THEATRE ROYAL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4063, 30 July 1884, Page 3

THEATRE ROYAL.

There Avas a good attendance last evening to "ivo ' -.'.itablc Avelcome to Miss Dargon onb ■, .aking her first appearance before a Napier audience. From the moment Miss Dar»'on aviis announced as likely to pay Ne\v Zealand a visit until her arrival in Napier we have kept our readers thoroughly posted in her movements and successes, deeming it right to prepare them in some measure for the advent of one of the greatest actresses that has ever visited these colonies. Of her wonderful abilities avc could speak from personal experience, and though our readers at times may have thought we Avere exaggerating her gifts avc were perfectly conscious that it was difficult if not impossible, to convey on paper any idea of her AS'onderful poAver over an audience or her own capabilities. Last night's performance more than justified every word oi praise Aye have written in her favor. We bracket her Avith Ristori as the greatest actress that we have heard in these colonies, and though we Avere to Avrite a column iv her praise, we could say no more. The test song of a tenor is, of course, to sing the "Death of Nelson " so as to please the critics. _ In tbe same way we may say the test piece by Avhich Miss Dargon last night should be judged was the manner in Avhich she recited the " Charge of the Light Brigade." Every second or third-rate actor, at some time or another, rants " the piece to his OAvn infinite satisfaction, and very often the warm approval of the gods. Last night's rendering of the piece stands forth as the _ finest piece of dcclamatimi ever heard within tho Avails of the Theatre, and utterly free from a suspicion of rant. Once and once only have we heard it equally well done, and the artiste on that occasion Avas— Miss Dargon, so wo wero prej>ared for the audience being electrified. The quarrel scene from the " School for Scandal " served to show Avhat an arch, humorous coquette Miss Dargon can be in the character of Lady Teazle. "Beautiful Snow" aviis given with great pathos and sympathy, ancl at its close a burst of applause testified to the appreciation of the audience. " Catharine of Arrapron's Defence" was the instance last night of subdued acting, in marked contrast to some, of the other pieces, and shoAving tho Avonderful versatility of tho actress, though, it is scarcely fair or generous to say Miss Dargon acts. The secret cf her success consists in the Avondorf ul Avay in which she loses herself in the assumption of her characters; she is natural, and knoAvs no stage tricks. " A Man's a Man for a' that " pleased the audience greatly, though the tones Avere not racy of the soil. We have seen many '' Leahs, the Forsaken,''. but the memory of one overshadoAving all the others. There has been but one Leah —Miss Bateman, and Miss Dargon last night in the curse scene approached closely to that ideal, though probably she never saAV Miss Bateman. Most actresses forget that tAvo passions are struggling in Leah's breast—love and scorn, and in the dual representation fail. Miss Dargon, Avith a nice appreciation of light and shade, conveyed the ideas by the inflection of her voice. Here avc may mention that tho various dramatic scenes Avere so pourtrayed by Miss Dargon, that those Avho had never seen tho plays, and though only Avitnessing a scene cr tAvo from each, Avere at once an fail as regards the plot and characters of the several actors in each. This was especially noticeable in London Assurance, where Dolly, Grace HarkaAvay, Lady Spanker, and Sir Harcourt were all presented iv turn. Perhaps the best of the four presented AA-as Dolly. Tho chase scene was given Avith great spirit and vivacity, and evoked loud and long-continued applause, as did indeed each of Miss Dargon's efforts. Whittier's littlo story of Barbara Frietchio was given with great tenderness. The last piece of all was Hood's "Lost Heir," the humor of Avhich Avas in veiy capable hands. To-night an entirely uoav programme -will be presented, and avc advise all those fond of an intellectual treat not to miss the opportunity of hearing the best elocutionist Aye have ever hud in our midst. Last night Miss Dargon avus suffering slightly from a cold, and here, Aye may add, a graceful compliment was paid outside by one avlio must be her countryman. He said, "If Miss Dargon has a cold I do not Avish to hear her Avhen she has not one."