A NOVEL ENTERTAINMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7436, 15 December 1885, Page 2

A NOVEL ENTERTAINMENT.

- One of -the most extraordinary theatrical I performances that has been witnessed in Dun- [ edin for many a long day was given in the Priut cess Theatre last evening. The. performers were ' , styled the Bijou Variety Company, and the - audience was neither large nor fashionable. It" 1 was 20 minutes past 8 before the performance 1 commenced with au overture by the Caversham • Brass Band. Tho curtain then interposed, but B after a few minutes Miss Kitty Heath s came on and sang " Carissima," . and c Mr J. Oaten played a solo on the conP certiua. The next item put down on the r programme was a song and dance, hut the I gentleman who had undertaken to entertain the * aucience in this dual capacity did not put 8 in an appearance; so Miss Ada Graham, whose s name figured next on the bills, came out iv s character and sang a ditty entitled " Gone to '• smash." The song was very appropriate in ouo !" way, for just at this juncture the performance a itself wont to smash. A section of the audir ence hooted and applauded alternately, and 0 when Miss Kitty Heath made her second ap- " pearance and attempted to sing " Oh, hear the 0 wild wind blow," the hooting was renewed, and c accompanied by an occasional yell that would l 7 have done credit to any averagp wild Indian V warrior. Miss Heath protested agaiust such une seemly conduct. Tho roughs iv the pit then '! commenced to hiss, and Miss Heath told them ■* she had never before faced such a disgraceful c audience, and walked off the stage. The manager '" was the next lo appear. He appealed to tho audi- • ence to be quiet, but they only hooted him, and . T- tho curtain again descended. At this stage of a the 'proceedings there wero loud cries for v " Barney," and " Barney" at length turned up r in the shape of a comical-looking street arab J resplendent in all tho glory of semi-military c lot/tt. Barney was evidently a favourite with 9 tlie pit, for his advent was greeted with a burst " of applause.. It was evident, too, that he had V somo talent in the variety line ; for he signalised 3 his appearance ou the stage by standing on his f head and indulging in sundry other deviations -1 from his natural equilibrium that proved him to :l be an acrobat of no mean order. Barney was r the hero of the hour;, but he did not reign ? long. The appearance of one of tho 1 Variety Troupe people rather alarmed I him, and he mado a bee-line for the stalls. ; He, however, "bohbed up serenely " a minute 3 or two later, but. disappeared mysteriously bel hind tho wings and was seen.no more. This , little bit of diversion enabled William J. David- " son to prepare for his ventriloquial entertain- " ment, which was received with some .favour. Then .there was an interval, and again the 1 manager appeared. A " Successful and roofr lifting" comedy had been announced to form ' part of the entertainment. This tho manager ! regretted could not ho performed that evening ' as Miss Heath, who had to: take one of the ' principal parts, had received such a shock to hor 1 nerves by tho disgraceful conduct of some of the ? audience that she could not act, and so the sue- , cessf ul comedy that was td illustrate the " rooflifting" process had to be postponed, though the audience were assured that it would bo given on the following evening. The band then played a few bars of an overture, and amid the hooting and yelling of the people in tho pit the curtain i was dropped, and one of the most extraordinary t entertainments . ever attempted in the Princess j Thoatre came to an abrupt termination.

Mohal Tmti'iTUiH'.—lilaine attaches to a jury of intelligent men when theycondcmii n man for crime : whose moral nature lias been perverted by lniligcsf tion, diseased liver, and kidneys. A thoughtful judge I may well consider whether society would not be ; better served by ordering a bottle of American Co. s ; Hop Bitters for the unfortunate in tho dock iiip.tc.id of years of penal servitude. Read.—[Ann]. ,"' I On.* friends say it is Hot generally known that our : stock ir. so vast and complete. To oblige our friends t at a distance, we mention a few leading lines iv :- another page of this paper.-G. R. Vest and 00.