Dramatic and Musical.

Otago Witness, Issue 1422, 22 February 1879, Page 18

Dramatic and Musical.

THE THEATRES, &o.

"Alone" and "Black-eyed Susan" were chosen to form the bill of fare on the occasion of Mr George Rignold's benefit at the Princess Theatre last Friday evening. And a most enjoyable bill of fare it was. "Alone" was in itself a treat of no ordinary kind. It belongs to that class of plays to which has been' given the name of comedy-drama. It is an exquisite blend of both— neither the element of pure comedy rising above that of real drama, nor vice versa. It is the joint production of Palgrave Simpson and Herman Merivale, who deserve to be complimented for having fulfilled their task so creditably. The play is not fettered by any complicated plot. At the outset an all-absorbing interest is created, and this is well sustained throughout the three acts. The various details of the piece are well brought out, and the characters are of a description superior to those usually met with in similar productions, the distinction between each beiug very marked. The dialogue is full of ready, refined repartee; but, for the same reason that life would be unendurable if all were sunshine, the piece would pall on the palate if it did not possess features to excite feelings of sorrow and sympathy. Hence the emotional element is not waDting ; and as the bounds are not overstepped in this direction, the desired result is accomplished. The principal character in the play is a venerable-looking, retired officer of the army— Colonel Challice. His life had been a sad one. His wife, now in the grave, confessed on her deathbed that she had married him out of pique. He had only one child— a daughter— who, he was told, had run away from boarding-school with a young captain, and, believing the story, he had disowned her. The story, however, was false, but the Colonel, who shortly afterwards was stricken with total blindness, was inexorable. Left to her own resources, the poor girl sought occupation as attendant upon elderly persons. She adopted the name of Maud Trevor, and by-and-bye found herself in the employment of her own blind father as reader. Whilst here her secret was discovered by the man's physician (Dr Wicklethwaite), who also ascertained that the story of the girl's elopement was unfounded ; and eventually, through his instrumentality, the Colonel is restored to his daughter and his sight at the same time, and the happiness of all parties concerned is complete. Of the remaining characters, there is Mrs Thornton, an exceedingly fascinating young widow, who torments the life of Dr Wicklethwaite by simulating all kinds of ailments, and who ultimately atoneß for her trouble by presenting the doctor with her hand and heart. There is also a young captain, Bertie Cameron by name, who loves Mstod Trevor to distraction, but whose suit is not favourably regarded till the end ; and there is an indolent young fellow who expects to be mentioned in the Colonel's last will and testament. These complete the list. Mr Rignold's Colonel Challice I regard as the best piece of acting with which he has yet favoured the Dunedin play-going public. His make-up is almost wonderful, and one would scarcely realise that the actor was the same who had distinguished himself the night before as Henry the Fifth. The two characters are directly opposite to each other, and that Mr Rignold possessed so much versatility few could have dreamt. Miss Jennie Watt made a very winning widow, and Miss Alice Mayor, who, I believe, is quite a novice on the boards, created a most favourable impression in the role of Maud Trevor, her acting being characterised by charming naturalness, and her delivery of the word? very

sympathetic. Mr Vincent enacted the part of the Colonel's phyßioian, and did it well too ; indeed he generally acts with the utmost care any part that falls to his share. Mr Hooper, as Bertie Cameron, was rather tantalising. At first he gave the impression that he had come on to play the heavy villain, a part for which he is more suited than that of a tender lover. "Alone" has secured so many admirers that on Thursday night it was billed for repetition. As William, in "Black-eyed Susan," Mr Rignold afforded further proof of his versatility, and was well supported by Mdlle. Solange Navaro, as the heroine of this very popular nautical drama.

On Saturday night these pieces were supglanted by " Amos Clarke, or the Souse of Havering/ written by Watts Phillips. It ia a melodrama, based on events that were not uncommon in England during the reign of James 11. It ia powerfully constructed, but a revision of it by a pruning pen would improve it considerably. Amos Clarke is the name of the secretary and bastard nephew of Sir Robert Clavering, the head of an ancient family in the west of England. At Sir Robert's hands, he and his dead father and mother have sustained great wrongs, and it is to redress these that he assumes the name of Clarke, and enters the employment of his deadliest enemy. Mildred Vaughan is Sir Robert's niece, and she is betrothed to a cousin, Captain John Olavering. a proscribed rebel, and Amos Clarke's bastard brother. To save Captain Clavering, and to fulfil a promise he had made to Mildred, Amos stabs Sir Robert to the heart. The Captain, who in the meantime had fled to Holland, is accused of the crime in consequence of a dagger bearing his name being found close by the nobleman's dead body. Amos is created master of the Clavering estates, and while in that position Captain Clavering returns to clear himself from the imputation resting on his name. He is captured by the soldiery, is tried by courtmartial, found guilty, and hurried away for execution. Mildred appeals to Amos in dcsEeration to save her lover's life, and reminds im of a promise he had made some time previously to help the rebel Captain to prove his innocence. A sense of justice prevails, and Amos rushes forth from her presence to the spot where the Captain is pinioned ready for execution. He was not a moment too soon. Violently pushing the Captain at one side, Amos steps in his place, and receives the volleys of the executioners' oarbines that were intended for another. With his dying breath he confesses that he was the real murderer ; and the audience are left to infer that the Captain becomes a loyal subject and head of the house of Clavering, and marries Mildred at a respectable interval after the sad event just narrated. Mr Rignold sustained the title-ro?« with great credit, and was tolerably well supported. Miss Jeanie Watt represented Mildred Vaughan; and Mr Vincent, Captain John Clavering. Mr Dave Clinton undertook the part of Sir Robert Clavering. But Mr Dave Clinton is not an actor. In everything he does Mr Dave Clinton is visible on the surface. He never loses his identity. A very subordinate part, that of the fiddler, was exceedingly well pourtrayed by Mr Whyte. He has a remarkable aptitude for " old man" characters. His delineation of the poor old fiddler, who had been seized upon as a rebel, and waa about to be strung to the gallows by the cruel Colonel Kirke, moved the audience to compassion, and he well deserved the applause he earned. The play was splendidly mounted, and to those who admire melodrama could not fail to be pleasing in the highest degree. It also occupied the boards on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. On Friday Mr Darrell, the lessee, was to take a benefit, as Mercutio in Shakespeare's tragedy, with Mr Rignold as Romeo, and Mrs Darrell as Juliet. To this performance I shall refer next week. Messrs Willis and Seymour have now nearly completed an excellent panoramic picture of Lyttelton, »3 part of the "Zealandia" series. We were admitted on Saturday to a private view, and can speak very favourably of the faithfulness of the portraiture. The surrounding hills, and the inner harbour with a portion of the main street of the town, the railway station and wharves, are well shown, as seen from an elevation near the mouth of the tunneL A fleet of vessels, chiefly those of the New Zealand Shipping Company, and several steamers are at the wharves, and the general effect is very good. About 65 pictures have now been completed for this panorama, and we understand it is the intention of the proprietors to complete the first series by April, to be in time for the Sydney Exhibition, during which the panorama will be exhibited in some suitable place in Sydney. It will afterwards be added to from time to time, so as to give a very full and accurate idea to strangers of the Britain of the South. _ We haveno doubt that " Zealandia " will excite much interest in this Colony in places where as yet it is little known, and popularly believed to be in a state of semibarbarism. Mr Smythe, the advance agent for Mr Hoskins' Dramatic Combination, arrived in town on Tuesday to make arrangementa for Mr Hoskins' farewell appearance in Dunedin prior io this veteran actor's departure for the Australian Colonies. Mr Hoskins will be accompanied by the celebrated pianiste, Mdlle. Alice Charbonnet, of whom Victorian and Northern critics have written ia terms of the highest praise. The dramatic company will include Miss Tilly Andrews (the comedienne), Mr Marshall, and several other favourite artistes ; and the season, which will only extend over six nights, will commence at the Queen's Theatre next Monday evening. Mr Hoskins has a great many admirers here, and most probably his farewell appearances will attract good houses, not to mention the numbers who are eagerly desirous of witnessing Mdlle. Charbonnet's skill on the pianoforte. From Dunedin the Company will proceed to Invercargill. FITZEBIC.