DEAD OR ALIVE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3108, 14 June 1881, Page 3

DEAD OR ALIVE.

A good house assembled at the Theatre Royal last night to witness this play new to a Napier audience. The play, of which we gave "a sketch in our issue of yesterday, is, if not sensational, highly emotional, and abounds in situations of the most telling description. In the representation of Colonel de Mourienne, at first the favoured soldier in Napoleon's Guard, and then, after a lapse of eighteen years, spent in hospitals and mad-houses, the rejected clairaent for his old name and honors, there is considerable scope for the expression ot rapidly changing and strong emotion, of which Herr Band* mann is a thorough master. Throughout the whole of the second and third acts there is a constant strain of an emotional description upon the audience, and the final scene in the mad-house, where the old sufferer is finally rescued, and restored to hi 9 daughter, is cne of tbe most effective of the kind we have ever witnessed. Miss Beaudetaa tbe wife, and in the eecood act the daughter of the unfortunate soldier, acted with spirit and care throughout. Mr Cathcart took a thankless and difficult part most admirably. Mr Musgrave, in the two parts of Bancale and Simoneau, acted capitally, and infused a vein of humor through an otherwise sombre play. Mr Hall was effective as the physician. All the other characters were well taken. The evening concluded with a slight comedetta entitled " Advice Gratis." We have a strong objection to such an after-piece following a play like "Dead or Alive," but of course those who object need not etay, and the piece appeared to afford considerable amusement to some present. To-night Sheridan Knowles' grand play " The Hunchback " will be given, and as there are parts in it well worthy of the abilities of both Mr Cathcart and Miss Beaudet a great treat may be expected. Herr Bandmann will play in a little drama of his own called Tom's Revenge."