THEATRE—ODD FALLOWS' HALL.

Colonist, Issue 62, 25 May 1858, Page 2

THEATRE—ODD FALLOWS' HALL.

Before another dramatic campaign, is commenced in Nelson, we ventureuto : predict thai one ingredient towards; success tyili" be, the prepajation of new;scenes and apnomtmeiit?.: ".We hav^seen the inosij insebjare^p^ forellts7an|l^ arid;^6 also; truststha^ when the! hew: A^seriibly Hall |is erected, we shall hop see?, tho Clachan of ; Aberfoyle, and the suvrouqding snowy mountain^ arid Rob Royand the Royalists clapt in an area/of sixteen, feet square. - ■,-[[.■-.. '; / .};■■/■., The Golden Farmer is the seemingly unriieiariing title of a play, the pnnqipal character of which is no less a personage than one of the notorieties of the Newgate Calendar. The<: audjence are introduced to him in the first scene, when he was settled down into a virtuous, wedded life, and when he believes " honesty is the best policy." But old habits, and weak resolutions, are but bad armour for temptations, so that when. Harry Hammer, auctioneer, (an amateur) informs him of an adjoining farm for sale (a bargain for £250 cash), the desire to possess that amount, by some means or another, is painfully manifest, and his ideas of right and wrong become confused..■'".'.. While in this state of irresolution, he is found by an old accomplice, who delights'in the slang cognomen of Old Nobb ( Mr. -Devize). He is an unscrupulous and sanguinary villain, and by intimidation and the offer of half the booty (£250) he is urged to join him in: a desperate burglary (the last crime).. They are successful; and tjie farm is bought, and settled on the farmer's wife (Miss JTi^lia Clifford), but 'both are afterwards arrested, and by sdme singular act, and imperceptible means, the Golden Farmer obtains a reprieve. - This is the meagre plot; There are subordinate characters introduced, of which Jemmy Twitcher '(Mr.- Bruton) rises into high importance.; for tipon, the good acting of'this one character the main success of the play depends. He is a contemptible prig, who has a genius for email vices, and yet is always enthralled in the dangers'of the large ones: a sort of man who always treads- on the borders of crime, while his associates walk into 1 the heights and depths of them. He is too harm-

less to knock a man down, but would not scruple to pick his pocket; and is always getting into scrapes, and getting a thump of the head from friends and foes. ,

Miss Julia Clifford sang " By the Sad Sea Waves" with great feeling and taste, arid-elicited an encore. ,- , , , : The whole concluded with Nigger Blunders, performed by Mr. Br'uton, Mr. Devize, and Miss Julia Clifford. ■■* .. i ,/ : \ ; : ;

The audience, we regret to say, was very small,