THEATRE ROYAL— "RICHELIEU."

Press, Volume XXXI, Issue 4264, 29 March 1879, Page 5

THEATRE ROYAL— "RICHELIEU."

The production hut night of Lord Lytton's fine play " Richelieu " afforded Mr Creswiek an excellent opportunity of appearing in a character well adapted for tbe display of his powers. The role ol the'.' great Cardinal', the warrior-priest, the wily statesman, who was in his day ths pillar of France, is a very showy one, and in the hands of a capable actor of average power, ia always attractive. Several representatives of Armand de Richelieu have appeared in Christchurch, of more or less merit, the palm up to the present time of limning the most accurately historical portrait being undoubtedly due to Mr Morton Tavares, whfle both MrG. Chaplin and Mr Hoskins have each many admirers in the part. Ihe performance of Mr Creswiek is, as might have been prognosticated, ; a very fine performance, though as a psychological study it is much below his conception of Lear or Virginias. Mr Creswiek makes Richelieu a man full of vigorous life rather than the senile sexagenarian some actors are in the habit of representing him. Thh is historically true, besides being more effective. All the many sides of the character were brought out with great skill, the acute intellect that instinctively penetrates the schemes of the villain Baradas, the astuteness cf the experienced politician—the. tenderness of a father to the orphan Julie—the chivaMc devotion to his country—the outraged servant who pleads for simple justice as the sole reward of long years of deVotedness and fidelity, were each of them depicted with great force, and the frequent and enthusiastic applause of the audience, to say nothing of the calls before the curtain at the end of each act was a proof of how the performance was admired and appreciated. All the usual points were made with more than the usual success, and in the matter of applause the audience, like De Mauprat when he witnessed the Cardina's play, gave it in the right place, 'the adjuration to France in the first act; the vindication of the mighty power of the pen in the second; the scene in the third between the_ Cardinal and De Mauprat; the grand denunciation of Baradas in the fourth, and the crowning situation at the close of the play with the telling peroration, "There, there, at my feet!" were all excellent proofs of the fine powers of the tragedian. Miss Helen Ashton appeared to advantage as Julie de Mortemar, her performance being delicate and refined, combining pathos with a fair amount of power. Mr H. H. Vincent, who is rapidly becoming a great favorite wiah the audience, gave a spirited, chivalrous representation of De Mauprat, and was honored with a special call, which he shored with Miss Ashton.' Mr C. Bnrford was impressive as Baradas, and Miss Solanoe Novaro played the short but telling part of Fr-n_ois with much animation. Messrs' Sterling Whyte and Clinton were both prominent and meritorioas in their respective roles of Joseph and Huguet. This evening, " Hamlet" will be performed, in which Mr Creswiek has been most favorably spoken of as one of the finest that has appeared in the colonies, which have certainly not been barren of capable exponents of the philosophic Prince.