The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1881-03-25 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

POOLE. AMATEUR DRAMATIC COMPAMY.—On Monday and t Tuesday evenings last the Poole Amateur Dramatic Company gave performances at the Antelope Assembly ( Rooms, and were rewarded with good and appreciative audiences. The company is to be congratulated upon the marked progress they have made. In nearly every 1 part considerable more animation is exhibited, and, as a 1 consequence, the curtain falls upon more effective tableaux, and correspondingly heartier applause is elicited. The chief piece on Monday was one of the good old Surrey style of dramas. " The Sea, the Sea; or the Ocean Child," and contained a murder, a ghost, a love scene, tempted innocence, foiled villainy, and a suicide, a tolerably spicey dish it must be admitted, but evidently greatly relished by the audience. The piece opens with the christening of the Ocean Child, represented by a real live baby, a pretty little thing that bore itself in the most well-behaved manner. It is the property of Harry Helm, capitally rendered by Mr. C. Stephens, jun., and Mary Helm, his wife (Miss Stephens). Captain Mandeville, an admirable personation by Mr. J. Hellier, who commands, afterwards gets Helm decoyed on board a neighbouring vessel with the intention of appropriating his wife. Helm, however, swims back to his own vessel, and arrives in time to save his wife. He knocks down his captain, and a mutiny eneues. Subsequently the mutineers are pardoned with the exception of Harry, who is comdemned to the somewhat novel penalty on board H.M. Ship of walking the plank. After his unwelcome and involuntary dip he rises to the surface and attempts to scramble on board again, an effort in which he is foiled by the wicked captain, who chops off his hand. Eighteen years are supposed to elapse during which Mandeville, transformed into a country squire, is haunted by the ghost of his victim, and his footsteps dogged by the widow. In his retirement he is accompanied by an old fellow named Curious, a part taken if we mistake not by Mr. W. Tingle, although he is billed as Mr. Williams. Comparisons we know are aaa generally considered odious, but we should not be doing the young actor justice if we did not say that he pre-eminently seems to enter into the spirit of his character and gives a really finished rendering of it. The funny man of the piece is, of course, Mr. Stephens, and his comic "phis" has only to show itself to call forth a roar of laughter. As the fussy little Dr. Poultice he was also a great success. These were the chief characters, and they were well played up to by the other members of the company. These were as follows :—Captain Worthyman, Mr. Seymore; Dennis O'Trot, Mr. W. Sims; Kohrek, Mr. T . Lewis; Snowball, a Negro Slave, Master H. Stephens; Jack Junk, Mr. Roberts; Neptune. Mr. New; Giles Clump, Mr. Hunt; Kitty O'Trot, Miss J. Stephens. On Tuesday the comedy of the" Spectre Bridegroom" was given,when the cast was as follows ;--Captain Ramand Bouncer, Mr. W. Sims; Mr. Nicodemus, Mr. 0. Stephens, jun. ; Esq. Allwinkle, Mr. W.. Tingle; Dickery, his man, Mr. C. Stephens; Paul, Mr. S. New; Georgana Allwinkle, Miss J. Stephens; Anna Maria, her Cousin, Miss A. Stephens. The farce on Monday was" A Batch of Blunders," and on Tuesday "the Soldier, Sailor, Tinker, and Tailor." In the intervals Mr. C. Stephens, Jun., of course, made his bow as the irrepressible "La-di-Di,' and was warmly greeted.  r„,,,,