Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-07-29
AMATEUR DRAMATICS.
summer Rights Entertainments By the
Lsdies aHd Gentlemen OF the So
dsIIiy Dramatic AssOcIA-
IIOD, at So. Peters
School

1t Is some months ago since the gen.
tlemen and ladies Of the SOdality, after
much discussion and Interchange of
yiews, resolved unanimously TO essay
dramatic performances. The courage
to make great resolve when there is
foil coguitiOn OF the difficulties, gener-
ally implies the power to carry it into
practice. The SOdallty people found it
80. An initiative exhibition was given
soon after in the presence of q critical
audience with encouraging results-sO
encouraging, in fact, that they found
their hall would be inadequate to hold
half the spectators, and they were there
fore compelled to adopt system OF adj
mission. This took the form Of season
tickets, which did not issue save to hon.
orary members. The joyous influence
Of the event worked adversely to this
rule on Tuesday night, when the assOci-
alton gave an entertainment in honor OF
Fathers Kelly and Edlin's jubilee. The
place WAS crowded to excess, the doors
and windows. as well as the benches,
were mOnopolised, and even the yard of
the schoolhouse on Washington street
was sprinkled with spectators. Besides
orchestral music OF rare excellence, the
company management, rather, as they
prefer to call it) gave two pieces,
TIE Specter Bridegroom, and
The Benicjd Boy. Both Of these
were eminently successful, the scenes
and the properties being astOnisSDgiy
abundant, and there are few, save pro-
fessionals, who think how Indispensable
these are as Rdiuncts to the highest
talent. A liberal and suitable supply Of
scenes, clothing and other stage utensils
helped to make the entertainment OF
the SOdality dramatic eccentrtcs roar
ing success. Strong laughter causes a
peculiar compression Of the lacTymal
glands, 50 that tears must flow, and
hence the histriOnic ladies and gentle
men OF the "plsy" may clam the
merit Of melting their audience to tears
as we'll as bursting that same audience
with explosive laughter. The young
ladies managed to master their parts;
they have no difficulty in comprehend
ing them, for that is intuition with
them, and during the night needed not
the assistance of the prOmpter once,
while the gentlemen found refuge for
their weakness there on several Occa-
sions. Great men, said Richard, have
remarkable faults, and it is not much Of
disparageme 1T to those who had long
and arduous parts assigned them, to say
IOdG ln6N GNIuC6u al uOW
and then to be furnished with a cue.
Among the men there was only one ex-
ceptiOn to this: Benjamin Bobbi n
read off his piece without a flaw, and,
save a very little extra msneuveriDg,
was otherwise faultless The burly per-
son who played "Dickery" showed
much unselfish devotion to his profess
sion, so that the management could not
decently find fault with him on the score
of dlsregarding their interests. Some
elected more admiration and laughter
than others, but this may be fairly set
down to the credit Of their parts more
than TO the superiority Of their performs
ance. Looking over the whole field
stage, we mean-the audience, upon
second thought, and after mature reflec-
ton, will come unceremoniOusly to the
conclusion that the "Cbicken was the
best done piece of the whole entertain
ment. 1t was game chicken, and had
a flavor of the pie about it, a circum-
stance that enhanced its value in the
eyes of even the fair. The performances
will be renewed frequently during the
Stay-at-hOme season.