The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-12-19 00:00:00

GRAND DRAMATIC PERFORMANCES.

On Tuesday and Weliusday evenings last, the Dudley
Thespian Club gave two dramatic entertainments in the
Corn Exchange. These gentlemen are well-known in
Dudley for their amateur performances, sod command
crowded houses; but their tam, liad not tray:lied very
for, jutting from the reception they received here, for
the Ilall was not more than half fall. blot those present
'app iared to be highly delighted with the performances,
and the plaudits given to the amateurs must have been
very flattering and gratifying. The first piece selected
was the beautiful drama in three acts, "Jesse Vere; or
the Return of the Wanderer ;" ellaracters:—

Joshua Vere, a Country Clergyman, Father to Jessie,
Mr. O. Bloomer.
Hon. Arthur Fanshawe, secretly married to Jessie unokr
the name of Arthur Temple .. Mr. O. Walters.
Sigismund Fanshawe. his half-brother, Mr. C. Pensotti.
Jack Nightingale, a Man upon Town, Mr. R. T. 'Taylor.
Christopher Chirrup, who acts on the principle of never
taking more than he can carry ..Mr. G. V. Parkin.
Jacob Thorne. a Poor but Honest Labourer,
Mr. J. K. Tivey.
Roger Wheatley, a simple Rustic .. Mr. J. Nagiegton.
Jessie Vere, the Clergyman's llughter,
Miss Jeanie Stansfield.
Emily, her Sister .. Miss Pauline Crosa.
Polly Perkins, a London Waiting Maid,
Miss Annie Carbon.

After which followed the laughable Farce, the Area
Belle :
Pitcher, in the Police .. Mr. G. V. Parkin.
Tosscr, in the A riny ..Mr. T. H. Ruston.
Walker Chilks, a Milkmas .. Mr. H. Dutton.
Mrs. Croaker, the Missua Miss Annie Carlton.
. Penelope, the Area Belle.. .. Midb Jessie Stanfield.

Mr. G. Bloomer's make-up as the country clergyman
was remarkably good, and well acted. Mr. U. Walton, as
Arthur Faushawe, will no doubt make a good actor in
time. Me. C. Pensotti appeared peculiarly adapted for
his part, and played the half-brother well. Mr. R. Tay-
lor. a man upon town, and Mr. U. V. Parkin, as Christo-
pher Chirrup played their respective parts well. Mr.
Parkin poasesses a good deal of natural talent, is witty
in his sayings, and never appeara to be at a loss for
words. Miss Jessie Stanfield. as Jessie Vere, is a good
actress, and delighted the audience in her varied, parts.
Miss Pauline Cross, and Miss Annie Carlton, were also
well recieved.
The music was supplied by Mr. W. Field, of Dailey,
I who conducted, and during the evening the band played
I the following programme with great precision and Weill
Overture, "
Waltz, "Dream of the Bail."
Orand Selection, "Vat D'Ainour.
Polka. "Zerlina," with Cornet Obligate.
Waltz, " Belgravia."
Galop, "Mabel,"
On Wednesday evening the piece selected was " The
Farmer'd Story ;" characters:—
Stephen Lockwood, a young Farmer .. Mr. C. Pensotti.
Mortlake, his Landlord .. .. Mr. E. Benjamin.
Derby, a friend of Leekwood's .. Mr. T. 11. Ruston.
Mark Ryland, an Emigrant .. Mr. H. }'.Dutton.
Bristles, a travelling Painter .. Mr. G. V. Parkin.
Boggs, a Money Lender .. .. Mr. It. T. Taylor.
Rot, a Ploughman .. • • Mr. O. Walters.
• Vales, an Innkeeper . • .. Mr. J. Nagington. :
Grainy, a Constable .. Mr. Jones
Mary Lockwood .• Mica Jessie Stanfield.
Peggie •• Miss Pauline Cross.
The Stephen Lockwood of Mr. Pensotti, was hardly
no happy as his conception of Sigiminund Faushawe, of
the preceding evening. as in his efforts to avoid that
error which young begiuners frequently fall into, namely
that of ranting, he almost went into the other extreme,
and was, if anything, rather too tame. Nevertheless, 0.1
the whole the part was carefully rendered, and well de-
served the applause it elicited from the audience. Miss
Jessie Stanfield played the character of Mary Lockwood
with great ability and skill, and her effective peurtrayal
of the character of the faithful and affectionate wife
under all temptations and vicissitudes of fortune drew
repeated bursts of applause from the audience. Mr.
Benjamin carefully delineated the character of the insi-
dious villain, Mortlake, who, under the guise of friend-
ship, first ruins Ledltwood, and then attempts to seduce
his wife, in which latter, however, he is unsuccessful.
Mr. Ruston acted his rolu,. of the petalled ruffian, Captain
Derby, with considerable ability. Bristles, the unappre-
ciated artist, met a worthy exponent in the person of
Mr. Parkni, and the reuiet manner in which he expounded
his plan for conveying pereone from England to Ame-
rica in a balloon, fairly convulsed the audience with
laughter. Miss Cross made the moot of her character,
Peggie, the London housemaid. The remaining char-
acters were elle, ably performed.
The above was followed by a very amusing farce en-
titled "The Quiet Family," in which the characters were
as follow :
Mr. Benjamin Bibbs, Master of his own Household,
Mr. U. Walters.
Mr. Hamby Bibbs, a meek, but ill-used Husband,
Mr. It. T. Taylor.
Mr. Peter Barker, a young Lawyer .. Mr. J. H. Ruston.
Grumpy, who can't help being clumsy, and therefore not
always in the best of tempers .. Mr. U. V. Parkin.
Snarley, Grumpy's greatest plague .... Mr. C. Peusotti.
Mrs. Benjamin Bibbs, a Model Wife .. Miss A. Carlton.
Mrs. Barnaby Bibbs, a practical supnorter of Women's
rights • • fdiss Pauline Cross.
Miss Selina Summers, their Ward .. Miss Jessie Stanfield.

Mr. Walters, ably sustained the character of the tyran-
nical husband, as also did Miss Canton that of his wife,
the meek and uncomplaining Mrs. Benjamin Bibbs.
Miss Cross very ably performed the character of the
vixenish shrew, Mrs. Barnaby Bibbs. The gm of the
picce was, however, the acting of Mr. Taylor as the ill-
used husband, Mr. Baruaby Bibbs, and when, under the
influence of champagne, he declares his intention of
throwing off all restraint and being for the future the
master of his own household, the applause was perfectly
deafening. Mr. Parkin acted the part rot Grumpy with
his UMW ability, while Mr. Pensotti s make up as Snarley
' was excellent, and his acting very effective.
Mr. Field's magnificent string baud performed the fol.
lowing pieces during the evening, in their usually bras
liant and effective winner :—Overture, " &snipe," Her.
old; quadrille, " Larline," Wall ice ; selection, " La
Flandre," Bouillon; Waltz, " Martha." Flotow ; Fatitas
sia, " Atala," Blancheteau ; galop, " War," D'Albert.
All passed off satisfactorily, and we are only sorry that
the performances did not meet with that amount of pas
tronage which they deserved.

SAMUEL SALT & SON.
HAGLEI-STEEET, HALESOWEN,
AGENTS FOR THE "OBSERVER."