"NEW BABYLON" AT THE PRINCESS THEATRE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8595, 10 September 1889, Page 2

"NEW BABYLON" AT THE PRINCESS THEATRE.

At tho Princes Theatre last evening, before I a full house, Mr Paul Merritt's favourite and sensational <lrama "New Babylon" was produced in lieu of « The Ruling Passion," which held the boards all last week, It is seven or eight years since "New Babylon" was last Cfk'T' buV h? me I mory°* tie piece has been kept green during this time, and its reproduction was warmly received. The audience Fl n?«m W' th, U?b^ ted intere9t the fortunes of OS™ 2? ° LaZarect- »'« of ™« heighten-instead of to detract from-the interest which centred round the priucioal characters. One of the most gratifying features about the revival was that several of tit leaS parts were filled.by performers whose names have really become identified with these parts For instance, Mr Bland Holt hira.-elf reappeared as flotsam, the senior partner of the American firm of Flotsam and Jetsam, detectives and inquiry agents, which said firm, as ho truthfully remarks, "Separate, is great; together, is snakes. The part of Flotsam is one which Mr Holt has peculiarly made his owu, and of his representation of it it is unnecessary to say j more than that all the points were emphasised ! with the skill that was displayed of yore. As Flotsam Mr Holt is inimitable; neither i before nor after his impersonation of it has ho reached the level he obtained in it. I There were, besides Mr Holt's impersonation, j several other fine representations. Mr W. H. Seagrave, who haß not hitherto been cast this season, was entrusted with the part of Ezra Lazareck, and he is entitled to the highest praise for the admirable portrayal he gave of the character. The oddities and the villainy of the Jew were brought out into bold relief, and the former evoked the usual amount of hearty laughter. Mr Holloway's assumption of the part of the O'Sligo was a careful study, and Mr Albert Norman was physically and artistically a powerful Ramirez. Mr St. Lawrsnce's impersonation of the feeble-minded Johnny Lamb was diverting in the extreme, the character being represented with a praiseworthy appreciation of its niceties. Mr Ryan's Ah Luck was also well acted, but "the performer might have "made up" better, and Messrs Glover, Roberts, aud Howe were suitable exponents of th« respective parts of Hiram Maltby. Jack Randall, and Vincent Vayne, while Mr Harry Norman deserves a word of encouragement for his impersonation of Tiny Spurts, the light-weight jockey. Miss Blanche Lewis duplicated Eunice and Bel Lorrnner in an agreeable manner, and was equally charming in either charactsr. Mis Bland Holt and Miss Deorwyn missed no opportunities in their portrayal of Dora Sparkes and Madge Maltby respectively; and Mm Carrie George gave a distinctly fiue'impersouatioa of Aunt Crazy, the dissipated and fallen wife of Hiram Maltby. The other characters—a legion of them—were satisfactorily filled. The play, like its predecessors, was characterised by an evenness and a naturalness of acting that is worthy of high commendation. Bach part and every part was well played— there were no round pegs filling square hole 3. The scenic effects were of course admirable— they never are anything else with Mr Holt. The representation of the collision in mid-scean was an excellent effect, and the scene at "Goodwood racecourse was also exceedingly well arranged. A similar remark might, however, with truth be applied to all the scenes. " New Babylon " will ba produced until further notice. This evening is to be a students' night, as arrangements have been made whereby the university students will occupy the greater part of the dress circle.