CHRISTMAS AMUSEMENTS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 88, 2 January 1875, Page 8

CHRISTMAS AMUSEMENTS.

The advent of the holidays, as might have "been expected, brought a large number of up-country pleasure-seekers to town, and those had no reason to complain of any scarcity of amusements. During the past week business would seem to have been but a secondary consideration, and every place of entertainment had been secured by caterers for public amusement, all of whom were favored with a fair amount of patronage. The return of the English Opera Company, which had. just completed a most successful tour throughout the North Island, was so timed as to open the Christmas season on St. Stephen's night, Bossini's comic opera of "Cinderella" being chosen as a [prelude to the introduction of the pantomime. Of course, in all British communities, whether it be in the northern or southern hemispheres, this season of merriment and rejoicing is never allowed to pass without the orthodox concomitants of clown and pantaloon, and no doubt Mr Allen was in a measure forced, against his better judgment, to conform to a custom so time-honored and universally observed. It is a matter for regret, however, that circumstances should have placed the prof essional talent at his command at such a disadvantage, and this was the more apparent with regard to Miss Alice May, who, as " Cinderella," has so little scope for the undoubted abilities which she possesses both as an actress and a vocalist. The opera is one which, even in its entirety, possesses but little merit, and mainly depends for success rather upon the manner in which it is placed upon the stage than in the excellence of the performance ; and to i siy that it was not all that it should have been in the first* respect,

conveys no censure upon. Mr Allen, who, with the very limited accessories at his command, put it very fairly before the public. We are quite sure that were he to study his own interest and the public taste, he will speedily withdraw both opera and pantomime for the substitution of that high class music which was so thoroughly appreciated and so generously patronised during the last visit of the ' company. On the opening night the house was crowded to suffocation, owing, no doubt, to a general wish to welcome the return of so deserved and universal a, favorite as Miss May ; but the visible falling off in the attendance during the succeeding nights should be sufficient proof of the injudicious selection which we have referred to. This is the more apparent when it is considered that during the hist visit of the company the amount of patronage bestowed was even more liberal towards the close than it had been at the commencement of the season. The charming ballad of " She wore a wreath of roses " was rendered in such a manner as to amply atone for many deficiencies in the piece, and never failed to elicit an enthusiastic encore. As to the pantomime, the least said the better ; but, as we remarked before, no doubt Mr Allen was not a free agent in the matter,' but we trust to see that the pantomime wUI be soon replaced by what we feel assured will be far more beneficial to the treasury, as it undoubtedly will be a source of sincere gratification to the general public. A pleasing feature in connection with the entertainment is an " Entr' Acte," edited by the indefatigable agent of the company, Mr M. L. Raphael, which is distributed gratuitously, and, possessing information both instructive and amusing, admirably serves the purpose for which it is intended. On Wednesday night, Offenbach's comic opera of " Bluebeard " was presented, and althougth the pantomime was withdrawn on the occasion, the omission appeared to cause anything but regret. At the Temperance Hall the popular and well-known contributor to juvenile enjoyment, Val Vose, opened on Boxing night, and managed to secure a fair amount of patronage. . He was supported by Messrs Hobbs, Price and Verten, assisted by Mr Saunders, the eminent harpist. Those who have already seen this clever ventriloquist, and witnessed his comicalities, do not require to be told of his ability, and those who have not paid him a visit should do so to form a just merit of his ability.

At the Masonic Hall, Dr. Guthrie Carr took up his quarters, and although his seances are anything but new to the Dunedin public, judging from the numbers which have attended his entertainment during the week, the doctor can have but little cause to complain of the amount of patronage accorded him.