THEATRE ROYAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5193, 26 December 1884, Page 4

THEATRE ROYAL.

Christmas Eve is not a favourite evening in the year to members of the dramatic profession who are conversant with the ways and customs of the Christchurch public. On the evening of that day there is rarely a good house at the Theatre Eoyal, and Wednesday evening formed no exception to the general rule. Those, however, who did go were compensated by the finished acting of Mr Vernon and Miss Ward in " Eachel," which was performed for the second time. A repetition of the drama only serves to throw into bright relief the admirable acting of the principals, and that especially in the concluding scene of the second act, which was again received with much applause, and those most immediately concerned called before the curtain. Both Mr Vernon and Miss Ward are here on familiar ground ; it is the development of attack and defence in another duel a outrance between them, and that is almost as much as saying at once that the scene is ipso facto of surpassing interest. Miss Flora Anstead in the prologue gives a capital little study of low life in her impersonation of Margaret Waters, the baby-stealer. It is a bit of "undercrust" cockneydom, hit off with a few racy little touches which immediately ensure for it a sympathetic reception at the hands of the audience. In the play itself low London is left behind, and the County people of Kent come under notice. Sir

Philip Grant, the weaker-minded of the two villains of tho piece, the facile tool of the robuster intellect, Captain Craven (Mr Ternon), is played by Mr Lawrence, j whose Parker in " Mammon " was such a success. In this case the study of the role is neither very deep nor j very clever. Mr Lawrence never rises to 1 any great histrionic heights, nor does he betray more than an ordinary grasp of the author's conception. On the other hand, he never falls below a certain very "efficient gentlemanlike level, and once or twice, ' where the occasion demands, " come3 out " very satisfactorily. The weakest portion of the literary part of " Eachel " is the love-making, and Mr Montgomery (Harold Lee), and Miss Watts Phillips (Gladys Grant), have therefore a task to perform in which they could not very well shine brilliantly. The former, it is to be feared, will be a long time before he overcomes his constraint and stiffness, and plays a lover's part with ease and warmth. Miss Watts Phillips shows once again that she iB fully capable of sustaining the part of a young ingenue with something more than mere credit. Were it not that her light is somewhat dimmed by tlie lustre of those she supports her performance would appear more striking. Mr Fenton's Sergeant Matthews has a certain amount of dry humour about it, which makes the part pleasing. The play chosen for to-night, is Sardou's celebrated comedy "A Scrap of Paper." In order to suit the convenience of those who wish to reserve seats in the dress circle, the box plan has been moved to Messrs Levy and Co.'s, tobacconists, Messrs Milner and Thompson's shop being closed for the day.