THE PRINCESS THEATRE.

Evening Star, Issue 3108, 4 February 1873, Page 3

THE PRINCESS THEATRE.

Last evening, “ Snare,” a drama of the Boucicaultian school, written by Mr Edward Falconer, was presented, for the first time in New Zealand, at the Princess Theatre. The drama is full of sensational positions as exciting as they are novel. In the first scene, a wealthy banker’s wife named Mrs Helen Thornley (Miss Gassy Matthews) succeeds in disposing of her husband, and then, as a widow, makes known the passion she bore before marriage for one Henry Melville (Mr H. N. Douglas), and her resolve to wed him. To enable her to carry on her scheme, she engages the services of her brother, Edward Vaughan (Mr Collier), a plotting, scheming spendthrift, who had been educated for the medical profession. Certain bills are discoveied in the bank, for which Melville is responsible, and it is resolved to put these in force against him. The scene then changes to his house, where, with his wife Clara (Mrs Walter Hill), a perfect picture of domestic happiness is presented, but ultimately clouded by the receipt of letters having reference to the bills, and also an anonymous letter from one reminding him of the love she bore him, and expressing her determination to have him. Melville, unable to meet the bills, is arrested, and his wife, advised by Bob Brettle (Ur Hill), a clerk in Thornley’s Bank, retires to the country, in the hope that, during her absence, Mrs Thornley’s passion will be appeased, and her husband liberated. Her affection for her husband, however, is so strong that she cannot remain away, and she is next scon, with her child, on the pavement outside the prison where her husband is confined. Here a most pathetic scone is witnessed ; ending in her being carried away by the police, while in a fainting-fit, but assumed to be dead, to, the Morgue. While in this wretched !)lace, she recovers consciousness, only to find lerself beside a corpse, and again relapses into a swoon. While in this state, Edward Vaughan enters, and, observing a likeness between the two, removes the jewellery and other marks of identity from the person of Clara to the corpse. He then succeeds, after a coroner’s inquest, in having the deceased pronounced Mrs Melville, while the other is assumed to be a lunatic, and is locked up in an asylum. Years roll on, and the scene again opens in Henry Melville’s draw-ing-room, with Widow Thornley as his wife. On the anniversay of his first wife’s death, lie presents the child with her mother's locket, and then retires to lament the loss of his first love. Meanwhile, Clara having escaped from the asylum, enters the room and discovers her child. Then follows a most touching scene in which the mother foregoes all claims on her husband conditionally that she shall have possession of her child- The widow, alarmed at the escape of Clara from the asyluiu, again bribes, her brother to attempt the re-coniimttal of Clara to the asylum, but Ijer plana are thwarted by the accidental discovery of Clara in the'grounds'’surrounding Melville’s house, by Mary Carey (Miss L. Bush), Clara’s cousin, but now married to Bob Brettle. Clara tells the story of her wrongs, and claims her child, and while her cousin seeks the girl, she secrets herself in a summer-house. Henry Melville and his wife enter. She abuses him for lamenting the loss of his first wife, taunts him with having taken him out of prison, paid his debts and made him independent. While suffering from the lash of her tongue, Clara suddenly passes from her hiding-place, and here the most striking tableau of the drama is presented. Clara is restored to her husband, the villainy of Edward Vaughan is disclosed, and while ho is being arrested for forgery and other crimes, Bob Brettle announces the fact that Mrs Thornley had failed in poisoning her first husband—that he was still alive, and would mete out to her a just retribution. The interest of the audience was maintained throughout, and the repeated applause marked their appreciation of the entertainment. The whole of the' corps drumatique played their parts well, and the result was a picture, not the slightest item of detail to give tone and color being omitted. Where all were good, it would be invidious to mention any one for special commendation, still we cannot help congratulating Mrs Walter Hill on her successful portraiture of the pure, self-denying, longsuffering, loving woman. Slie Certainly,'’ on jins occasion; achieved a success of which she has cause to be proud.—There will be no change of performance this week.