THEATRE ROYAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 2763, 1 August 1883, Page 3

THEATRE ROYAL.

We were extremely pleased to ace that the efforts of the frienda of the late Captain Btacand to obtain peouniary assiatanco for his family by means of a musical entertainment, held last evening m the Theatre Royal, were well repaid, & large audience assembling to listen to the ladies and gentlemen who kindly responded to the appeal for help. The dresa circle scats were fully occupied, aa was also the standing apace there, while the stalls and pit were comfortably filled. Besides these, it is very probable that, ua tickets were on i»le for a good while before the date fixed for the entertainment, many were purchased by people who at the last moment found themselves unable to attend. The financial result, therefore, must be very gratifying to those who have had the management of the affair, and to all well-wishers of the young people whom the auddan i death of their father left m aome i straits, Aa tho ladies and gentleman who i took p»rt m the concert volunteered their . services, and bearing m raind the purpose of the entertainment, anything like criticism ; of (he individual performers would be entirely t out of place. Not, however, th»t any of them would ouffer much at the hands ■ of erea ft severe critic, for the concert from first to lost was really a great i treat, every item being excellently rendered. Bvery performer without exception was reI warded with hearty applause ; encores were frequent, and theie m most rasea were kindly responded to. Several of the aingera were . strangers, or comparative strangers, to s Titnaru audierices, »nd the character of their contributions proved the judgment displayed by the Managing Committee m procuring their aaiistanoe. The i Timaru Artillery Band opened tha concert by playing » grand fantasia, which was - much enjoyed. The forte passages of the , piece, however, might have been toned down 7 a little for the oooosion, as the building con--3 fining the sound made it rather unpleasant to (

it h.-> The glee "Awake, JEolinn Lyre,' * 3 nicely K' von > •*« was nl^o the song " Alice where oil tliou." A pianoforte due! (by a ludy ai-.d gitntlom«>>)' 'olhw.-d. which Vn accurately and skillfully | Uyed. The well-known song "The eccuL " was do: c full justice to by a gent'ernnn well-known to Timaru nudifnees, su much so m fnct that an encore was demand? d, to which tho singer kindly acceded. " Over tho Hill to the Poor houi'"," a riither difficult recitation, wae admirably rendered by nn elocutionist whom many rrpidents of tho town have, more than onCi- had the pleasure of listening to. In response to a recnll, " Pupa's Letter" was feelingly given. The vocal duet ' I woulJ that my love," followed, nnd tho ladiex who took part m it made it one of the best pieoej of the evonini?, and earned an enthusiasti.; encore. Tho " Noble Boy of Truth," a §or>g comparatively lit* to known, was given by a gent.lem«n well known is a musiciitn m Temukr., but whom, we bi liivi", a Timarn nudiencs had nrver had the opportuni'y of hearing before lut evening. His singi-is throughout wm excellent, and the audience tcitified their pleamre by hearty applause, and would not nllow the concert to proceed until he re-appenred. The pianoforte eolo "Masaniello, 1 by a very youMiful performer, but one who IB always to tho fore on such an occasion an tliat of last evrninp, was tastcfiillv plnvcd. A ladj's «ong " Flow gently pwret Aft>n," was mc%t favorably received, and brought tho first part of tho enteilainrnent to a cloeo. During the interval the Artill ry Bund played some cf their well known ielectior». The glee, "Let the Hills resound" opened the iecond part of tlm conrert. which was followed by "The Yeoman's Wedding Sour." The oong "Once Again" was exceedingly well rendered by a lady who was rewarded wit ; i much applanro. A very humorous reading treating with the subject of " nngging," wob given by a gentleman, tho song " Tell me, my Heart," by a lady who sang m tho duct mentioned above, following. Tho recitation "The Field of Waterloo" wa* well received, the musical accompaniment to various paesigrs making it vary fffective. The lady whoco name was down lor tho next song was un»voidably absent, and a gout lonian from Tdmuka kindly Biloii the vacinpy by eont'ibuting two comb souge, ore of which was m rcsponso to an encore. After tho ton;; "Man the Lifeboat" had boen sung, the Public School Fife and Drum Band played a few selections. A moat enjoynblo concert was brought to a closo by iho famo band playing "God Save the Queen."