THEATRE ROYAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LI, Issue 5604, 10 February 1879, Page 5

THEATRE ROYAL.

Unoih Tom’s Oabik.

The dramatic combination, which has made a speciality of the performance of the “Great moral and religious drama, entitled Uncle Tom’s Cabhy 1 opened in Christchurch at the Theatre Boyal on Saturdaj night. The house was crammed in the stalls and pit, and Very nearly full in the dress circle. l'he ; piece. itself is a pretty close adaptation of Mrs H. B. Stows novel, and like all dramas founded .upon novels has the disadvantages attending upon too great crowding of incident. The central figure of course xn the drama, as in the novel, is “ Uncle Tom,” and other very conspicuous figures are “Eva” and “Topsy." The first of these has, in the present company, the advantage or disadvantage as the critical observer inay think, of being impersonated by“a real Negro,” Mr &. B. Lewis. Thib gentleman plays in a subdued, careful, and unobtrusive manner, thoroughly indicative of the habitual submissiveness engendered by a state Of slavery enduring from birth. At the same time he gives occasional indications that be is convinced of the equality of all men who have come from the hands of a common Creator, and possess a common. Bedeeiner. This conception of the character Mr Lowis conscientiously realises. He possesses h clear enunciation, speaks naturally, and dees not affect intrusively the idioms conventionally supposed to be peculiar to the Negro, plays with ,a certain humble dignity, add sings the hymns allotted to his part In a h6t unpleasant, deep toned voice, and f with sufficient expression, Eva is played by a little girl aged Six, who the bills stylo “La Petite Nelly Holmes.” As presented by tmS little lady. Eva' is very far from being the lovable creaturethat the novelist has depicted. Perhaps it' would be impossible to find In real life, a prepociousness of an exactly similar kind totnat displayed byMrs Stowe’s Eva, and very poesibly ux real life such proboclousnSsa would be considered by ninetybine oUt of every hundred who witnessed it, and were blade the victims of it, ai being Very little removed from unmitigated priggishness. However that may be, certainly uUie Eva on Saturday night, while she was letter perfect in the language of her part, and showed that she hod been much tutored in her “ business,” was disappointing, on account of her absolute want of anything approaching tenderness of expression. The poetry with ' which, the. novelist has connected the oha* motor was at‘no time discernible but inlts plboe wm themost prosaic prose. “Topsy” uimpersonated by Miss Panny Wiseman, Who. Hie bills say, is “ the original and only l one.” Without staying, to considerhow the ‘oply one can also be said to be the original one, those who saw Miss Bonny on Saturday night will adroit . that she’ is a most eatisfactoiy ’exponent of that waif ' and straV, the dark skinned “larrikin,” who Wd “growed,” uatetided and utterly friendless. Whether Miss Wiseman’s r“ make up,” her gestures, h?r byplay, her khguage, her uncouth dancing, or her squally uncouth singing be considered she is always 'thei^"Topsy” of the novel. And beyond all this, there is yob another trot in 'which' she is true to her ■ model, and that is'in tho flashos of true feSlinjg, ; few pad faT between though they be, 1 which she Quo of these her ' banubt say her eohd ; *-^Eva’s , “Topsy, Topsy, do bo good j” into' this 3 she put as much feeling a& would, if shown, by Miss Nelly ha>e redeemed‘Eva’s part fronx

the mechanical exprenionlessness which waa (0 disappointing. The chief of the subsidiary characters remain jet to be noticed. Taking them in the order in which they appear on the playbills, the first is "Simon Legree,” who was most revolting (the term in this instance is a complimentary one), realised bT Mr G. W>, Collier. This gentleman wo •Iwfdy ka °\ « a versatile *aotor, whose merits would be fully recognised without his being compelled to appeal to the “ groundlings." Yet such an appeal ho unundoabtedjy made when he allowed himself to bedxiveu into a fit of delirium tremens at the sight of a lock of hair which reminded him of his mother’s death. The passion was “ torn to rags." “ Tom Loker," a follow of the same kidney as “Legree," was as conscientiously, that is as abhorrently, played by Mr W. South. “ George Harris" was rendered in a quiet, yet sufficiently impressive manner by Mr H. Stoneham. “Eliza,” his wife, had an admirable exponent in Mrs Walter Hill, whose well-known power of depicting, distress, the part afforded ample opportunity of displaying. As usual, this mrUete was forcible, without straining for effect. “Miss Ophelia” and “ Gassy, the avenger,", two very dissimilar characters, were more than respectably presented by Mrs G. W. Collier, who was careful to bring .into prominence the peculiarities of each. “ Phineas Von Tromp,” the Quaker fanner, was played by Mr Musgrave, who also doubled in Mr Shelby. This gentleman ie a careful elocutionist, and played on Saturday with great spirit. He showed a tendency, perhaps, to what, when the fact of his being a member of, the peace-loving society of friends is borne in mind, might bo considered an exaggerated demonstration of his willingness to use violent arguments with those who differed from him. St. Clair waa played ,with care and ease by Mr A. , Lawrence. The other characters in the drama were impersonated with more than average ability. To relieve the decidedly depressing tendency of the drama, there are introduced several episodes calculated to raise the spirits of the audience. Of these, a most amusing one was the scene in which Loker finds that he has been lead in a wrong direction by .two “niggers.” These stand on either side of him, and alternately menace him in dumb show as he turns his head away. The sudden changes from menace to indifference were well conceived and as well executed. In this part of our notice we may mention the “ songs and dances” which are performed by a quartette of acrobats, who introduce most grotesque and clever novelties in the way of posturing and “ break downs.” Here, too, is perhaps, the proper place in which to speak of the “Jubilee and other songs,” which are introduced pretty frequently, and which, however questionable the taste that has made their selection, are extremely well and fully sung. The scenery is, some of it at least, new and very good. One scene, a cotton plantation, is roteworthy for its admirable perspective j another, a half frozen river with blocks of ice upon it, is principally remarkable for the contrivance by which necessary “unsteadfast footing" is obtained for the floating ice, and a third, a rock “set” is picturesque, and fairly realistic. The lime light is used in several scenes with considerable effect, and especially in the final tableau, the apotheosis of “ Uncle Tom.” That the performance of this drama possesses much merit no one will deny, and it may safely be predicted that it will draw large houses. Indeed it would be strange if a combination of artists, almost every one of whom has some reputation, greater or less as the case may be, should, when devoting themselves specially to a single drama, and that one which appeals strongly to the sympathies of human nature, altogether fail to obtain remuneration for their enterprise. On the other hand, it must be admitted that there is an incongruity in the mixture of the sacred with the profane in “ Unde Tom’s Cabin," as performed by this company. It would seem as if the members of the dramatic profession wish to retaliate upon the revivalists. If these have lately been invading the domain of Thespis, and taking from the stage some of its adventitious allurements, as means towards an end, now those are borrowing from the revivalists’ publications some of _ their most taking hymns, in order to effect a fair exchange j but how far such an exchange is justifiable or excusable this is no place to discuss. The Combination will again appear this evening.