THEATRE ROYAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIX, Issue 6874, 12 March 1883, Page 5

THEATRE ROYAL.

For the lost time, for the present at any rate, Mies Jennie Lee appeared in her life-like impersonation of Jo on Saturday night. The bouse was well filled downstairs, the circle being also fairly patronised, and the efforts of Mis* Lee and the company supporting her met with the same hearty appreciation a* on previous occftftioctt. To-night Mim Leo will make a change from grave to gay by appearing as the heroine in " The Grasshopper,” a lively comedy adapted by Mr J. F. Burnett from a French piece known as " La Oigale ” Daring the nine week* that the company occupied the board* in Dunedin, "The Grasshopper" proved the principal attraction, and is spoken of by the critic* of the southern city as a snorkling trifle, serving to show Miss Lea in a new light, that of a vivacious burlesque actress. The plot ts slight, and is somewhat as follows j— ... , . The Grasshopper is a girl of good family, who was stolen by gipsies m her infancy, and become* connected with a circus owned by a man named Jingle. Ho and two members of the company, known respectively the man with the iron jaw, and Dismal Jemmy, the clown, persist m making love to the Grasshopper, and to escape their Persecution* she runs away, and meets at a Highland Inn, where the has taken refuge, a Mr Pvamalion Flippet, described as an eccentric arifst. He befriend* her, and she foretells by the card* that he wIU marry a lady of title, who will first save hi* life and then b r c*k his head. He purchase# her freedom from Jingle and his companion*, who loam Lot l retreat, and she is subsequently recogby Fogg, a confidential servant of her aristocratic family, and reclaimed by bun to go to her relation* in (he position of a neh

helms, and by the name of Lady Ernestine Toptawyer. She discover* also that Mabel St John, a young lady beloved by Flippol, Is deceiving him, end prefers a friend oihls, Stipple, also an artist. The Qrtwhopper—or rather Lady Ernestine— ip reinstated in the home of her family under the protection of her aunt, Lady Buckram, whose prejudices and feelings she wounds by bringing into her now life the manners and eccentricities of her former one. She is sought in marriage by the Hon Sydey Morns*, who, in company with his uncle, the Earl of Bogland and Dreary town, is paying the ladies a visit. In a mutual explanation they discover that they both love somebody else, and the Hon Sydney’s inamorata is the same Mabel that Flippet is infatuated with. Flippet discovers the perfidy of Mabel, who makes love to Stipple under hi* very eyes during a boating excursion, and this provoking a quarrel, they are both precipitated into the water, whence Flippet is rescued by Lady Ernestine, who thus fulfils a portion of the predictions of the cards. His subsequent forgiveness of Mabel so exasperates her that she verifies the second portion of the forecast by breaking his head. In the end, Flippet is recovering from a long illness, and makes up bis mind that he loves the 11 Grasshopper,” now that she is, as ho thinks, beyond his reach, for the family will not listen to the pretentions of a man without title or fortune. Lady Ernestine, however, to avoid marriage with the Hon Sydney Morass, runs away from home to the studio of Flippet, whither her aunt and her friends follow her,-end on Flippet inheriting both a title and a fortune, all ends happily for everybody. Besides the many attractions of the piece itself, there is some fine scenery, painted by Mr George Gordon for the original production of “ The Qrasehoppor” in Melbourne.