ABBOTT'S OPERA HOUSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7646, 25 May 1886, Page 5

ABBOTT'S OPERA HOUSE.

" MY PARTNER." Mr. George Kisnold's Dramatic Company opened a season last night at, the Opera House to a crowded audience. The piece •elected was Bartley Campbell's four-act poetic drama, entitled "My Partner." The object of the play is to illustrate certain phases of American society and mining life in California, as they have been familiarised to the English public by the pea of Bret Harts. The drama was played by Mr. Rignold at the Olympic Theatre, London, in 1884, and for the first time in the Australasian colonies at Her Majesty's Opera House, Melbourne, in 1885. The story treats of the friendship existing between two Californian miners, Joe Saunders, and Ned Singleton, both of whom have fixed their affections on the same woman, Mary Brandon. On Saunders confessing his love to the girl, he discovers that she is betrothed to his partner, who has betrayed her trust. Horrified by the discovery, and yet pitying the girl he had loved, he extorts from Ned Singleton a promise that he will in three days make her his lawful wife. In the second scene is given the hut of the erstwhile friends, and Joe is seen dividing the gold which they had mutually laboured to secure, preparatory to dissolving their partaership, and his leaving the district. The villain of the drama, Josiah Venables, who had* overheard an interview between Ned Singleton and Mary Brandon, and who, inspired by hatred of Mary's father, owing to a slight received from Mrs. Brandon in former years, comes upon the scene when Joe had left, and endeavours, through malignant motives, to induce Ned to refrain from fulfilling his promise to wed Mary Brandon, insinuating that she has been his comrade's mistress. The utterance of the calumny enrages Ned, who rushes at Venables to throttle him, but in the struggle the latter seizes a knife, and stabs Ned in the back. Placing the —Joe's knife— upon the mantelpiece, he decamps with Ned's share of the parted gold, first of all tearing off a shirt cuff, on which were stains of blood, to prevent detection. Scarcely has the tragedy been accomplished when Joe returns, softened and regretful, to bid a last good-bye to his " mate." It is only after fruitless appeals to Ned to forgive and forget, that he discovers that the figure reclining at the table is motionless in death, and the act closes upon his horror and sorrow on discovering that his former friend bad been foully murdered. The circumstantial evidence seems to point to Joe's guilt—his blood-stained knifethe ground —and the missing gold. He is arrested and charged with the crime. Mary Brandon, who had disappeared at the time of the murder, reappears on hearing of Joe's peril, but her father sternly refuses his forgiveness, as having dishonoured his name. Joe, in order to reconcile father and daughter, falsely avows himself her husband and the father of her child, but being unable to produce the marriage certificate they again go through the marriage ceremony before a justico to satisfy the doubts of Mr. Brandon. The father's forgiveness is then bestowed. At the close of the trial fresh evidence is discovered—namely, the blood-stained shirtcuff of Venables and the missing gold, through the agency of a Chinaman, Wing Lee, and the drama closes with the arrest of the real murderer, Josiah Venables, who is lrd away by an excited crowd to be lynched, Joe being released and his innocence established.

Mr. Rignold as Joe Saunders received an enthusiastic reception on his first appearance on the Auckland stage. His physique was admirably suited for that of the bluff stalwart digger, whom Bret Harta has immortalised. His impersonation was evidently the outcome of careful study, and at the close of the second act, in which he discovers the murder of Ned Singleton, his acting was magnificent, and the curtain went down amidst enthusiastic plaudits, which did not cease till Mr, Rignold and the leading characters came before the curtain and received a fresh ovation. In the final scene he maintained the favourable impression which ho had created aa being au actor of marked ability. Mr. Rignold is fortunate in being ably supported by such artists as Miss Ivate Bishop (her first appearance in Auckland), who received a very favourable reception, and Messrs. Hatnbro (Ned Singleton), Joe Tolano (Wing Lee), J. F. Cathcart (Mr. Brandon), Miss Lucy Harwood (Grace Brandon), Mrs. George Kignold (Miss Posie Fentland), Miss Kate Bishop sustained the character of Mary Brandon with % modesty and pathos which won for her the sympathy of the audience. The Ned Singleton of Mr. Hatnbro was an excellent performance, especially in the parting scene with Joe. The Major Britt of Mr. Meads was a capital caricature of some of the types of character to be seen in American political life- No better compliment could have been paid to Mr. Isaacson, the heavy villain of the play, than the hootings of the incensed audience whenever he made his appearance on the stage. Mr. Tolano's " Heathen Chinee," Wing Lae, wns simply immense, and his drolleries elicited roars of laughter. Miss Harwood, as Grace Brandon, acted her part with judgment and taste ; and , the Miss Posie I'eutland of Mrs. Rignold proved a decided hit. The minor characters were well sustained. The piece is excellently mounted, the opening ucenes of the first and second acts giving a capital realisation of Califoruian mining scenery. The drama will be played throughout the present week, and bias fair, judging from the applause bestowed last night, to secure ft large amount of public patronage.

A somewhat remarkable incident occurred at the close of the first act. Major Britt had just finished his Fourth of July oration when Joe Saunders remarked, "This is not the Fourth of July, but the 24th of May ; suppose wo sing the National Anthem." Miss Hurwood toot the solo, and the audience uprising, "God Save the Queen" was sung by the full company. The incident electrified the assemblage, and at the close of the Anthem they testified their pleasure by cheers, which were renewed again and again.