THE AMATEUR OPERETTA COM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5468, 28 August 1879, Page 3

THE AMATEUR OPERETTA COM

:ThtDunedin Amateur Operetta and Comedy. Company gaTe'their first performasce in the Princeii Theatre last-evening, to nnjaveraje house. The members' of the company are woll known on tho apaftteur lyrio stags in this city, and have always d«servedly"been;public|fa-;; vouriteh: They, determined: some time ago to make' an'effort. to "produce- one or,- two lightcomio operas for'the delectation ;'6f tbe city.'-' folks,andtobk'thewiseo?uiie',"of firstjproduc-. ing them in one or two of the suburban districts, iwith the view of perfecting themselves' tbt~ a 'metropoUtaß-performance. - -The; result! is that 1:1 the Jcompany- have :be--come familiar i enough with the ipieeijr they, produce to get through thenv without; any hitoh or too great an appearance of amateurish-" ness. The first item on tha programme was aithttrSuUivan's operetta of and-Box," whioh is a musical.adaptation of the well,-, known farce. The; characters are the same, with 'the exception of that Mrs -Bouncer, who becomes a militia sergeant cf the same name. Mr Babervfilled the j»r£of Cox,'the' Hatter ;' Mr Iveson that of Bok, the printer; and Mr Corliss that of Bouncer. . The.operetta consists largely of tte, ordinary dialogue,-;lias' music is light and taking,',and:the.Jasrformers sang it throughout in a very,"s'uccesa'ftil' manner.' Sevewlv of the principal solos' and ' the "wcurring strain- of V Rataplan ",-were received with applausej ■•The; pretty little' comedy-of "The Happy Pair" followed. "It,served to introduce a lady amateur to a Bunediu sudilence, who.gives evldence.of very considerable aptitude for stage business., At first she Buffered from nervousness,v but sis -the piece proceeded Bhe left this behind, and , acted with great spirit' As the injured wife she gave one or two somewhat lengthy speeches,: with a clsver";api-replation,:,of the ;.ppints;';andi was interrupted^ imore, than> oncer by warm ap-, plause.'»Mr'Wi.O.;Norman filled,the male part, and considering his unacquaintance with, "the' te'xti';'got' through" wonderfully .well. When,thei.durtiin. fell;':.the" wholeihouse api planned; 'continuously, :aiid Mr 'J?Tortiia«i had to lead the lady" before theVcurfein to; bow acknowledgments.;; Offenbach's.*;Blind[B*g , gars"'166iclud«d'"the entertainment/-.' Messrs Saber and'CdrUßstebk;:the parts of Zaohariah ■Morgan and Mr Bufflen Ksps'ctively ;;their make-vip'was quite artiitic, and.causedmuch; amusement y they j introduced: a: quantity;; of; "g»g" that took the fancy of the audience considerably, and the lively dialogue was very well carried on. ■ The operetta went off with a - great deal of briskness,, and the singing was of a-.very..enjoyable-:character. ;• A. .thoroughly 'efficient orchestra, *nndef, the .conductorshiri of Mr Waud, rendered excellent^ service during theI'evening. > The company •' play again tonight.and. to-morrow night, and,'judging by the. success which" pharactelrißed':laf|t,night's -performance, they ought to "draw good houses..-r,«.