THEATRE ROYAL.—THE CARDEN COMPANY

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6149, 2 August 1881, Page 5

THEATRE ROYAL.—THE CARDEN COMPANY

A dramatic version of WilkieCollins's, "The Frozen Deep," was produced last night to a good house, and with a genuine success, mainly to bq attributed to the admirable acting of 'Mr. James Carden and Miss Mars- : ton Leigh. A dramatic interpretation of any i narrative must be an intensely concentrated ' summary of the principal incidents. It is ' also very rriuch more difficult to give effee- ■ tive embodiment to individualities, conceived first by the originator, and nearly always ; sublimated by tlv? adapter. Mr. Carden's • impersonation of Richard lastnight had the strength of a creation rather than a simulated personation. Mias Marston Leigh possesses a remarkable quality of sustained emotion, and also a nice perception of the limits beyond which emotion mny not pass. Her impersonation of Clara Burnham was excellent in conception and manner, wrought out with deep feeling and thoroughly effective. The story is simple. Clara Burnham and Richard.Wardour part after a love declaration on the part of the latter, to which the lady is not responsive. He is a naval officer, and goes to the African station ivith an avowal that he will come; jack promoted, and claim her hand. She is . won by a young naval officer, Francis Aldersley (Mr. James O'Brien), who is ; about to proceed to the Arctic Seas.; Wardour returns, renews his declara-. tion, is rejecter], and joins the exploring expedition, vowing a terrible, vengeance against the man who "came, between him" and his happiness. The rivals are in the same dangerous service, in the , same ship, and adrift on the same floes, of; ice. Wardour discovers his rival by seeing, the initials of Clara Burnhain carved on his sleeping- bunk, and murder is the first thought that enters his mind. The ships are abandoned. Lots are cast for a man to stay with the sick. The lot falls on Wardour. But an officer is disabled, and is left behind in Wardour's place. Wardour and Aldersley are adrift. Clara Buruham is supposed to be gifted with "second sight," and she sees the.terrible relation between the two men, of which she is the object. These visions are.shown by very effective tableaux of snow mountains and . ice hummocks. The two men are reduced to starvation, and Wardour is seen raising his axo, the lady falling senseless with the thought that vengeance is consummated. The ship returns to Newfoundland, but not the two men. The'story is being told of the missing officers, when Wardour, lunatic from starvation, enters. Ho is challenged as to what he did with his brother officer. He sees Clara Burnham, who denounces him as a murderer. He disappears, and presently returns carrying the exhausted Francis AWersley in his arms. The acting of Mr. Cardeu throughout is full of real strength and intense purpose. He is well supported by Mr. O'Brieii. The power of Miss Leigh in expressing silent emotion heightens the effect of the principal part. Great pains have been taken with the scenery. Mr. Arthur Elliot, as Lieutenant Crayford, and Mr. J. P. West as Captain Holding, were excellent in form and manner as naval officers.. Miss Tanner had a nice part as solace and comfort to Clara Burnham. Her voice is thoroughly sympathetic, and her fine presence gives it additional effect. Mr. Lachlan MeGowan provided irresistible fun as Tim Kilroogan, "ship's cook," and Miss Maggie Knight, as Kitty Kilroogan, sang Irish songs and danced Irish jigs with verve and neatness of style which elicited vehement applause. An excellent make up was that of Baltic Joe, by Mr. J. J. Welsh. This piece is a perfect novelty. It was never attempted here before. It is only .through exceptionally high ability it could have been produced at all. It will be performed, for the last time, to-night. Mr. Gilbert's comedy, "The Romantic Family," will be produced tomorrow, for the benefit of the Scottish and Engineer Corps of Volunteers.