Amusements.

Thames Star, Volume IIII, Issue 1760, 24 August 1874, Page 2

Amusements.

THE OPERA,

" The season " closed on Saturday night with "Der Freischiitz." There was * bumper house, by far the largest .whick had assembled during the company's stay on the Thames. ■. Expectation had,been raised to the Highest pitehr and it:;was B\. source of considerable dfsappofatment'toj the audience when they were informed that.Miss Alice May's indisposition had assumed such a serious character that she ' would be unable to do full justice to her part. The audience, however,, were, in the best of humours, and it was'evidenfc that the disappointment was.not alto* gether the'result of' mere selfishness) sympathy for Miss May had as muchjr; 1 do with it as the temporary feelm'rtfljyj the. performance would T suffertbtft^^ the inability of the favorite actress to* give due r effect to, her pfcrt. As an opera, ".Per Freischutz" "was less successful than spme of the previous, production! of the) Boyal English Opera Company—notice* ably their " Satanrila" of Prid*y 1 night — but there is no question that as a spectacle it • was entirely satisfactory, the scenic and mechanical effects being superior to anything yet seen on the stage of the Boyal, In this respect it was eminently' suitable for a Saturday night's entertainment—thein* cantation scene, with' its weird music* pyrotechnic effects and accessories producing a great impression on a large portion of the audience. , Miss May Jiad to render the music incidental to the part of Agatha while sitting^,. Thus the enect of her acting was entirely wanting, and" in the closing scenes her place was sup* plied by another member of the company, with the otnission 6f some of tho<singifig. j Bis no disparagement to the lady, (Miss, ; Flprence £fcire) who assumed this portion iof the rde of Agathf say thtf she ; feded to filial the wqxjiremepts of t^e piece and that, she suffered hj compansbnof, what was done .and what was expected*Mr. Halhun again iang very'nice^jf, and seemed to appreciate tie role for which

east. But of'all the characters Mr. Kftinford's was Ih^'most prominent, and4he most arduouf. JliHe -entered into it with spirit and'carrSiftl it out with the 'greatest effect*' Hit voice -and his physique were in keeping with what might be expected in the character of * Caspar. The incantation icene was mar- * rellously well sustained, and the effects were of a character ia keeping with the scene. Mr. Allen apologised forthe shortcomings of Miss May, and expressed iahore that the audience Would not perceive any appreciable difference in her singing, but that ictmgwould necessarily be deficient, as she'h&o "been strictly brderedi>y her. medical !a£tiT.ihmt not to attempt the locQ!iKtio»eg<fqtr?od, in' the part. As before audience-: were in food hnmou'r^V add accepted the apology in good^ part;" arid "when the curtain rosfr disclosing - ■ Miss •■* May seated, a hearty round of applause greeted her. Way's abseti.ee from the last scenes was felt in a marked degree, not only by the audience but by the company, for we have invariably'noticed that any scene in which Miss May appeared was more ably sustained and the music more, correctly^rendered» her presence seem-, ing to inspire this singers with confidence i and a desire to excel. "During one of the ' intervals Mr. William Bowe went on to , thestage, and at the request of a number of rasidtnts tendered to iliss May and Ihe'company the thanks of the community for their ojforts to please, and expressing the hope that the same success would attend- them elsewhere as that which bad crowned their efforts on the Thames.. The absence of Miss May from the stage at this time owing to her indisposition detracted from what would otherwise have been a perfect ovation: -As it was the sentiments expressed by Mr. Rowe found an echo in the audience, wliich was expressed by most ' demonstrative exhibitions of approval." 'Af the end off- the performance the applause of the audience -Was most enthusiastic, and there would have been numerous calls but fthat they were anticipated at the first*'by raising the curtain and enabling'th'e company to mak*-their, adieus altogether*. The production 'b'f "Der Freischutz" reflects great credit on the company—the itajre I manager, Mr. A. L. Inglis, especially ' being deserving of praise for such an ' effective production at a short notice, j Regret it the company's departure is universal —not exclusively, although principally on 'account of the season being ' short, but because the company have i made a generally favorable impression —Mr. Allen (proprietor), Mr. Win. Evans (business manager) and Mr. Inglis (stage manager) especially having made themselves agreeable by their courteous and conciliating manner. We shall look forward with pleasure to a return of the company.

Thi New Gats.—Says a rural contemporary:—-" This afternoon a country-' woman made her first attempt to get into th« court-house through the patent back* action gate. She opened the gate, went through as she supposed, and shut herself out on the same side seven times, then, ejaculating' Sake* alire!' climbed, over the face." Nkcbssabiks ok Life.—" We shall' know what are necessaries of, life," said a country shopkeeper, in America, during a s«V*re storm, "as no on* will venture forth to-day except to procure them.". ' In the evening he found that most of his tales wer« yellow snuff and New England rum. >,'<.• .-, „ A Sad Stobt. —A little boy having heard a beautiful story about a little boy and a hatchet, and how, because the'little boy wouldn't tell a lie, he, in time, got to be President of the. United States, was very much impressed by it. Now, it happened that on the last day of March), he was just 10 years old, and his father asked him what he wouldlike to hare for a birthday present. Very naturally the "boy's answer was, "A little hatchet, if Jou please, papa!' The father bought im a little hatchet that very day, and the boy was so delighted that he actually took it to bed with him. Early the next morning he got up~, dressed himself, took his little hatchet and^ went out into the garden. There, as luck would have it, the first thing that caught his eye was his father's favourite cherry-tree. "My eyes!" said the little.boy to himself, "what a time my father 1 would make if a fellow were to cut that.tree !" It was a wicked, thought, for it Ted him into tempi tation. There was the tree- tall, straight, and fair—just the thing for a, sharp little hatchet. -And there ,was the , hatchet— ■fitmfr, sharp, and shining—just; the thing (fajjpj^vtiurite' cherry-tree. In- another intMnt the swift strokes of an axe were heard in the still morning air, and before long a small "boy was men running toward the house. His father met him at the door. "My boy,' what noise was that L 1 heard just now ? Surely you have not been' at my, favourite chefry-tree P" The boy stood proudly before him, , but with downcast eyes and flushing cheeks. "Father," he said, *'■$ cannot tell a lie/ That cherry-tree is—-"' " Say no more,'» aid the father, extending his arm. " You have done wrong, my son, and-that wasmy favourite tree', but\you have spoken the truth. I forgive you. Better to—-" This was too much. The boy rushed into his father's arms. " Eather! " he wispered, "'April Fool 1 "haven't touched the cherry-tree; but I most chopped the , old apple-stump to pieces." "You young rascal, you!" cried the father; "do you mean-to say you haven't chopped'my cherry-tree ? April-fool your old father, will you ? Take off your coat, sir! "With a suppressed sob, that little boy obeyed. Then, ' shutting his eyes, he felt,-, his father's hand descend upon his shrinking form.' ~i( My son," said the fatheivsolemnly, at he stroked the little shoulder, "it is the Ist of April. Go thy-way."— * American paper. ' ,

<r Etbst description of Dyting and Oleaniag donjon the shortest-, notice at the Thatneg Dyeing Establishment, near cornar of Bich-s mond and Eolloßton-street*.—Adtt. Copies from the " old Mastebs."— Copybooks. i James Russell Lowell says:—" Put a Yankees on Juan Fernandez, and ho would make a spelling' book first,' and a salt-pan afterwards." > , < « 1 This is how they report accidents in Georgia :W'/Bill Bridges, of , I>oqly, county; attempted to knock down a pine tree, with his < horse, ;and killed .the lat-ter.'-'—American paper;;,,. • • '.' ; The dramatic critic of a San Francisco paper thus describes. Salvini:—" The flamlet of the, great Italian tragedian is 4 magnificent hoodlum on; his muicles, with a big mad on, smashing things generally." A gentleman, talking to a Sunday school, asked the scholars, why; Simon was kept in prison. One of the teachers quietly prompted a boy to say that it was for a hostage, and the youth, not quite catching the words, piped out, "He was detained for postage." Fond of coffee.—" Sir," said the astonished landlady to a traveller who had sent his cup forward for the seventh time, "you must be very fond of coffee?." "Yes, madam, I am/ he replied, "or I should never have drunk so much water to set; a little." ■•."■' ' : ■ •■' ;v<