ENTERTAINMENT AT PAPANUI.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 15, 10 August 1894, Page 18

ENTERTAINMENT AT PAPANUI.

(From an occasional Correspondent.)

On last Thursday we bad another of our pleasant entertainments in the schoolroom, which was a very great success. Tbe ladies and gentlemen who took part in 'he programme were the Misses Fraeer, Poff, Moir (2) Blumsky, Joyce, Shaikyand Murphy, Messrs Blumsky, Ross, Delahunt, Smyth, Joyce, and Masters Murphy and Joyce. The first part of the programme took the Christy minstrel entertainment, the two corner men beiog well represented in Messrs Blumsky and Bos?, who enlivened the proceeding with their bones and tambo and their quaint and fnnoy songs, which were very much ecjoyed. During the interval tea and cake, kindly provided by the Mesdames Blumsky, Butler, Murphy, and Joyce, were served to each of the audience. Mr F. Delahunt kindly provided tbe necessary requisites for the tea.

The second part consisted of a concert, and a very funny farce by Messrs Blumsky, Ross and Luke.

This concert was a very great improvement on our first. It is most gratifying to see the spirit and ioterest which all tako in making our entertainments a success. Everyone works with a will ( and no trouble is too much for any of the members to take in doing their best to forward the object. No one makes a charge for any work done towards the matter. No doubt those little re-unions will be the means of promoting a good deal of good amongst us. They will bring us together more, and make us take an interest in one another's welfare, and also it is an advantage for our young people to have tbe chance of performing to encourge them to cultivate their talents. Who knows what we may tarn oat yet ? At least there ia plenty of material amongst our young performers and with more practice it will improve.

A few of the items worthy of mention were Mis 3 Mjir's song, " Eillarney," which she sung with all the feeling and p tthos of one who had spent Borne pleasant hours on the shores of the beautiful lake 0 . Another item was a duet by the Misses Fraser and Blamsky, " Those chiming belle," which was very much admired. Miss Fraser is a very pretty singer, with a deep, rich voice, which no doubt, will be often

heard in time to come, much more than in the pait, as a good singer is always remembered when a programme is being made up. So also ia Miss Blurnßky. Her songs are very much appreciated, aeia always seen by the encores which she receives. Miss Poffs playing of the piano ia all tbat can be wished for. We had the pleasure for the first time of hearing Miss Bhaßkey sing. She sang " What ia home without a mother " very nicely, but was a little nervous. With practice she will become a very nice singer. Miss Murphy also sang nicely bat was also rather nervous. Of coarse, oar performers are all young, and, therefore, it cannot be expected that they shonld face an audience with as much confidence as older ones. Miss Nelly Joyce gave us a taste of her powers of reciting by giving as " Carfew shall not ring to-night " in a very good style, showing that with practice ■he shall become very clever as a reciter.

Jast a word or two about the gentlemen performers. Messrs Rosa and Blumsky are the making of .two very good comic singers. Their singing and acting are all that can be wished for by a Papanui audience. Mr John Delahunt as a comic singer cinoot be surp iss'd, as WBS seen by tbe h9arty encores which he received, «ni deservedly too. I hope we shall alwayi have tbe pleasure of seeing him on our programmes. Mr Smyth as a story-teller was all at home in his little yarn abont the death of Habby and Janet. Master Jack Joyce and his violin went very well. With more age and practice he will become a veiy good performer on his instrument. Master Willie Murphy sings very nicely, bnt a little to higb, and alto with more experience will be able to take Lis place among tbe best of our Papanui singers. Mr J. Joyce was quite at home in " Shamus O'Brien," just as if he bad lately anived from tbe Glen of Aherlow. The different parts were given wiih all the native feeling and spirit of one who understood the habits and customs of tha troubled times which the piece dealt with. Tne farce of " Put a penny in the slot," by Messrs Blumeky, Ros°, and Luke, brought a very pleas icit entertainment to a closa, everyone being quie satisfied with the efforts which bad been made to unuse them.