The courier., 1902-04-05
lin M.$far
Performance

on Monday evening at the Oliver for
the benefit Of st. Theresa's pro-cathe-
dral was attended by a large audience.
The stage effects were brilliant and the
singing. dancing and acting remark
able for grace and effectiveness. The
performance was marred somewhat by
the length Of the program. This. how
ever, is impossible to avoid In amateur
performances, where strict discipline
is impossible and the managers chief
task is to please the company first
There is another reason why members
of a committee in charge of an anna
teur performance permit a long pro-
gram. The reason is to the credit of
their consciences IL not their judgment.
1t is supposed that il one amateur
dancer or fairy or oaf is seized with
stage fright and refuses his part.
there are SO many more who will pos
sess the aplomb necessary for the oc-
casion that the audience will be sat
isfied.
The amount Of unselfish, enthusias-
dred stars to take leading parts in a
performance which lasts three hours
can not be estimated. Yet the beauty
and daintiness of the costumes and the
exquisite stage settings were most i'm
pressive Mothers sat up late nights
to make those frocks. The pretty
groupings Of color in ballet skirts were
successfully and arduously planned and
for the first two hours, until the audi
ence was cloyed with gauze. flowers.
and fairy lights in pink globes, the ef-
feet was fascinating. But there were
SO many first ladies no local critic is
brave enough to say whose perform
ance was most pleasing.
The curtain raiser, His Angel Feet"
was a very well conceived one-act
play. Mrs Mcdonald took the leading
part, assisted by Mr.. w. E. Hub
bard.
Mrs. Mcdonald has a piquant, very
feminine. temperament which is most
effective on the stage. She has the
aplomb and the comprehending eye
for effect that cannot be inculcated
but. on the contrary, is a natal gift.
Her costumes were chic and becoming.
Mr.. Hubbard was quite at his ease and
made a favorable impression. The
boudoir, in which the scene was played
was set under Mrs. McDonald's direc-
tion and elected applause for itself.
Not until the amateur has tried and
failed to do what Mrs. Mcdonald does
30 easily do the difficulties involved
appear. The little play was interest
ing from beginning to end. The climax
was well prepared and adequately
acted. 1t was a scene between hus-
band and wife who had drifted apart
for no especial reason except the divid-
ing tendencies of fashionable life.
They are on the precipice Of divorce
? and they are reconciled by the sight
Of the little shoes Of their dead baby.
All the best-known Mother Goose
rhymes were illustrated by pretty
children in elaborateiy quaint cos
TUNES. The effect was picturesque
and quaint, as Of the pictures all little
children dream they see. Mother
Goose with a real goose, Red Riding
Hoods wolf. the Knave Of Hearts. Lit
tie Miss Muffet. Puss in Boots. Little
Jack Horner, all these and many more
heroes and heroines Of infancy fantas-
tically clothed came in a procession
upon the stage and performed their
parts with remarkable precision and
enjoyment.
Reverend Father Reade has set an
example Of incessant activity and self
denying work. Such exhibitions as