HUDSON SURPRISE PARTY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 926, 16 October 1879, Page 2

HUDSON SURPRISE PARTY.

The entertainment last night at Maofarlane's Hall, certainly took us by surprise. We had been led to expect that the Hudson Company consisted of the ordinary run of minstrels, more or less clever, who m different bands have roamed through the Colonies for this last quarter of a century, depending so much upon blackened faces and stale Joe Millerisms. We thought m being present we should have to go through what to us has long been a dreadful ordeal, and the waste of an evening. Certainly the bills told us there were females comprised m the company, but we had seen female minstrels before, and it was still always and ever .the burnt cork and conundrum business with small variations, till at last, when it came upon us that we should be called to witness a nigger show, it caused the blood to curdle i' the veins. There is nigger business m the Hudson troupe, but it ia not all nigger by a very great long way, and what there is of it is really so surpassingly good, so out of the ordinary common run of niggerism, that it was impossible not to be entertained, and equally impossible hot to laugh heprtily and applaud with enthuiasm. The wit of the two corner men was altogether original, and full pf the funniest antithesis we have ever listened to. The contrasts m the dialogues were so axtreme ; so altogether outre and yet possessing so much genuine wit, that it made the whole thing a great treat. There was a complete absence of all vulgarity, and all approach to coarseness. It was, m fact, an exceedingly clever drawing-room entertainment. The troupe consists of four lady performers, and three males — seven m all. We do not pretend to criticise them separately. They all sing, and sing well Some of them dance. One lady plays the violin with great taste, and free handling of the bow. Her performances on this most difficult instrument was very clever and effective. Another lady plays the pianoforte admirably ; her touch being light, brilliant, and m some parts strikingly effective. What one cannot do some other of the oompany can. There are songs, and , dances, with short pieces m which the grotesqueness of the acting and " make up " of the actors defies the audience not to break out into continuous roars of laughther. Ladies who will, as we hope, visit the Hudson troupe, may learn a lesson which may profit them something. They will see for themselves how well four women who sing, play, and act, can make themselves attractive by simple and inexpensiv e toilettes. These do not dress m the fashion of the day — wearing long dragging skirts ; nor m the fashion of the previous half century with short skirts and petticoats. They have gone for their style tv some of those beautiful engraved copies of Sir Joshu Reynold's full portraits of ideal beauties, and they copied from these, where simplicity of attire is combined with a pure taste, and blending of color. We have no speoial mention to make of the singing or aoting. We have, perhaps, heard better singing, and seen better acting ; but we have never seen a oompany which has pleased us so well. The applause last night was as genuine and warm m the front seats as m the back gallery. The Company will appear on this and to-morrow evening.