THEATRE ROYAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3488, 16 June 1879, Page 3

THEATRE ROYAL.

On Saturday nighfc Mr George Darrell finished his season at tho Theatre Royal with the 'production, for the first time in Christohurch, of the "spectacular" drama "Tho Struggle for Freedom," thc performance being announced for his benefit. Tho first performance and tho benefit combined to draw an overflowing house in pit and stalls, but the dress circle was by no means as well patronised as tho merits of tho lenefibiaire might have led one to expect. "The Struggle for Freedom" is ono of the very actable dramas which have come from the pen of Mr Darrell, and like tho others which have been presented hero during the past season, contains well- devised " situations" and effective groupings, though somo of the former approach very nearly/ if they do nofc cross the boundary between drama and molo-drama. Tho mosfc noteworthy were the leap through the stern port — which, however, was marvellously suggestive of pantomime— and the rescue of tho hero from the water, which, unfortunately, was spoiled by an accident, converting what should have been " thrilling interest" on tho part of the audience into irresistible merriment. Tho author acknowledges that a portion of the dialogue is not original, but claims as his own the "main -plot," the general dialogue, incidents and situations, and the introduction of several characters foreign to tho original story." The dialogue dragged somewhat at times, but is on the whole extremely well written. Tho plot is briofly told as follows :— Sir Roland Eversleigh (Mr George Darrell), a young Scotch nobleman, who has rocentiy married lady Blanche (Mrs George Darrell), daughter of Lord Marsden (Mr H. H. Yincent), receives despatches calling upon him to join tho Royal army against the Young Pretender. It so happens that the Eversleighs had ever been devoted to the Stuarts, and consequently

the loyaltypf Sirßpriald 'io.not lobfe^upbir as entirely •rehable;-- l .'Whatr-inakes J hialojalty still less assured is fche focfc'thafc Lord Marsden is among the foremost supporters of the. Ohevalier. ' Just at the time that Sir Ronald has received the despatches Lord Marsden.' uv dfsguise, visits his daughter, who, fearing lest he should be taken as a spy ; by the Royalist soldiers;/ conceals him.injier husband's Uhra^^rhere he finds the despatches; which' §» 7l O?l™ y^nbleinjbi^alibu aeTtb. the"de« : s^fls^of thefenemy.'.'- Ho' decamps. TOtli ttentf and/suSgicjpn.falls;.upon.;Sir' Ronald, who is" tried by court martial and condemned to dfeitK .'.'Fdr his' greater safe-keeping he is iplacedpn board.a man-of-war, where, pn the evening previbus'"' to "his intended execution," s?cJ 9^Hi-fe ■ a ,- friend, ...of: .the jfamdy, Dr Blair (Mr Stirling Whyte), who, suggests to him a means, o£ escape which has Ibeen provided f pi? him", if he Buccee'ds in get-^ ting away from the ' 6hip: He comprehends _thq Hint, andmieß a yeap for life'! from' .ohe^of the"Btern ports'. 'He is followed by! those from whom he hai escaped, but aucjC*eds in^evading i tixem, and in being.rescued hy liw. frienda.. thejapse bf ayeor the r -play shows himi tncog'ntto in the Royal army, under .the. name, of Sergeant Grant, whose reputation' for' loyalty dnd-cburogo JBiyevy h'gh** nHe is, howpver, -recognised --by his father-in-law (who is 'agofo; j^'o^riei^ingiu order to discover the plana or the enemy), and' "by his -yvife, also in disguise. 'r.The lattor is [discovered by her bid • sweetheart,"; Colonel' Riley (Mr D. Clinton)-, .^ho has been pestering her tb marry himi over Binee the' supposed drowning of Bir- Ronald; latter has His .suspicions aroused a> to* ttio'fideUty of his wife to his memory, and those suspicions are increased by his discovering a love- letter-! which his wife— has began to write •to Riley,' in' orde| that_,she may ~ fsjh time. Affairs "become vory complicated lind Sir Roland in order >to induce Riley to fight a duel, discloses "himself. "Riley, refuses to accept the challenge, but at once denounces tho already condemned"traitor, and it seems probablo that Sir Roland, ia about onoe more to be a- prisoner, when -old Lord Ttfars3en, who has been concealing himself from tho soldiers, by whom he had been grievously wounded, comes to the rescue, declares that he had taken the despatohesrthe loss of which had caused the original, trouble, and furthermore denounces j^oy.aa the ma^frho had traitorously tbldbim where they were to bo found, and . had , otherwise been, guilty of high treason: The innocence ; of Eversleigli is,^f c6»itt*se,.immediatelyyacknowledge^ and 1 ho is restored to his'wife/of whose fidelityltb him he is fully reassured. . Mr.. Geo.'- Darrell made the part of Sir Roland, whicli exactly juited him, a very interesting one, judiciously avoiding any attempt at imitating the Scotch accent, as did also Mrs Darrell, except when disguised as a country lass, and« Mr Vincent. Perhaps Mr Darrell's best- scene was. that in which he. is convinced ihat he has wronged his wife, by suspectjng .her constancy. Mrs Darrell "enacted Lady "Blanche with, that attontion to effect, which she always displays. Mr Stirling : Whyte . mode a . character study of Dr Blair. " If his Scotch accent was. occasionally a.. little over-' done, on the whole it was extre&iely good. The rSls is one which will add to the very highestimation this "artisfPhas gained, as pn actor of Bterling (no pun is intended) ability. The rest of the characters were well Supported by the members of the Company. The part of Commander-in-Chief (General Clayton), was sustained by Air Bmf ord with his accustomed- conscientiousness. • Thii was the only time he has appeared dui-ing the seaion, and his appearance was cordially greeted by his friends in front of tbe curtain. In the course of the drama, there was: somo fairly H introduced, and Mr G. Darrell sang a new patriotic song, entitled, " Hero stands a post." Both items were loudly applauded. During the performance of. the play tho audience was frequently enthusiastic in demonstrations of delight, and the curtain had -to bo -raised after several of the- acts; Aftor the drama Mr Barry 'O'Neil sang his three songs, which wero followod by tableaux representing " The Exile of Erin," "Tamo' Shanter," and " The ' United " Kingdom." These wore ' musically illustrated by "Miss Novaro, with the songs f'Come back to Erin," "Auld Lang Syne," arid "Rule Britannia." The second of tho songs had to bo repeated in response to an encore, wliich was not to be satisfied by the artist's merely reappearing beforo the audience and bowing her acknowledgments. Before tho hut 6ong Mr Darrell recited " The Oharge of tho Light Brigade," and was successful in rousing the enthusiasm of his hearers. His delivoiy of the poem was marked with abundant emphasis and correspondingly full action. It is by no means certain that something less of both would not have made therecitation oven more effectivo than ifc was.