THEATRE ROYAL.

Auckland Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2336, 11 September 1877, Page 3

THEATRE ROYAL.

The highly-melodramatic "Tour round the world in, 80 days," was played for the third time at the Theatre Royal last night. We can understand that apiece of this description, played by a first-class company in a theatre having every appliance and accommodation for producing it in a style calculated to- impreise'the audience with a serious idea of the scones and adventures described would take well in a community like that of San Francisco, where realism and sensation are all powerful; but with all due deference to Mr Charles Wheatleigh and his company, we must confess-,to regarding the performance at the Theatre Royal as a poor burlesque on M. Verne's interesting story. The most startling incidents are marred by a farcical element quite removed [from the vein of comedy which is a legitimate feature of sensation dramas. The scenery is undeniably elaborate, but the machinery is not managed well, and thus the illusion is disturbed. Mr C. Wheatleigh has an unthankful part as Phileae Fogg, but he plays it well, without sjioiling it by over acting. The great characters are Mr Fix, the detective ; and Jean Pasee-pa-tout, the valf. These were excellent representations by Messrs Leopold and Belton respectively. The latter gentleman was immense as the unfortunate but herioc Frenchman, and received the lion's share of the applause. To-mor-row night Boucicault's famous sensational drama of " Forbidden Fruit" will be produced. This is one of the most successful '. of this successful author's dramatic compositions, and is sure to be appreciated.