AMUSEMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VII, Issue 2004, 21 June 1870, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

PRINCE OF "WALKS THEATRE. The announcement that the fine play of "Never Too Late to Mend"would, be produced at the above theatre last evening had (he effect of drawing together one of the largest audiences we hare seen at the "Prince" for some time pnst, tho pit ami stalls being quito full, while the dress circle nnd boxes were al«o well attended. This, vre were very glad to see, for the management labour under very heavy expense*, and their constant endeavours to place new pieces upon the of alesitimate. character is ■worthy of a bettor support than lias lately been" accorded t-j this place of amusement. "We believe, however, tint the constant production of sueli pieces as that of last evening will do much towards filling the house and enabling l)io management to Keep up the name of this, theatre a.« the first in New Zealand. " Never Too Late to Mend," founded upon Charles Reatle's novel of the same name, us played last evening, was different in many respects to the version familiar to most plavgoer, but most of the essential points were retained, so that the difference was of no matrri.il consequence, and the change was, if anything, iiu improvement upon the original play." The entire piece was well mounted, some of the scenery being very good, especially that illustrative of the interior of the prison at Farnborough, and the performance vras on tho whole one of the most successful that we have witnessed at this theatre for a considerable time past. Although there are many what are commonly termed " sensation scenes' in the progress of tho play, it is one that belongs to that standard class which, if plajed at all moderately well, cannot fail to be successful - and so it was last evening ; everything ran sinnothlv, the actors had evidently lr.ade a «-tii dv of the parts, and the loud and frequent applause that tilled the theatre was a suro sign that lie management had hit the right nail on the head by putt ins; it upon the boards. The p»rt o? Tom Kobinson, a reformed convict, was sustained by Mr. O'Brien, : and we do not remember to iiave seen this '• gentleman play with more heart than was the i case last denunciation of the • prison system of EMaud, under such men as . llawe?,"fnirly^egnt.down the house, and ; was a piece genuine, unaffected acting, i that could hardly have been surpassed. Mr. , ,r IT. Clifford played the character of lom , "Kidding very fairly. The villain of the piece, John Meado'ws. was sustained l.y Mr. Kyan, ' in his usual careful style ; while Jir. Musgrave ' invested the part of'the scoundrelly lawyer ' Crawley with great interest in his assumption of tho miserable and shuffling drunkard, beiiu; ' a really tirst-cla.«s piece of tiding. Mr. B. >'. 1 Jones was the Jew, Isaac Levi, and we think ' the part could scarcely have been in better - hands, some of the scenes in which he was 1 the chief actor beiug very fint. Mr. Thornton f as II awes the goaler was out of his element — s as Hawes the ruffian, however, in the latter e scenes of the play, he was much, better Mr. 3 Booth sustained the character of William „ Fielding most creditably, indeed one would hardly believe that he had been so short a T time upon the stage ; we have had occasion to refer in complimentary terms to this young actor on previous occasions, and his perform s auco last evening fully convinces us that with I care and studv there are few parts t > which he - mavnolaspire. Alittiemorelifeandammation, 0 however, thrown into his gestures, with a somef what more free and easy style of delivery, would make a wonderful improvement in Mr. ) Booth's playing. Mrs. Walter Hill was if Susan Merlon, and we need hardly eay that > she did full justice to the part. Mrs. Ryan »! and Mrs. McGowan were both good in their ,f respective parts nf Mrs. Merton and Nan, while Mrs. O'Brien was sufficiently motherly as Mrs. Meadows. Miss Warue, however, ? made but an indifferent Joseph. If this ' young lady woidd speak more distinctly, and % "try to master her nervousness, she might in " time become litted for such parts, but at r ' present she has all the appearance of a very II young amateur. We ought not to omit to '■• mention Mr. McGowan, who, as the Australian ■° black "Jackcy," was provocative of much ;e merriment. At the end of the play there 0 was prolonged applause, which was o ly e appeased bv the curtain being again drawn up (t and displaying the various dni-nutix person*, ie who bowed their acknowledgements. The play will le repeated this evening, and j s we can co'n-cientiouily recommend it as well 10 worth witnessing. 11 THEATRE ROYAL. •',' There was a moderate attendance at this popular place of amusement last evening, sl when the performance: commenced with the r " cehbralcd cornedv, in three acts, of "The 1 * Serious Family," which was tolerably successful, and which, as it is to be repeated, we shall is take an opportunity of not icing in o.r toy, morrow's issue. The performance c-mcludtd it with tho laughable farce of "A. S. S."