THE AUSTRALIAN SPECIALITY COMPANY.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 134, 7 December 1881, Page 2

THE AUSTRALIAN SPECIALITY COMPANY.

"THE GALLEY SLAVE. 1 This play was produced at the Thoatre Eoyal last night, and drew an audience as nnmeroas a3 its merits deserved. The pit and stalls were thinly attended, and the dress circle was empty. " The Gallay alave " is new to tho Wellington public — .t is never likely to become familiar. It is by the same anthoras " My Partner," and we can neither compliment the writer on his ability nor the management on their judgment in producing such a play. It is of the shriek and W&FI class, the plot being founded on a series of blunders, which are ultimately brought to light and cleared up by a series of wonders. With the exception of Metars. Leake (Sydney Norcott), Arthur Elliott (Baron de tfoia) and J. J. Welsh (Oliver Oliphant), who played their respective parts as well as possible under the circumstances, and Misses Tanner (Cicely) and Adelle (Psyche), who were fairly good, nothing need be said of the performance beyond mentioning the fact that the minor characters floundered and spluttered occasionally from a want of knowledge of the text of their part?. We believe the company possesaes, on the whole, merit above mediocrity, but it will never be conspicuously apparent in tho class of sensational rubbish they are now appearing i , nor can the management complain of want of public suppsrt while they persist in insulting the Wellington play-goers with such trash as "My Partner" and "The Galley Slave." We regret to say that " The Galley Slave " will be repentei to-night.