PRINCESS THEATRE.

Evening Star, Issue 2899, 4 June 1872, Page 2

PRINCESS THEATRE.

The management produced last evening for tne first time in Dunedin, “The Mariner’s Compass,” by Henry Leslie. It consists of a prologue and three acta, and is full enough of striking situations and startling incidents to gratify the cravings of most lovers of the sensational drama. It was tolerably wellfput upon the stage ; the scenery was good and the mechanical appliances effective, As a first performance the piece went smoothly throughout, and gave proof of a commendable amount of careful preparation on the part of all concerned. Wo have only space for a word or two respecting the performers. Miss Anstead’s Hetty was remarkably good throughout, and in some of the more pathetic passages her acting and. elocution presented a portrait little short of perfect representation of the original. Considering the variety of ability required to produce a good representation of Silas, in all his changes of fortune,—hopes, happiness, despair, and misery, we consider Mr O’Brien acquitted himself in a manner that must have surprised many of his friends, and perhaps himself also not a little. M r Thorpe's Roby Darrell would have been improved by a little more effort to adapt himself, his emotions, his acting, &c,, to the varied circumstances in which tickle fortune from time to time placed him. Miss Raymond as Mrs Selina Provost, landlady of the Captain Digby Hotel ; Mr [Hydes, as Augustus Brown, the waiter, and Miss Marion Willis, as Keziah, the servant of all work, contrived to convulse the audience every now and again with hearty laughter, and thus to to relievo the otherwise sombre character of the piece. The “ Mariner’s Compass” will be repeated this evening, and will well repay inspection.