THEATRE ROYAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIX, Issue 6868, 5 March 1883, Page 5

THEATRE ROYAL.

«Jo”

Tumi was a large aadieccs at the Theatre EoyaS on Saturday night, particularly downstain, to witness Miss Jennie Leo’s impersonation of poor "Jo" for the third time itt Christchurch. Her acting was characterised by the same finish and perfect study an on former occasions, and produced the name anmriUkeabie "effect upon those who watched the piece. The hushed attention which pervaded the whole bouse in some of the most pathetic scenes, and the quiet applause which more than once followed the fall of the curtain, spake powerfully in 1 praise of the talent of the actress. Sven the scoffers of a Satari d *y night’s pit, who generally mamtgs to raise * laugh by rough remarks at acme pptieulariy touching point of a drama, were silenced on making the attempt on Saturday—obOb or twice by audibio expressions of disapproval from toe of the audience t other times by the simple, natural, dramatic force with which the actress invest# bet psxL Mis* ■ acting i» so fero-s to wbsfi may b« so ; t«a seen ja the gml, ssd, cruel world of .London t and there is no infinitesimally little 1;ha« w artificial, f«3s« to nature, the actor’s mirror, or stagey about her conception ol the poor, iriesdiMj trmspjhat it must be «oa> Jamed she is a really great %tt» «la this past

of "Jo." A Urea portion of Mis* Lee's newer appear* to an»e from the feet loot she Is able to throw off evanr vesrig* a* *««• eoasctousoess in her work, The suddenness or action with which she somelimes accompanies a phrase which, snakea by anotherperfect in her art, would possess Hut Utile fora*, frequently imbues the words she aliens n startling life-Uke energy, end effect that shows the completeness with which she is liaiilroia of ita iwdlwe monmi. Th*» natural (ouches rebate the general u*m imd melancholy of the part, and allow welcome moments of respite frs« the strain upon (hofeelings" while Joand W» sad story am occupying (he stage. Two instances mil !Sst wo In that scene In whieh Indy Dedtoek. trying to pees herself off as ft servant, #o«t lo visit the i*s( mting-placo of her dsed later i (he other in the Interview on Bn»fi* bt’e doorstep with (ho kindly hide"slavey" Ouster. In the Srsstho ragged urchin points out to the weeping lady the new-made grave behind the hire of the lacked gats t the sorrowful dialogue Is proceeding, (ho \m sadly recounts the little kindnesses of the poor dead man an wretched as himself, Who bad been his only friend end sympathiser besides hnsgsby. Suddenly a rat tun* past in the moonlight. The current of Ideas Is altered in a moment like lightning every thought of the tab of woe, the veiled lad/, ' the money he is to receive, vanishes into ase. Every fibroin the small rag-covered body seems to quiver with excitement for n chaw as he dings himself face downwards on the step, and toast* a bare arm and his broom through the bars in eagerness to catch the animal The voice, (he mind, the whole nature of the gamin changes in a flash, as he cry*, “ Look at the rat. look at tho rat, there ’o goes', there's goes 1" II «a fleeting touch of that comedy la the midst of tragedy which so often happens in Me itself, and is given by the actress with electric effect. And when Duster reminds him of the time he kissed her—" Well, didn't you like it f * sharply queries So, turning his head suddenly towards her with a tone of voice and gesture that are studies in themselves. In fact, Miss Lee's performance is lull of studies ; it is no wonder that she took London by stem with Jo some six or seven years back, and roused the enthusiasm .of the Scotch critics in modem Athens. Several of the other actors in the drama are most competent performers. Of Mr Burnett's Bucket we hare already spoken, likewise of Miss Fenwick's Lady Dedlook and Miss Fischer's Esther. The henpecked, meek, and stealthily liberal Snsgsby is placed in Mr Stanfield's hands, and is consistently well played throughout by that gentleman, except in the very last scene of au, in which he seems to fall off a little, displaying hnt scant Motion at poor Jo's sad death. Mr Warner's Guppy, though he has every temptation to make that part nothing but a caricature, seldom transgresses the hound* of. legitimate comedy, though now. and then the actor borders on burlesque, wi(h his parcels and the numerous glasses of wine necessary to screw up his courage to the point of making a proposal. At the same time the burlesque is thoroughly amusing atd never vulgar* Miss Anowsmith has a most difficult part in tot of Hortenie, and gives her broken English in away that is seldom surpassed on the stage. To make one's self a foreigner throughout several exciting scenes is no my task, and the French maid, on the whole, looks, speaks, and acts surprisingly like one. Another very good piece of acting is Mise Herberte’s Jenny. Miss Leopold, as Duster, succeeds best in the scene with "Jo" before Saagsby's door, into which she introduces a largo amount of quiet feeling. The unctuous Chadb&nd is a personage who induces but Utile sympathy with the audience, and Mr Leopold's lines have not fallen in altogether pleasant places in having to depict such a sanctimonious rascal, which, however, he does with ffttr effect.