The Ottawa free trader., 1882-05-13
Amusements.

Amusements.
On last Friday evening the Musical Associate on
gave their last public rehearsal for this season
at the Congregational church. Owing to the
horrible weather, only small audience "as
present II being our "busy night we were
unable TO attend; but the concert was pronounc-
ed by those present as teing an excellent one.
The seasons work is now over, and the city
has cause to rejoice that the management oil lhe
Association has been such that for the frst tlme
in the history of Ottawa such an association mas
existed more than a month or six weeks. lhe
interest has been kept up through all these
weeks, and the attendance Of singers has been
good. How much better the plan OF this asso-
ciation is than Of any that had before been pre-
sented by its work. And we hope its work has
forever put an end in Ottawa to the support OF
musical schemes OF Fairy Grottos" and "Bel-
shazzars" and all schemes OF travelling dead
beats" lin most cases) whose Constructions" are
farce and whose sole aim is to hastily train
chorus by ear to sing cheap operetta for their
benefit after the townspeople have dressed the
chorus at no slight expense and then pay their
money to hear their daughters howl chorus not
a note OF which they could recognize on the
printed page.-This association is doing II most
excellent work, training singers whose singing
will delight many a home and social gathering,
to say nothing OF the improvement that will be
felt in the music Of all public occasions and IN
church services. We trust that the fall re-orgahi-
cation will find it stronger than ever.
The Harmony Club are wiser than most anna
teur parties hereabouts in selecting for theirpro-
,;ob IN thei
audience, and which have the attraction aside
from the acting, Of brilliant lines. Ignorance on
the part of the audience of chow it should co.
and witty lines will cover multitude OF sins OF
inexperienced actors. The Harmony Club have
learned these facts, and have selected their plays
in the past with these ideas in mind, no doubt;
and as a result, both their performance last year
and on Tuesday last (when they gave "The XII
vals") were decided successes-more so than
probably any amateur performances here OF late
wears. THE Rivals" drew smaller house than
was out last year, probably because they omitted
the usual and not over pleasant method of selling
tickets by personal solicitation. Yet the lower
house was we'll filed and the audience one to
encourage any company. The piece was very
clsverly given. The star parts are, OF course,
ihrS. -UudIfOp, lMoLNe Osliau) nhu DoO -i''e'
Geo. Sweet) and both were acted intelligently
and well. Mrs. Malaprop's excruciatingly funny
lines and make up giving Miss Osman, however,
decided advantage even over Acres. L. Perkins
as Sir Anttony was capital, as usual. presenting
the irascible remains OF gallant Of pre-paterna'
days in a very amusing manner. Noah Perkins
a. Sir Lucius gave us an excellent Irish brogue
and an amusing "old boy" Miss Nash as Lydia
had miserable part, but she got all out OF II
there was Julia was another light part, but Miss
| Alice Macarthur handled It very prettily and ap-
peared the most easy OF all when on the stage
The ''innoceut' Lucy in the hands o! Florence
Nash was one OF tho best characters OF the play,
and was given with charming chic. Capt. Ab'o.
late and Falkland, the lovers-always the most
uninteresting fellows in the world, and the hard
est of all parts to act naturalyon the stage, for
some reason-wera neatly handled by Clarence
Griggs and j. E. Morgan and proved very salts
factory; while Fdg and Ddvid ed Cameron and
A. L. Cooley were nicely done, though little
OF Dayips superhuous fire thrown into Fog would
have improved both. Indeed the chief weakness
in the rendering was simply the want OF that ex
perience and knowledge Of stage "business'
which fills the gaps in the action, disposes OF
the actors hands and feet and gets him over the
stage gracefully-things amateurs seldom learn
readily.
On Wednesday evening Tony Deniers Humpty
DHmpty party gave probably the best specially