THEATRE ROYAL.

Wellington Independent, Volume XX, Issue 2219, 15 June 1865, Page 3

THEATRE ROYAL.

MISS MAGGIE GRIFFITH'S BENEFIT. The weather was propitious, and an enormously full house met on Tuesday evening to show their approval of the performances of the fair heneficiare. Two entirely new pieces were put on the boards, and Miss Maggie Griffiths, together with Miss Flora- Anstead, performed a pas de deux or an. Irish jig to the delight of the house, who applauded with all tlieir might and loudly demanded an encore. The curtain drew up on the drama of the " Kent Day," which was very well played. Frank Towers as Martin Heywood, the farmer, about to be ejected from the homestead which, had been in his family for over 60 years, acted with great taste and feeling. The character of the farmer was not in his particular line, but might have been by the touching manner in which he depictured his woes. Bullfrog (John Dunn) was intensely funny. He appeared to revel in the character, and kept up a series of comicalities during the whole time that he was on the stage. In addition to the various hits which, were in the part, ho once or twice added some wellknown saying that convulsed the audience. For instance, when told by the village maiden whom he was praising, that he would admire her doubly wel'c her skin the color of his guineas ; he made the impromptu reply, " Guineas are very good things, as my dear friend, Mrs Toodles, would say, it' you don't want to use them, it's handy to have them in the house." It would be impossible to do justieo to Ids easy manner and racy sayings, which, as they deserved, were uproariously applauded. Mr Pollock, the new arrival, made lub debut on the Wellington stage as Toby Heywood ; judging from Ins manner and style we should imagine he was no tyro. Ho had learn't his part perfectly, and played it with great coolness and without tho slightest error. Mr Howe, too, as Crumbs, the steward, deserves much praise ; the character suited him, he made it his own, and played it very naturally. Tho Arcades Ambo, Silver Jack and his amiable friend with the " neddy" (Messi-3 Kecly and Masaoy) added jji'eatly to the general get up of the piece. They evidently enjoyed the parts and had studied them. Miss Flora Anstead, as Mrs Heywood, played aa she usually docs, and the heneficiare, Miss Griffiths, though yho had but little to do, did that little well. She was evidently kept for her saltatory interlude, and very necessarily so, as it must have been very fatiguing. When the curtain fell on "The Rent Day" she was loudly called for, and appeared, lod on by John Dunn, who made a most humorous speech, apologising for the young lady's bashfulness and disinclination to address a crowd, and explaining that he himself was not burl honed by a superfluity of modesty. The burlesque of Fra Dravolo wound up tho evening's amusement, and we regret that a little more time for study had not been taken ere it was produced, as we are bound to say that few of tho pel-formers knew their parts properly. It must be too much for the talented little company to play a piece for one or two nights to be replaced by others every clay or so. Messrs Towers have always changed the performances ut least four times a week, and it is not to be expected that their company could possibly have sufficient time to study new and difficult pieces, when they hare such a short time to do it in. Most of the pieces that we have seen would bear repetition, and we hope some day to see Fra Diavolo produced with better success. Wo congratulate Miss Maggie Griffiths on her successful benefit, and hope wo may be fortunate enough to see hor have such another, ere Bhe leaves the Stage.