ENTERTAINMENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2255, 17 September 1891, Page 2

ENTERTAINMENT.

The entertainment given on Tuesdayevening in the Volunteer Hall, Temuka, in aid of St. Joseph’s Church pipe organ fund, attracted a good attendance. The seating was well arranged, and every care was taken to prevent overcrowding. The stage was well lighted and carpeted, and there were no unmeaning delays in working through the programme. The first part commenced with an overture, “ The Harp That Once,” by Miss Quinn (piano) and Mr F. McCarthy (violin). To this charming air Mr McCarthy did full justice, and he had a most efficient accompanist in Miss Quinn. Those amongst the audience who could claim any knowledge of the violin must have been struck with Mr McCarthy’s delicate fingering, ond the accuracy with which each shade of variation was given. A glee, “ Requited Love,” followed. This was pleasingly rendered, and received appreciatively. Miss F. Guy sang a very pretty song, “ Steer My Bark to Erin’s Isle,” which was received with rapt attention. Later she-favored the audience with “ Fate,” a song new to most of those present. The words are more than pretty, and the setting fully brings out their poetry. Miss Guy certainly realised the spirit of the song, and her feeling rendition of it made it something more than a merely finished vocal peri formance. Mr E. Whitehead was very successful with his singing of “ The Mountebank.” He displayed marked improvement in his enunciation, which, hitherto far from clear, has been a drawback to his success as a soloist. Miss M. Russell made her first appearance before Temuka audiences with the amusing song “On the Zuyder Zee.” This was sung with much naivete, and elicited a hearty encore. Miss Russell bowed t her thanks. Mr J. McCaskill, although a little hoarse, gave a spirited rendering of “ The Young Brigade,” and was heartily applauded, and a most amusing song, with a catchy air, entitled “ The Dispensary Doctor,” was very ably 1 sung by Mr Harry Clinch, The chorus )

was taken up by the glee party behind the scenes, and the whole was a very merry performance that -evidently pleased

the audience. After a brief interval a

scene from Sheridan’s School for

Scandal,” “ A Domestic Quarrel,” was played by Mr G. H, Mogridge and Miss Connolly, who took the parts of Sir Peter and Lady Teazle respectively. Mr

Mogridge was capitally got up, and c played his part excellently. Miss Connolly made a very charming Lady Teazle, and brought out the various points of that character very neatly. She deserves great praise for the artistic; delinea-

tion she gave of the character. It was one

of the most pleasing items of the evening, and the performers were loudly applauded. Mr Clinch then sang “ What: a Fine

Hunting Day,” the chorus being taken up by the glee party. It went with a capital swing, and was applauded., After an interval of ten minutes the audience were treated to a fantasia on the violin “ The Cuckoo,” by Mr accompanied by Miss Quinn upon the piano. This was a very artistic performance, but a little “ over the heads ” of the majority of the audience, who, however, testified their appreciation of it warmly.; A glee, “The Lass of Richmond Hill,” followed. This pleasing old melody was snug with spirit, and was applauded. An adaptation of one of Molieres’ comedies, “ A Wedding by Compulsion,” was then played. The cast was as follows : —Sganarelle (Suitor of Dorimena), Mr J. McCaskill; Geronimo (Friend of Sganarelle), Mr A. Clinch ; Alcantor (Father of Dorimena), Mr E. Whitehead ) Alcidas (Brother of Dorimena), Mr Strong; Dr Pancratius (an Aristotelian Philosopher), Mr J. Gillespie; Dr Marpharius (a Sceptical Philosopher), Mr D. McCaskill; Gipsies, Messrs J. Quinn and J. Polaschek. The plot is an amusing one. Sganarelle, a bachelor of some fifty summers, .takes it into his head that he should get married, and in an opening scene with his friend Geronimo, expatiates upon the joys of the connubial state in an amusingly extravagant way. He , reveals to friend that he has already made overtures for the hand of Dorimena, the young and lively daughter of Alcantor, and that her parent and herself are willing. Geronimo at first is rather amused at the idea of the unequal match, but eventually agrees that it is the best thing he can do, but in such a manner as to raise Sganarelle’s doubts upon the subject. Harrassedby these he decides to consult the learned Dr Pancratius, a follower of Aristotle, and Dr Marpharius, a sceptical philosopher. The scenes with these were capital. Both were wholly wrapt in inflated ideas of their own importance, and the unfortunate Sganarelle gets very little satisfaction from his enquiries. So tired does he get of their verbosity and conceit that he “clears them out” in rather summary fashion. . Two gipsies appear upon the scene and proffer to tell his fortune, but to his anxious enquiries as as to whether he will become a henpecked husband he can get no satisfactory answer. His friend Geronimo again pays him a visit, and hands him a note dropped by Dorimena and intended for her lover. This Sganarelle opens with avidity, but he is filled with rage when he finds it addressed not to himself, but to another, and filled with heartless speculations as to his probable early death after marriage and so forth. He quickly makes up his mind to break off the match, and informs Alcantor of his decision. Alcantor takes the matter verjj® coolly although everything is prepared; but just as Sganarelle is congratulating himself upon the ease with which he has rid himself of his engagement. Alcidas, the fighting brother of Dorimena and in a very matter of fact but polite manner offers him the choice of swords from a pair that he brings with him. Sganarelle refuses to fight, and receives a castigation instead. After a second dose of this he forsakes the high ground he has hitherto taken, and consents to carry out his engagement with Dorimena. The comedy went very well indeed from first " to last, and the audience were highly amused. Mr McCaskill had a very arduous part to play in that of Sganarelle, but he succeeded admirably. Messrs Gillespie and D. McCaskill, as the two professors, were also good; the former had a trying part, for the language used was of a very inflated description. Mr A. Clinch played the part allotted to him carefully, and Mr Strong (his first appearance) was successful with his representation of the cool but determined Alcidas. Mr E. Whitehead had very little to do, but fairly realised his part, and Messrs Quinn and Polaschek, as the two gipsies, were well got up, and sufficiently vague in their prophesies. The comedy, especially in its adapted form, is a difficult one to play, but the performers certainly made the most of it and agreeably surprised their friends. At its conclusion the glee “ Let the Hills resound ” was sung. This was the prettiest of the concerted pieces, and it was deservedly praised. The accompaniments were tastefully played by Miss Guy and Miss Quinn, the latter being assisted by Mr McCarthy when playing Miss Guy’s accompaniments. To Miss Quinn has fallen the burden of playing the accompaniments to the glees in progress of rehearsal, and to her taste and knowledge a fair share of thoir success must be attributed. The entertainment, which was certainly one of the best class ever put before a Temuka audience, concluded with a verse of “ God Save the Queen.”