PRINCESS THEATRE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2310, 9 June 1898, Page 39

PRINCESS THEATRE.

•'PAUL JONES." A, '.'house" of quite phencmneoal dimensions greeted fcha Pollard Opara Company at* tha Princess Theatre on Friday evening. BaJf an hoar before the performance was to commence "standing room only" was announced to would-be patrons, and long before 8 o'clock the management were compelled to refuse admittance to a Urge crowd which h&d gathered before tha entrances in High street. The ciKfc&iK therefore rcsfe on & veritable sea of faces, and old playgoers were heard to remark that they had never seen such a large audience in the theater* before. The fact that such a number had assembled to witness the play was of course acccuntable in a large degree by the number of visitors in town, but the popularity which this company enjoys must likewise be considered % big factor in I drawing together such & Bumeroue audienoe,. i It had beea originally intended to close tha season on Saturday night with " Uncle Tour's Cabin," buts during an interval ia the performance Mr Pollard announced that the f set that such » great many people had been disappointed that evening, and as others who had purchased tickets had been un&ble to gaia admittance, "Paul Joces" would bo repeated ctxfc even- ] ing. About a year and a-bslf has elapsed j since Planquette's delightful work was played j here by this company, and the cast on that occasion was practically sustained by the same performers on this occasion. The production in " this instance may be de*ignated without exag- ' ger&lion &c a brilliant one. The young artistes j were stimulated by the appreciative applaune of j the vaot audience, and the opera went with a jcyens swing from start to finish. Miss Marion Mitchell, who, if we recollect aright, was first introduced to a Dunedin audience in the char- ] , aoter, acted with her customary naivtU and . grace as Yvonne, giving an artistic rendering of . "Before 'tiw altar." Miss Maud Beatty as , P&ul Jones earned for herself demonstrative j applume, and Miss Majr Beatty gave a charm- ; icg representation of " Cbopinette," the singing . of " For ever and ever mi&e "by the former and s "He looked at my sabots" by the Utter evokf ing emphatic demands for encores. Mr Percy L as the Captain-general and Master Albert as . bis apprentice created uproarious laughter, ( their duet "Two mariners bo]d"bek>g noisily '• redeman.de'J. -Miss Nellie -Wilson, Mr Alf ; Stephens, Mis» Hetcalfe, and. the other msra- ! bers of the company also contributed much to [ the succtikis of the perfoimance. ~ The second and final performance of Plan- ; quette's charming opera "Paul Jones," which j drew such a crowded house and was played . with so much success on Friday, was given by j the Pollards at the Princeas Theatre on Suturr day evening. The patronage was as large as ) I on the previous evening, and was absolutely ■ limited by the holding capacity of the theatre. • Before halfpasfc 7 o'clcck every seat was occu- ' i pied with the exception of the reserved seats, [ and the attendants had a very busy time keep- ■ ing thereserved seats for those who had had : the foresight to engage them. Long before [ ; tbe rise of the curtain money was refused L and returned, as even standing room • could not be obtained. The performL ance was worthy of the company, and , of the audience, which was enthusiastically i appreciative. As usual, the pretty choruses , were good, the costumes and stage display ) | effective, and the leading parts remarkably ■ i well sustained. Between the second and third acts Mr Tom : JPoliard appeared before the curt*in and said i — • " Ladies and Gentlemen, — I have again to > thank you for your very generous patronage. I i am not here to apologise, but to announce that I in response to numerous requests we have ■ decided to stay two nights longer in Duns edin. — (Applause.) On Monday we shall pro- » j duce ' The Gondoliers,' and on Tuesday we i ; shali reproduce ' In Town.' — (Applause.) That i will be positively ouv last appearance, as. we i leave by the train on Wednesday for Inveri I c&rgill."