AMUSEMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 2342, 28 July 1871, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS.

Theatre Royal. — There was a moderate attendance at this theatre last evening, when the great play of " Leah " was repeated, and passed off very satisfactory, the acting of Miss Adelaide Bowring, as the poor Jewess, who loved not wisely, but too well, bein» magnificent ; in the great denunciation scene, it rose to real grandeur, and the fair artiste was compelled to respond to a peremptory call. The part of Rudolph is one that calls for the display of no very great dramatic ability, still we think that had a little more feeling been thrown into it, it would have gone all the better ; and this is a great fault that we have to find with Mr. Steele's acting generally, that he never, or, at least rarely, appears to throw his soul into the character which he is for the time representing, notwithstanding that he appears feo have every necessary physical qualication at his command. The rest of the cast was the same as upon the former representation of the piece, and the different parts were very well rendered. After the conclusion of the piece, Mr. Holdsworth sang two of his favourite songs, which brought the entertainment to a close. This evening, the sensasational drama of " Black Sheep " will be repeated for the last time, and those playgoers who Lave not seen Miss Bowring in her celebrated character of Harriett Routh should not miss the opportunity of witnessing it. Tomorrow evening the burlesque of " Little Don Giovanni," and the " Ticket-of-Leave Mans Wife," will be performed. —We observe that this evening Mr. J. G-. Joyce will make his last appearance at this theatre. His loss will certainly leave a great L. mk in the company, and, indeed, we hardly «e • how it will be filled up. Mr. Joyce has now been so long connected with the Auckland stage that he may almost be looked upon as an old identity, and we trust he is not about to depart from among us altogether. In his own line of business, " the old man line," as it is termed, he has certainly no superior in this colony, and many of our actors might take a lesson from him with advantage in the matter of getting up and dressing their parts, aud a conscientious discharge of their duties generally. Eroin his high and well deserved professional reputation, and his versatile ability, both in the drama and burlesque, he will certainly be a great acquisition to aTT company to which he may become connected, and we wish him every success and everr prosperity in his future career wherever he may be.

Pmxce of TValks Theatre.—There was a very good rttendance at this theatre last evening, when the piece announced for the performance by the morning papers was Goldsmith's comedy of ;1 She Stoops to Conquer," bat in consequence of His Excellency the Gi - vcrnor having desired that the piece be played to-night on the occasion of presence and patronage, tha comedy of liar plot, the Busybody" was substituted. Notwithstanding the advertisement in the evening paper, that this piece would be produced, a number of people who had not seen that paper visited the theatre for the express purpose of witnessing "She Stoops to Conquer, and who were considerably disappointed at the abrupt change. Whether such a policy is a judicious one with the management is not for us to say, but it is a bad thing at any time to even partially break faith with the patrons of a theatre, even under such circumstances ; and we think it would have teen far better to have played " She Stoops to Conquer," and to have repeated it this evening on the occasion of the vice-regal visit. The comedy of " Marplot, the Busybody,"was a reproduction with the same cast as upon its former representation, and it, of course, went off with eclat. The acting of Mr. Hoskins as the meddlesome busybody, who is always getting his friends in difficulties through mistaken motives of good nature, fairly kept tiie house convulsed with laughter. Miss Colville also had a part eminently suited to her talents, and the entire piece was a decided success. The afterpiece was the farce of " Cool as a Cucumber, ' in which Mr. Hoskins, as Plumper, the man of self-assurance, who, in his efforts to cure his supposed bashfulness, confounds everyone by his unmitigated impudence, was a really clever and enjoyable piece of acting, and again sent the audience into convulsions of laughter. As mentioned above, G-old-smith's fine comedy of " She Stoops to Conquer," will be performed this evening, under the patronage, and in the presence of His Excellency the Governor.