THE MAMMOTH MINSTRELS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7980, 26 September 1887, Page 2

THE MAMMOTH MINSTRELS.

A FIRST-CLASS ENTERTAINMENT. The Mammoth Minstrels — the best combination of variety talent that has ever visited Taranaki — opened for a short season in the Alexandra Hall on Saturday night to a very good appreciative audienoe. Ihe programme submitted for publio approval was exempt from all coarseness, and was each that the most fastidious could not take exception to it. ' When the curtain went up a very effective scene was presented to view. There were two " bones " (Messrs. Charles Faning and Tom Delowry), two tambos (Messrs. Wai Cottier and Con. Woodward), and six lady artistes, tastefully attired, who were all seated in chairs, and in the background a scone representing a cornfield piled with sheaves of corn. Miss Ruby Clifford was the interlocutrix, and the distinct and pleasant tones in which she conducted the dialogues of the comer men was pleat ant to listen to. After an introductory overture by the company, Miss Violet Kingsley, a young lady with a sweet soprano voice, sang "Come buy my flowers," in a very taking style, A comic song entitled "The windy man from Melbourne," was next given by Mr. Delowry; and then Mr. F. Turner followed with " Papa's baby boy." He is possessed of a clear tenor voice, and his rendering of the ballad met with well-merited applause, terminating in an encore. Mr. Faning gave " Put on v the golden sword," with capital negro facial expression. The song and dance, " The Mashers," by Messrs. Croydon and Holland, received an encore ; and was followed by Mr. Cottier with "Scraps," the utter absurdity of whioh would compel a stoic to laugh. The finale of the chairs was a ballad by Miss Amy Blackie called " The Fisherman and his Child." The lady, who is a contralto of extraordinary power and range, sang with good expression and articulation, and had to respond to a hearty encore. Besides the above a great numbor of jokes, Borne very novel, were indulged in by the four corner men, to the evident amusement of the audience. A skating contest, in which some ludicrous figures took part, closed the first part of the entertainment.

The second part opened with a negro eong and dance, "The Fat Boys," by Messrs. Delowry, Oraydon, and Holland, who, on being encored, gave an exhibition of three amatenrs doing a olog. Miss Clifford's serio comic song, "No Fear!" was well received, and encored, and was followed by Mr. Faaing in specialities and parodies. For fully fifteen minutes he kept the audience amused with merriment and a fund of drolleries, which took amazingly. The Woodward Brothers (three) next showed some daring acrobatic feats, performed with a neatness refreshing to behold. Miss Blackie again scored a bit in a nautical song, "The Powder Monkey," and woe succeeded by Miss Clifford and Miss Joßephine Smith in a song and dance, " Three Roguish Laughing Eyes," which they executed prettily. Mr. Cottier then appeared as " Just the Plain Comedian," in which character he gave the audienoe some genuine fun by his witticisms, after each of which ho always used in a dry way the interrogative: Did you notice it ? The conclusion of the variety portion of the programme showed what dexterity of the feet can do, Messrs. Delowry, Craydon, and Holland giving what was described in the bills as " their ohallenge medley clog dance " with astonishing vigor and exactness, and their performance might justly be considered the best ever witnessed in the Alexandra Hall. The entertainment concluded with the farce " Thompson's dead J" into whioh Mr. Faning infused most of the vitality. M. Florae k presided at the piano. Besides the items mentioned as encored, there were others that met with the same appreciation from the audience. A number of local jokes were introduced, and passed off very well. The company perform again to-night, when the opportunity of seeing this really clever troupe should not be missed. It will be notiosd by the advertisement that the prices have been fixed at 3s, 2s, and Is.;' and as this is the last night the Company appear here everyone should avail themselves of the opportunity.