DUNEDIN SHAKESPEARE CLUB.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11715, 24 April 1900, Page 6

DUNEDIN SHAKESPEARE CLUB.

Ihe members of the Dunedin Shakespeare Club gave one of their periodical entertain, ments last night in the Choral Hall, and, as usual, the hall was crowded with an appreciative and sympathetic audience. Mr A. 'Wilson, the president of the club, occupied the chair.

The Chairman delivered an interesting address, which we are obliged to hold over - The reading by the club was a selection from King Lear, comprising the story, of the King and his three daughters, and the performance apparently gave the audience very great pleasure, as tlieir attention was wrapt throughout. We missed some .well-known members of the club" from tho cast, but one or two new faces were, there, and the reading of the new members gave good promise of excellence. Tho bulk of the work fell upon Mr J. W. Whitson, who read the part of King Lear, and his reading showed a" high appreciation of the text, his cultivated voice admirably suiting the character of the King, into which he threw much dignity and pathos. While the pet-ulenee and obstinacy of Lear iv the earlier parts of the play were well portrayed, Mr Whitson was probably- most effective in the pathetic scenes at the close. The parts of Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia were read by Miss Vivian, Mies Bowling, and Miss Huda Burton respectively. Miss Vivian made a good deal of the character of Goneril, and gave efficient expression to her scorn" and ingratitude. Miss Boivling had less to say aa Regan, but said it well. Miss Hilda Burton gave a sympathetic reading of the part of Cordelia, being most effective in the later scenes. Mr Sawell deserves a word of praiso for his careful reading of the part of the King of France. Mr W. S. Fisher read the part of Kent with high intelligence, but was just it little stilted in his delivery. A very good reading was that of the Fool by Mr T. B. Arlidge. Mr Horace Fisher was vigorous as Edgar—perhaps a trifle too much of tlie swashbuckler element about his reading. Mi Fyfe was excellent as Edmund, land' Mr Scoular read carefully the parts of Knight and Gentleman. The other characters were taken by Messrs' Heycock. Campbell, and Reid. and Miss M'Carthy officiated as Chorus. Two pleasing items-in the programme were-a song, "The three wishes," sung in a most sympathetic- manner by Mrs Curzon-Sif»ers, and a piano solo by Mr W. E. Taylor° "consisting of the "Shepherd's dance" aud ' Morris dance," from the music of ."Heni-y XJ^g T!le Play,n ß of these was marked by Mr Taylor's characteristic finish and _ power of expression. .' '

The occasion of...the reading was the 336 th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth, and the' platform ivas tastefully decorated, the centre^ piece being a, reproduction of the legend on Shakespeare's tomb-at Stratford-on-xVvon.

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