MR J. L. HALL'S BENEFIT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 764, 22 October 1886, Page 14

MR J. L. HALL'S BENEFIT.

Mr J. L. Hall (better known perhaps as

“ Johnny Hallwho took a heutfit at the Theatre Royal last night in “The Guv’cor,’’ deserves well of New Zealand theatre-goers,

if ever an actor did. His name has been associated to a very great extent with matters theatrical in this country for over twenty-five years ; and he is as comical and as clever now as he was in ’59, when he affected the spangles aud sawdust of the circus, and delighted the good people of Wellington by his astounding acrobatic performances. Since then, however, Mr Hall has risen, and ha? established for himself a reputation as a comedian which is known as well in America and England as it is in these colonies. In America ho was, a few years ago, a great success ; and in England he was also successful, for his acting in Shakespeare as well as in modern drama and comedy was very highly spoken cf. In the Australasias we know him well ; his performance of Rip Van Winkle, Charley Spraggs, Samuel Tottles, Macclesfield, Captaiu Gingab, and many other parts have attained such celebrity as to bs synonymous with his name. Of the actors who have achieved greatness in Australia, Mr Hall, we believe, is almost the only one who has maintained his reputation in Europe and America. He has risen with the new school of comedy, and, carefully keeping pace with, its advancement, has held, and still holds, bis place high up on the list of playeia of notable parts and piece?. Macclesfield, is one of his beßt effortp. His representation of the eccentric old boatman is a performance which he might say, as Stephanie (of Genevieve Ward remembrance) said : “ Once seen I allow no one to forget me.” Mr Hall has played this part in the chief centres of Australia, as well as in other parts of the world, and he ha 9 always met with unqualified approval and large patronage.