A DEBUTANTE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1191, 26 September 1874, Page 3

A DEBUTANTE.

London, with its many theatres, is in a constant state of theatrical excitement, which Edinburgh, the possessor of one select house of dramatic entertainment, can scarcely realise. There the Haymarket, the Princess's, and the Prince of Wales's parade magnificence simultaneously, while the Italian Opera's two lovely prime donne • carry the night with aristocratic musicians, and Le Cog's sparkling operetta of ••' Girofle'-Girofla " wins the hearts of humbler devotees, who like to be made laugh, and who see more to admire in the palpable joke of twin sisters mistaken for one another than in M. Ambrose Thomas's deeply significant mignon. A debutante on the London stage has therefore much to encounter to steer clear of rival interests, and to appropriate for herself some character which is not already sufficiently illustrated by a successful artiste. The well-known sandwiches largely perambulating Piccadilly inform the public at present that the never-forgotten "School for Scandal" is in its full glory ; that one house has gained itself a little lucrative notoriety by adapting a drama from one of Mrs Edwardes's novels without asking her leave. The vices of society are decried in " Pride " and " The Road to Ruin," and sensationalism is duly cared for by "The Prayer in the Storm," where an iceberg and some hitherto unheard of perils act a prominent part ; while the realistic traveller can indulge his fancy in "The Overland Route." Strange to say, for the moment the immortal Shakespeare lies dormant ; but the Bard of Avon is too grand a test for the novice on the boards, and historical plays now emanate from the unromantic pen of Tom Taylor, where any deficiency in literary power is fully made up by good situations, which the public can appreciate with little intel'ectual effort ; and King Charles the First's melancholy countenance has been studiously resurrectionised by Henry Irving. London and the theatrical world is full of " bright particular stars," who have all good characters on the stage, but who, alas ! have generally little to boast of anywhere else. It is time, indeed, that ladies " sans peur et sans reproche " should descend into the arena and raise the drama from the dust into which it has fallen. The present debutante in the Gaiety Theatre, Mrs Fairfax, ia one of the first who has ventured on this hazardous ground since the retirement of Miss Faucit. Did this lady's merit lie entirely in her effort for the public good she would be praiseworthy ; as facts stand her first appearance last Saturday has shown her to be gifted with high dramatic powers already raising her far above the average. Mrs Fairfax has been for some years known by another name to gay and to learned society ; but probably moat of her friends were surprised that one versatile and gifted both in mind and in body by a certain unique brilliancy should so devote herself. On Saturday morning she came before a crowded house in the beautiful and almost fantastic character of Julia in "The Hunchback," by Sheridan Knowles. Here were collected an audience of which any debutante might be proud. From the floor to the ceiling were rows upon rows of eager listeners ; the literary world of London had done its duty by one of its own bright members and was present, while theatre managers and newspaper editors were there in force, and lynx-eyed theatrical critics were not found wanting. That the whole work of entertaining this great assemblage might not be placed on

the new source of attraction, Mrs Fairfax was well supported by Mr Hermann Vezin, and Miss Fowler played the sprightly part of Helen to satisfaction. The newly-arisen star was welcomed in the second scene of the first act by thundering applause, and created a most favourable impression. Doubtless this is not the last that the public will hear of the young and handsome officer's wife who has so bravely broken the bonds of conventionality and has gone on to the stage. — Scotsman.