CONCERT AND OPERETTA AT CAMBRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3646, 14 November 1895, Page 6

CONCERT AND OPERETTA AT CAMBRIDGE.

The Roman Catholic entertainment given .at the Oddfellows' Hall, Cambridge, last Monday night proved a great success, The few items comprising the short con.cert in the first part of the programme were well rendered. Miss Jessie Wilsou's •pianoforte solos are always listened to with pleasure. Miss Petersen, who sang " Kathleen Mavourneen," has a remarkably sweet voice, and with careful practice this young lady ought to make a good singer. Mr Nash, though suffering from a weak throat, did justice to the pretty old ballad "Annie Laurie." The ,duet, " The Cousins," was sung with great vivacity by Misses Kerr aud Inglis, and gained an encore. The song " Old .and New," well rendered by Miss Roberts, came next, but Mus Garland, .always a favourite, carried off the highest .honours in her song " Listening." Mr Simpson's item, "Thoe Girls at the ■School," never came (iff, as the gentle,tnan was not to be found until too late. It is tiot often real characters are represented in a soug, but in this case the girls .at (Miss Jones') school were really and truly waiting for Mr Simpson, but he never appeared. Cruel, wasn't it! The .chief attraction of the evening was the .operetta. "A Dress Behearsal," and we heartily congratulate the managers aud performers on the successful stagirg of it. One and allsustained their parts'well and thejwhole thing went off without a hitch. Of course, like nearly all amateurs-some quite novices too-they were apt to speak too quickly, and in future they must en.deavour to rectify this fault. Stage •speaking is very different to ordinary ■conversation. Miss Nancy Honan as " Miss Joues" was excellent, her clear enunciation and deliberate way of speaking being exceptionally good. Miss J. ' McNeish carried out the' r6!e of " The Greedy Girl" capitally. It was delightful to see the complacency with, which .she muched her apples and jumbles, only troubling herself now and then to make remarks and aek practical questions apropos of creature comforts. In one .sense, Miss Fibbs as'' Cinderella " (Miss Petersen) had the most arduous part, having four changes of costume to make almost instantaneously. To do this with* ■out getting flurried requires great Petersen .overcame all .difficulties "well. 'She must, however, try and lose her self-consciousness more; ,her audience may 'laugh, shut she herself must not- appear of her own absurdities, Jo this respect, the "Spiteful Sisters," (Misses' M. McVeagb and Kerr) who acted with great spirit, but M'ith too rapid utterance, were very •successful. They touched up their charms, quarrelled and abused each other and Cinderella with hearty good will, without appearing, conscious „pf their .audience at all.' Mrs Wilkinson agreeably surprised her friends by her satisfactory rendering of Mr Jaryey's pari, wh'ieh' is .rather a ; (lifficult one to interpret. As to Mdlle. Epinaril (Miss Dayies) i we only hope we shall see and' hear ;her again at iSome future,time; she has proved she can .sing as .well as; act. Miss Empsoii rendered the ■". Fairy God Mother" in a very pleasing arid' cireluli'manner, and •". Sophomisba. Spivins" (Miss ! Jones) ' bursting, with emotion gave veifit to riek* highly wrought feelings in a most ajn'usihg 1 way, but;like,tlVe 'dtheirs,- she: ifpoke -.fcrt'jo 'quickly. Mss'lMhcJibecf'(M'iss T. McVeagh) showed her indignation at ' Miss Pibbsl' supposed in a most natural mariner, while' the servant : .(Ro'ie McVeagh) was capital. ' last* but ■ not least, came "The Prince,'/ repreisentel by Miss Brown. His tout/en 1 , setiible, was,splendid,;no wpuderVCini.derella.loßti; not/only !her ,shbe,l butt'her itieart to;Hiiki, and,tthoughthe,declared he ■didiuot Ipiowibow to make love,';it seemed •to come to him quite.)ristuftllyV Altogether • the affair was quite a success! . and from the remarks we heard m think ' the au Hence were highly pleased, '.the . singing. throii^jiout'^aV' very,, creditable', tKe E. Wihon acted as, accompanist, 'MisslEl : Archer and Mr'"().' Stu'art ut helping with • violin aud clarionet respectively. A very , pleasant dance followed, in which, fifteen .couple,remained..to participate. \,