THEATRE ROYAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVII, Issue 6535, 6 February 1882, Page 5

THEATRE ROYAL.

“ Kttbbka,” and “ The Fool os the Familt.” The third programme of the Williamson season, if not altogether equal in merit to the first and second, is a very enjoyable one, as ni abundantly prosed by the applause with which it was on Saturday night received by a large audience. It consisted of a drama entitled “ Eureka,” and a comedietta entitled “ The Fool of the Family." “ Eureka ” was written expressly for Miss Maggie Moore and Mr J. 0. Williamson, and gives the former an opportunity for Binging some of her popular songs j while it affords the latter ample scope for displaying his Dutch English, and his power to rouse the sympathies of his audience. The story is American, and moat of the incidents take place at the “Eureka" diggings, where the miners uphold Lynch law; and where, of course, the revolver is a thing not unknown. The play has a prologue and three acts; the incidents in the prologue preceding those in the first act by some five or six years. In the prologue, Franz Weber, a German druggist (Mr J. G. Williamson), is the delighted father of a baby girl, whose mother. Ancle Weber (Bliss Solange Navnro), has an intrigue with a scoundrel, Laurence Heighten (Mr B. A. Vernon). The family also includes Franz’s sister, Nellie (Miss Maggie Moore), whose woman’s instinct has mistrusted Heighten from her first acquaintance with him. The guilty pair correspond by letters placed in the baby’s cradle, and one of these letters being found by the injured husband, leads to bis discovering the wrong that he has suffered. Heighten is at the same time denounced to Franz by a friend, Charley Frink (Mr £L H. Vincent), who has met the villain in his travels, and become acquainted with some of his iniquities. The scene doses with the seducer shooting the husband, and carrying off wife and child. The next scene finds Heighten living, with Annie as hi#Vrife, on the diggings, and passing off the child of Franz, Yulie (little Lillie Moore), as his own. The {tot have been unable to learn the result of Brighton's shot, but have reason to believe that Franz is still alive. This is of coarse the fact, and the audience soon learns it by the appearance of the once happy Franz, now a 11 tramp,” having but one purpose in life —to find his stolen child. Soon the father and child meet, neither knowing tke other, and the child, pitying the poor man, gives him a gold locket. The tramp, delighted at the little one’s sympathy, accepts the gift; and this is made to tell against him when, on his recognition by Heighten, the latter accuses him of robbing the mail in which he (Heighten) had been a passenger. Two of the other dramatis personas have this time become one, Charley Frink having married Nellie. They have lost Franz, but happily reach Eureka in time to aid him in the next act at his trial, by Lynch law, before Colonel Jack Hover (Mr Stuart O’Brien.) By their means Yulie proves her father’s innocence, and by disclosing the miniature of her mother, contained in the locket, shows her* self to be the child he has long sought. In the last act the desperate mother attempts to poison her husband, bat as he is about to give her child to drink of the poisoned beverage, she snatches the glass up and would drink it herself were she not prevented by him. The climax of the drama immediately follows. The villain fires through a window at Franz, but kills Annie, he himself at the same moment being shot by Frink.

Mr 'Williamson gave a very graphic render* iog of bis rile, 'ihe rhapsodies in which he described the wonders or “ the baby ” were truly characteristic, and served admirably to intensify his revulsion of feeling on learning his wife’s infidelity. In the later scenes he displayed the same happy mingling of pathos and power that distinguished him in the closing act of “ Struct Oil.” Miss Maggie Moore had to delineate the character of a young lady, with a will of her own, and was most successful in her manner of doing so. She ssng several songs, which vers, of course, enthusiastically applauded, and redemanded. Miss Solange Navaro depleted in etrong colours the unhappy woman she impersonated. Little Lillie Moore, who on this occasion appeared in Christohnroh for the first time, made a great success. Her childish voice agreed well with her artless manner, while she articulated every word distinctly and with intelligence. Miss Aggie "Cigh made an excellent Irish nurse. Mr M. H. Vincent was as good as he always is. Mr E, A. Vetnon was a consistent and not we heavy villain. Mr Stuart 'O’Brien was dot so thorough an American judge as we nave recently been accustomed to, but was stiU very good. Messrs D’Elmsino, W. H. dcagrave, and G. A, Coleman efficiently played minor r6Ut. The scenery was as eserving of praise as it has been since it has sen m the hands of Mr Frahm, and the «« *cene fully sustained the reputation ow.it tl - a ß e manager, Mr Vincent. The nostra, as usual, enhanced the enjoyment the evening. The calls before the curtain ,* numerous for the principal artists, and uded at the close of the drama all the ? erso **- "The Fool of the .. obonnds in rough humour, which nt ™»ted chiefly to Miss Maggie Moore. Bigger farce typej but ♦l , Mr _ and Mrs Wmiainson to develop k 0 could not but bring; down the

eT programme will be repeated this