PETERSFIELD
Agent—MR. G. DUPLOCK
AMATEUR THEATRICALS.—A drawing-room entertainment was given by the members of the Petersfield Amateur Dramatic Society on Wednesday evening last, at the Dolphin Assembly Room, kindly lent by Mr. Crafts for the occasion. The list of patrons and lady patronesses included most of the nobility and gentry in the neighbourhood, and the attendance was fully equal. both as to number and rank, to those of former years. The pieces selected were Foote's old comedy of "The Liar," as recently re-produced in two acts at the Royal Olympic Theatre; a vaudeville entitled "The Swiss Cottage;" and the farce of "The Bengal Tiger." The Petersfield amateurs from the first aimed at something above the average run of farces, and they have uniformly succeeded in securing the approval of their audiences. The decision of the committee to place on the stage a comedy of the last century was deemed by some rather a bold venture, but the result has shown that it was a judicious one, and quite within the resources of the society. The following were the casts of the several pieces:—
| "The Liar" | |
| Sir James Elliott | Mr. A. Anderson |
| Old Wilding | Mr. G. Lawrence |
| Jack Wilding | Mr. W. G. Blanchard |
| Papilion | Mr. Grattan Cooke |
| John (servant to Miss Godfrey) | Mr. H. A. Harvey |
| Miss Grantham | Miss M. S. Adams |
| Miss Godfrey | Mrs. Adams |
| "The Swiss Cottage" | |
| Corporal Max | Mr. G. Lawrence |
| Natz Tieck | Mr. G. Finley |
| Lisette Geierstein | Mrs. Finley |
| "The Bengal Tiger" | |
| Sir Paul Pagoda | Mr. A. Anderson |
| Edward Henderson | Mr. E. Dally |
| Arthur Onslow | Mr. H. A. Harvey |
| David | Mr. H. Dollery |
| Miss Yellowleaf | Miss Underdown |
| Charlotte | Miss Adams |
| Scene—Drawing Room at Mr. Henderson's Villa | |
Previous to the raising of the curtain, J. Bonham Carter, Esq., M.P, President of the Society, rose from his seat in the body of the room and spoke, with admirable effect, a prologue, which he had himself prepared for the occasion, and which served as an excellent introduction to the performance. Without attempting a critique on the acting of individuals, we may truly say that every part was admirably sustained, both in the comedy and the farces. The performance was announced for repetition on Friday (last evening), and we understand the sale of tickets has been such as to give promise of another full "house." The proceeds are to be divided between the National and British Schools of this town.