ABBOTT'S OPERA HOUSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7693, 19 July 1886, Page 5

ABBOTT'S OPERA HOUSE.

"RICHARD III." Mr. W. E. Sheridan and his dramatic company produced " Richard III." on Saturday evening, opening the play, ar, is now usual, with the last act of " King Henry VI." but materially shortening the acts of the play proper to bring it within the time allotted to an evening's entertainment. Mr. Sheridan, of course took the lead* ing role, and throughout the whole play he sustained the part with a keen appreciation of its various phases, and with such success that he had repeatedly to appear before the curtain. One felt a difficulty in concluding in which phase he appeared to greatest advantagewhether as the subtle plotter, the unmasked hypocrite, or the daring usurperbut in all he displayed a finish and power worthy in every respect of his reputation as an actor. His scene with Lady Anne, when urging his suit for her hand in the presenoe of her husband's corpse, evinced an amount of passionate power which was almost irresistible, and in this instance Miss Davenport, who sustained the role of Lady Ann, played well up to him. In these scenes, in which he cuts short the fierce fires of invective hurled at him by the Duohess of York (Miss Ella Carrington) and Queen Elizabeth (Miss Eloise Juno), his keen irony was very telling, but in the final scenes there was a grandeur in his savage nature that fairly carried away the audienoe, and he was applauded to the echo. The parts assumed by the ladies were admirably sustained, and it would be difficult to say which elicited the sympathies of the audience in the greatest degree. Mr. Nunn displayed a good deal of histrionic ability of a high class in the rdle of Busking* ham, and Mr. Taylor also won for himself the good opinion of the audience as Cateaby. As Richmond, however, Mr. Griffiths was evidently out of plaoe, for although there was in some of the scenes a . fair perception of the character, in others there was a waste of energy. The other parts call for no special mention. To-night, "Richard the Third" will be repeated, and to-morrow night, Massinger's groat comedy, A New Way to Pay Old Debts," will be presented. On Wednesday evening, the last night of the season, and on the occasion of Mr. Sheridan's benefit, another Shakes* perian revival. "Macbeth," will introduce the benefioiare in one of his finest impersonations.