartoons on topics of the moment. This unique feature he manages with such tact and good taste that it is everywhere enormously popular, and by none more heartily enjoyed then by the "subjects" selected for this distinction. To judge from the Australian criticisms, Bengough as a cartoonist, entertainer, singer, and comedian is a host in himself. The Sydney Mail comments thus: "As a platform cartoonist, Bengough surely has no equal at the present moment; his work is not only quickly done, but it is full of life and character. There is plenty of humor, too, about these sketches, and the entertainer has the power to raise a laugh just when he pleases. It should be added that he pleases very frequently." Bengough is probably the most versatile artist on the concert platform, for in addition to being a cartoonist, he is a mimic, a singer, and a comedian. The Sydney Bulletin comments on his entertainment thus: "Bengough began his season of eartoonery and raillery on Saturday. He made lightning sketches of J. C. Williamson, Sir William Lyne, and Conductor Slapoffski, but the audience especially rejoiced at his humorous work. A crayon triangle becomes by a few strokes a cat's face. A few- more strokes make the animal a hen. Another ten seconds' work and the eggmother is standing on the bald pate of a dismal man and is wearing specs and a woman's hat. The moral, the car-toonist-monologist says, is 'Young men, don't marry outside of Australia.' "