YESTERDAY’S NEWS.

Evening Star, Issue 3136, 8 March 1873, Page 3

YESTERDAY’S NEWS.

The drama of “ Under the Gaslight was reproduced at the Princess Theatre on the occasion of Miss Gassy Matthews s benefit. The pit and stalls were crowded, but the dress circle was not so largely patronised. The drama was nob so well played as wo have seen it on previous occasions, neither was it so well mounted, but, judging by the enthusiastic applause frequently awarded to the performers, it may be assumed that the audience enjoyed it. The first scene went somewhat flatly owing to the confidential manner in which the lady who played the part of Mrs Van Dam addressed herself to those on the stage. She seemed to ignore altogether the idea that there was an audience, outside the proscenium, desirous of hearing what she had to say. The result was pantomime, or something between that and farce. Miss Lizzie Bushe’s conception of the character of Pcachblcssom was also defective. Pcachblcssom is not a fool, but a cunning ignorant girl, tutored on the dark side of life, but possessed of some of the go’od qualities of her sex. The performance of Mr Lyster, as Counsellor •Splinter, could scarcely have been satisfactory to himself, for he was neither well acquainted with his part or the conception of the author. But, after all, these were in a sense minor parts, and the defects of their delineation were covered by the careful and clever acting of Mrs Walter Hill, as Laura Courtland; Miss Willis, as Pearl Courtland ; Mr Douglas, as Snorkey ; Mr Collier, as Byke; Mr Clinton, as Kay Traffbrd ; and Miss Matthews, as Old Judas. Mr Musgrave played the small part of The Signal Man at Shrewsbury Bend with his usual care and judment, while Mr Wilkinson, as the darkie Sam, was amusing. The remaining characters were fairly represented. The farce of “ Sketches in India, with Mr Musgrave as Sir Matthew Pcraggs, and Mr Bill as Tom Tape, emsed considerable merriment. and sent the audience away in good humor. The play of “ Ten Nights in a Barroom,” and the farce of “ Rheumatism and Spiritualism,” will compose this evening’s entertainment.

There was some expectation that when the Liverpool papers came to hand by the Suez mail, some additional particulars would haye been received respecting the late Captain Gray. ' The Albion, of December 26, says : I* Tfte steamship Great Britain arrived in the Mersey, from Melbourne, shortly before noon yesterday. It being Christmas Day, the landing stages were crowded with passengers, and, as the Hue old ship steamed up the river, she attracted much attention. During the night of the 26th of the previous month, Captain Gray, the commander, was missed from his room, and was never seen afterwards. He had been ailing for some days previously, and it is supposed that he fell overboard in the darkness. He had had aa intention for some true past of retiring from the sea, and he had fully made up his mind, when leaving Liverpool on the last voyage, not to enter upon another. Mrs Gray, accompanied by her daughters, had gone down to the Prince’s Landing Stage, for the purpose of meeting her husband on his return, and the melancholy tidings of his loss was then rendered additionally distressing.” The Liverpool Pod, of the same date, says : “ The last time the deceased officer was seen was on the 24th November. On the evening of that day he was observed to enter his cabin, and next morning when his steward entered the room he found it vacant, A search was made on board the ship, but, to the consternation of those on board Captain Gray could not be found. The window of his state room, which was of very large dimensions, was found to be open, and it remains a matter of doubt, which will never be cleared up. whether Captain Gray walked out of the window in a state of soranambvlancy, whether he accidentally fell overboard, or how he otherwise met with his death.” It will be seen that the above adds but little to the information we were already in possession of, and that the ippnncr ifl >yhjcb t|iO dpccaspd ;vn met his'Vlcath Teihain in obscurity,