SEACLIFF DRAMATIC CLUB.

Otago Witness, Volume 02, Issue 2420, 2 August 1900, Page 16

SEACLIFF DRAMATIC CLUB.

On Wednesday evening last the Seacliff Amateur Dramatic^ Club staged Eo."bertson's. well-known comedy, " Caste," ■ in the large concert hall of the asylum building. Hitherto, the comp^ has confined itself to much less pretentious ■work, and the result of the hard work and monotony of much rehearsal was awaited eagerly. A very large house, despite a wet aright, greeted the rising of the curtain, which lose punctually at 8 o'clock amid thunders of applause, quite drowning the music of the orchestra under Mi Leech. The stage at Seacliff lends itself advantageously to set scenes, and on Wednesday night the various, scenes and the setting and staging of the comedy generally ,vrere in no small way responsible for the successful performance of the piece, and were in every way a great credit to Stage-manager Barnes and his assistants. From start to finish the play ran without a single hitch, and, unlike most other amateur performances, the presence of a prompter was quite unnecessary. The' short delays between the various acts were filled in by some very lively and inspiriting music from the 'orchestra. The various characters m the cast were ably filled, and though in some ii'stancss the conceptions of the parts were somewhat original, these were never strained beyond what is generally accepted as the correct reading. As the Marchioness de St. Maur Miss Macdonald acted with all the dignity and

hauteur necessary for the position, and in the second act her acting rose to a high degree of excellence. Miss Pullar as Esther Eccles gave evidence of most careful study, and her reading of the character in its various phases — wife, mother, widow, and daughter — was very real and life-like and graceful throughout. Polly, the ballet girl, was certainly made the most of by Miss Coughlan, who acted in a most vivacious manner, and hei by-play with G-er-ridge (Mr Thom<*s) was responsible for great laughter. The parts D'Alroy and Hawke were filled by Messrs Barnes and Matthews respectively. The manliness of the character was very strongly brought into prominence by MiBarnes, and his acting throughout was thoroughly consistent. Mr Matthews, as Hawke, the rather aristocratic captain, looked and acted as if to the manner born. Mr Buckley's conception of the character Eccles was certainly rathei original, but at the same time there was nothing inconsistent about it, and his acting all through was worthy of great praise, while his by-play as the rather too bibulous Eccles was responsible for some really good fun, and was greeted with hearty applause. Mr Thomas, as Sam Gerridge, was also responsible, with Miss Coughlan and Mr Buckley, for some very comical situations and amusing by-play. Mr Leckie, as Dixon, filled a subordinate position with promise of better things. The success which attended this performance leads one to hope that the company may be induced to visit in the near future "Waitati and. .Waikouaiti* wkea they, may depend, pa

a fine house, as their performance certainly merits it. ■