PRINCESS THEATRE.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2503, 23 February 1871, Page 2

PRINCESS THEATRE.

“A Game of Speculation,” last night at the Princess Theatre, resulted in Mr Hoskins taking the whole pool. It has rarely fallen to our lot in Dunedin to chronicle a more legitimate success than that attained by Mr Hoskins in the character of Mr A liable Hawk, a masterly performance from beginning to end, and inferior only to Hie impersonation of the same character by Mr Charles Mathews in his best days. Indeed, on one point, we think Mr Hoskins excelled the great Mathews, viz., in the delivery qf what is professionally termed the “ ta",” which, as given by Mr Hoskins, was°’a masterpiece of eloquence, rousing the audience from loud applause to a well earned ovation, Mr Affable Hawk takes so large a share in the game cf speculation, that'the other gamesters have but little to do, nevertheless that little was carefully contributed by Mr Musgrave (Earthworm), Mr Lawrence (Sir Harry Lester), and notably by Mrs Edouin Bryer (Mrs Hawk). Sheridan’s admirable burlesque, “ The Critic,” concluded the entertainment, in which Mr Hoskins played Puff, with remarkable spirit and vivacity, calling down the deserved applause of the house. The Sir Fretful Plagiary of Mr Musgrave, was a bit of excellent acting, wanting only a little ease to render it a finished performance; the “ characters of the tragedy ” were admirably sustained by Miss parry peorge, as Til-

burinft, Mr W. Hill as Whiskeramlos, Miss Lizzie Bush as the Earl of Leicester, Mr Metcalfe as Sir C, Hatton, and Mr Collier as Ealeigh. We conclude our notice with a question to the managers—Why were the costumes thus arranged ? —Sir Fretful, full dress, 1775 ; Puff, full dress, 1825 j Sneer, riding costume, 1830; and Dangle, digger out for a holiday, 1871.