The New Zealand Herald. AUCKLAND, FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 1864. THINGS THEATRICAL.

New Zealand Herald, Issue I, 1 April 1864, Page 3

The New Zealand Herald.

AUCKLAND, FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 1864. THINGS THEATRICAL.

SPECTEJIUR AGENDO. " Otvc every man thine oar, but few thy voice: Take cnoh mail'* censure, but reserve thy judgment. TUi* abovo all, —To thine ownsolf l>o true; And it nnwt follow, rw the m«ht tho day, not tlion bti faUn to any maii."

The Theatre, lor a nijjlit or two, made way for tlie Clmreli Bazaar. We shall take advantage of that recess to make a lew observations whieh we incline to think will not be found from tlie purpose. We have ever been warm advocates of theatrical representations, and tlie consistent: friends of theatrical professors but, in so acting, we have been as earnestly desirous of beholding theatrical performances in their completeness, not pared down and pruned away into mere fragmentary morccau.r. Our acquaintance with Auckland theatrical dates from the time when the oSth regt. organized a Garrison Theatre in one of the buildings of the Albert Barracks. In that dramatic temple, the soldiers of the regiment, and a semi-militarv semi-civilian corps of amateurs, alternately wooed the attention of the public. The Garrison Theatre was well conducfed, well attended, and well got up. Tlie performances were complete. There was an amount of genuine theatrical ability, in its united service, which was sensibly appreciated. j\nil then, the orchestra—the accomplished band of the 58th—was worth till that was charged for admission. When the late theatre, in Victoria-street, was opened by Mr. Foley, the company was not only perfect- in point ol'numbers, but it included several ladies and gentlemen of sterling and recognized reputation oil the English stage.

When the same theatre was subsequently opened,under the direction of Messrs.Bellair and .Mill, their company wasalso an excellent one, and sullicienlly strong to place before, the audience plays and dramas, such a« they produced, in the form in which their authors penned them. -At that period Auckland could not: count one-half the population it now numbers; besides which, "the old identity " reigned supreme, and plays and players were regarded rather with sti'lerance than wilh Ihat degree of cordiality with which they are greeted now. The admirable conduct of Messrs. Bellairand Jlill, throughout their managerial career, changed the tone of public opinion; for even ascetics were compelled te admit lhat actor and gentleman were by no means incompatible diameters.

AVe may be asked to what do all these reminiscences tend? Our reply is,—not to induce invidious or hypercritical comparisons; but to arouse a spirit of active and earnest competition,—to place tho drama of IS 154 as fully and completely on the stage as it was done in the earlier and less monied times of ten years since. If theatrical performances are to be other than " short-lived," they must be placed before an audience not 111 a maimed and mangled foxm, but with plot, plan, and characters entire. AVe have all laughed at the absurdity of performing the tragedy of Hamlet witfi the character of the Prince ot Denmark omitted. And, yet, the ommission of -Airs. Fitzallan, the very personage, the pivot, on whom all the whim, dialogue and equivoque of Simpson & Co. depends, reduces one of tlie most brilliant little comedies over penned into a texture of something very like sheer nonsense. And, to speak truth, the same may bo said of the Honey Moon when ruthlessly shorn of such characters as Rolando and Zamora.

If we arc to have a legitimate theatre — and we think the public manifests every disposition to support one —we must have the dramas of the best writers placed upon the stage, without decapitations or excisions, and with the requisite mine en scene to which, even in Auckland, we have all along been accustomed, and without which, iu Dutiedin, no manager would venture tii open his doors. If. on the other hand, we are to have merely select scenes anil dramatic recitati >iis,'let it be so stated in t|ie bond," and tnen, perchance, we may cry " content" to that which grieves our hearts. We state all this not in the lago vein, who was " nothing if not critical not in disparagement of Mr. Barry, and the very cl-;vor artiste* to whom be has introduced Us; bUt t>a behalf t?l' tlie

and play-going public of Auckland" who, like ourselves, are desirous of establishing a permanent and fitting theatre, instead of continuing to be dependent on the erratic visits of occasional coteries. That we entertain the most kindly sentiments towards Messrs. Barry and Daniels ; that we duly appreciate the talent of their little company, we have given ample and incontestable proof : but neither we nor the play-going public can close our eyes to the obtrusive fact, that they are deficient in lumbers, but a section of a theatrical company, and therefore unequal to the due performance of any drama in wliicli the most moderate variety of characters are required. Had their success been at all questionable ; had they hung tire, with such a load-star as the "inexhaustible" Thatcher, making his untoward" appearance simultaneous! - / with themselves, we should have maintained a studied silence. But they have been prosperous beyond all previous hisfriones, and having been so, and wishing to meet in them not the speculators of a few fleeting hours, but the nucleus of a dramatic society who may give an impetus to the erection of a theatre worthy of the City of Auckland, and who may become the lcsees and managers of the same—it is because of these inclinings " that we have entered at this length upon " Tilings Theatrical." in the hope that by so doing we may inspirit Messrs. Barry and Daniels to prune their wings for a bolder (lit lit—a llight which tin- public talks of, and expects from them, and which, if they pause to adventure, will ere long be taken by bolder spirits.