CANTERBURY CATHOLIC LITERARY SOCIETY

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 29, 16 November 1883, Page 5

CANTERBURY CATHOLIC LITERARY SOCIETY

Chrißtchurch, Nov. 10, 1883. Afteb the ordinary routine business had been transacted at the meeting of the above society, on Monday evening, November 5 and the President had handed over the prize to Mr. Kennedy, who briefly returned thanks, the programme for the evening, a musical and dramatic entertainment by the " Dramatic Club,!' was next proceeded with. The first item was a song by Mr. Hennessy, which was very well received. The next was a song, " Whip poor will," rendered in a very tasteful manner by Miss Flanagan, Mr. Hoban's comic sone was productive of a good deal of amusement. In response to an encore he gave " The Musician " in his usual happy itvle. Miss King's musical abilities are too well known, so it is almost needless to say that her contribution on this occasion was on an equality with her previous efforts. Mi. Bagley gave a recitation, in the costume of an Irish peasant, in a capital style. He must be congratulated that his " get-up " was devoid of that bnffoonery so inseparably connected with Hibernian characters on the stage. Mr. Carroll was heard with great advantage on this occasion in the song " You and I," which he did excellent justice to. Miss Adams sang " Remember " in a very careful manner, which was much admired. Mr. Mac Donald received an encore for his song, " I'm not a man" etc: 1 ' Miss Pender was extremely successful in her rendering of " Eileen Alanna," it being characterised by much taste and feeling. Mr Kiely sang a song in tie costume of a " plantation gentleman • which was loudly applauded. His dancing was very good, displaying an agility and dexterity that would be difficult to exceed. The first part of the programme concluded with a " Temperance Lecture " by " The Blue Ribbon Boy," Mr. Adams. This was exceedingly funny thoroughly well acted, and immensely enjoyed by the audience' whose risible faculties were actively engaged during its delivery. In the interval Mr. Bowden gave some examples of his ventriloquial powers, which were pretty successful. The second consisted of a farce, with the modest title of " The Lucky Sixpence." Jack Scampwell, Mr. Hoban, a good-for-nothing finds himself '• hard up," and as a natural result holds a" council of war " as to whether he would gracefully retire from the toils and troubles of the world, and spend his declining years within the aristocratic precincts of a workhouse, or put a bold face on the matter, and never say die. Mr. Hall acted the part of the old gentleman who is troubled with two very difficult things to mind and requires a good deal of looking after — a gouty leg and a pretty daughter. The old gentleman meeting Scampwell, mistakes him for his nephew, whom he is expecting. Miss Heartyman, who found an excellent representative in Mr. Hennessy, has some doubts about the identity of the false nephew, these doubts being confirmed by the arrival on the scene of the veritable Charles Heartyman, this part being taken by Mr. Baggley. She recognises in a moment her true relative, and bis identity is verified by the fact that the cousins retained the halves of a broken sixpence, which they agreed upon before parting. During this time there is a governess, Miss Starchy a lady who is not as frigid as her name implies. She is instructress to Miss Heartyman, aud determines to spread her net for her employer's nephew, but unfortunately succeeds in catching only the impostor. Mr. Adams succeeded in making a very good Miss Starchy, and in displaying that lady's several accomplishment?, even to faint> ing on all proper and necessary occasions, in a very natural way. As a natural result everything comes right in the end, everybody is happy, and marriage is the crowning of their bliss. Mr. Baxter had not much to do as a porter, but what he had was made the most of. It might seem glmost invidious to mention any one in particular, as the whole performance was extremely well acted, and above the average of amateur plays ; still, Mr. Hall's representation of the pompous Mr. Heartyman was so very natural as to elicit the admiration of all, whilst the rsle of the governess was so ably sustained by Mr. Adams as to entitle him to the first place in his company. Admission was only to friends of members by invitation, but yet the rooms were crowded by an appreciative audience, and to judge from those present, it is evident that tbe members reckon their friends to be confined chiefly to tbe ladies, as the number of that very interesting Bectioa of the human race was three times aa numerous as the sterner sex. This is a gratifying fact, for whatever is popular with the fair Bex is sure U> draw the other. Great praise is due to the Dramatic Club for their spirited entertainment, and also to the ladies who so ably assisted them, and to Mr. Oakes who Acted as pianist. Mr. Bowden in an especial manner deserves great credit for the capital manner in which his company acquitted themselves.