, 1877-01-31
AMATEUR T1IEATIlICALS.
PERFORMANCE AT UNITY CHURCH..


Amateur thcntrIcals u a mcans uf securing
relief for tho suffering poor has obtained to a
serious extent tn Chicago. Their introduction
In MD Of st. Lukc'a Hospital aotnc time ago,
opened the eyes Of the charftablY-dlsposcl to
MI improvement on fairs nnl tho railing Of
stale cake, aud the half-lozcn dramatic
entertainments that followed proved to DO
11atteriug aul encouraging financial slccesscs.
So the managers concluded to try It again, AMI
last night tho stal1 utsl lc.turc-room Of Unity
Church WAS transformed Into a theatre, and
crcr 200 people, representing 81 per head, as-
se'nolcd to witness tho performance. ~ slight
feeling, nf unca '3ncss rcrva1cl the uulIcuce at
,' nI;i' inr ,a. t. ape,arcd, l!ttlo 1"songraous
Worship to temple Of Thespts, ind the
ticlict-hult!cEs employed their time var!ously,
some plungIE their faces Into their hats, after
thu nrthotlux fashion, aud at',ers stamping tho
twn-thrrc time after the established custom Ut
gods other tilan those usually erected for divine
worship. 1t was fashionable aus'tncc, md
logically MI audience that would taku things a.
thcr cat,lr, and, had soIno deacon risen nnA pro-
rostd blessing upon tho mental food nbout TO
be served ,ip, 1t would l.ayo been accepted as
n'cckLy as the overture upon the niano was re-
celyel enthusiastically.
the NEHErtclAnY
was The Industrial School, and the programme
set forth that several ladcs and gentlemen well
k1iOwn In social cilrleH would atturtl oppurtun-
y h critic!se "Sasal EnHagcments,,' mud
:. Tho Dun!lny,,", tue Inter II eo,neti!ctta, BY
corn colnr divided tho auditorium from the
stage mud tho lre+slng grooln, ailh at rcasona-
bly-runctuAi hour thc corn'co!oEcd element
parted IN the centre, discus!ng u llanssomrly-
furnished etagc aud sonle very clever sccticrv.
As aia utIlairur performance the play. were
clcycrIy represented, md II there wure a1!y
shortcomings the charity which IL tender to t!ns
l. ample to rnver histrlonlr ccsentsicitrs. Tho
Ilt5En
~ .urs. Ioahfe1, u,l Miss M!nnIe Trcat as .Htss
.norfintT, did t!r!r parts alniust to perfection.
Thcre was 'ittia st!lI,css At FIRST, whicl, worc
'oH ms .ldnir'h ha!y,toa {A1r. llarycy) found the
Klrkla,pj in.rniu,c.l its original % cot!.
eeep!sun Of AatMls, thu Irish servant.
Unfortunately tor Shert (Mr. Dudley W!lkln-
often y warti HIN up to realization 2t hts re-
sponslbiitlcs, hut he struggled malifuily against
s!lis i.l'psrierts1n "f this play, mud before The
curtain fill ha,l become quite ncsrssary 10 thc
Root suggested tho Inherent 1lnoies.r ol the
typical british tnr, anl tnnde up In careful
attention to the lines what 1t iackrd III force
aud strength.
nUr TiE FEATURE or THE EVENING
was tho t!Fst representation OF Nh. kirklana'A
"l)umuly." i local farro u one act, four char
actcrs, and s1e remarkably ccar conversation.
Thu Majors slrst effort In tie construction OF
play betrayed IN nbl!ty that he might cultivate
10 alva,tagc, aud, II III should pursue tlals new
line, thu only rount fur q regret would tc Ills
Inability 10 always cast himself In tho leading
part. ...
Tlla scene opened upon breakfast table, dis,
covering tho Alajor, us La. f.A4tttris. q grnt1c
| man IN tho t;uycrEu,cnt c.npluy, Whiting i11pa
trntly for "thc girls" anu solacin; hts lcisure
| molnclts with BtuIi.Ius rcsenrrh intu thu per
sonai Column Of The THruuSa, Au.ong tht
arrivals lle discovers tho 1sa1acuf Capt. .Hum}ortt
Of the Army. Enter -Hitn4torI fsir. Laid, who
OIL being asked to wult until 'the girls" CON.
| down, suddenly Aiscluscs \ bashfutuess, no
| limited to expressive gestures, but u1ao Il
lines. 1t Is tina!lv arranged thut he shall bo
deaf mute, aud lc is straightway invested witl
apalr Ut Erevn glassts, u s1atc, \ spou.c, nut
Ayer, 4nl -uargarc& Ehatfetls (Btrs. DldleI
WiIkiason}. '.ths girls" come in aud aro tntso
'tuced In dumb show. At this Iuncture an lncl
dcnt th1eatencd to mar the pluy. The prompt
cr, who had been stationed vt tln top Of villa
| was supposed to ba safe aud c1MulotHous lad
der, mislus,l Lis feet. mud ratified down ths
runQs at the rate ot two second, unit
ho had landed safely on tho back q
his neck. Tho cnd OF tho ladder, pIotrudInf
from the Right First entrance, dispelle<l Ill
fears ~ to the safety OF that instrument, and
+ as tho play proceeded the audience gradually
oyelcalne lta fears that the prolnpteg had beer
suddenly cut Oh Ia tho midst Of Ills sius. Th,
aettnX of Mrs Aver was magnificent, and 81,
Nxs ably supported by Ms. Wilki,.ou. Il