Music, Drama.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume III, Issue 120, 10 November 1892, Page 8

Music, Drama.

Wills’ Surprise Party. This Company has continued to attract large audiences during the week at the Opera House with their unique entertainment. Miss Priscilla Verne, Messrs. D. Gardner, H. Townley, and Ernest Provo have been to the fore aided by two new accessions to the company —Mr. S. Fritz, a Swiss “jodeler,” and Mr. J. Tudor, an Irish comedian. The Company close their Auckland season on Saturday night. Devonport Musical Society. The Devonport Musical Society gave their second concert at the North Shore on Tuesday night, when they produced Cowen’s “ Rose Maiden ” in the presence of an audience that was less in numbers than in enthusiasm. While the choruses were as a whole good, the soloists were certainly not au fait in the pieces allotted to them. The orchestral work was done every justice to, however, and Mr.Towsey wielded the conductor’s baton with efficient skill. McLean’s Young Australians. This troupe of colonial juveniles who have earned a lot of kudos by their performances down South —as our readers will have seen by a perusal of “Proteus’” communications from Wellington—will make their appearance in Auckland at the Opera House to-night week, as will be seen by an advertisement over our leader columns. They will present a varied and attractive programme, of which the burlesque of Selim and Zuleika will form the principal item. Their entertainment is somewhat novel, and should attract large audiences

Mr. C. J. S. Palmer, the popular and gifted actor and vocalist, is to give three performances in Abbott’s Opera House on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday next, when he will produce the American musical extravaganza entitled “ Aunt Lucinda,” which had the phenomenal run of eighty-four consecutive nights in Melbourne, and an equally successful reception in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Tasmania. He will be supported by a specially selected company of Australian artists of repute, and a first-class performance is certain to reward patrons of the Opera House on the dates named. The prices are 3s, 2s, and Is. “C.J.S.” may literally be termed “ Our Charlie,” for he first saw the light in Auckland in 1860, and lived here until about seven years ago, when he left for Australia to try his luck in the profession, not assisted as so many of our promising amateurs have been from time to time by public subscription, benefit, or with illuminated testimonal, to find they were over-rated by the friendly Aucklanders, but quietly and on his own merits courting the fickle goddess Fame until we find him starring as “ My Sweetheart, “ Hans the Boatman,” etc., in the Opera House, Sydney, and throughout the whole of the Australian colonies. He purposes going to America shortly in the further pursuit of his profession, and we feel sure he will carry the best wishes of his many old Auckland boy friends and the Auckland public generally.