PRINCESS THEATRE.

Evening Star, Issue 3140, 13 March 1873, Page 3

PRINCESS THEATRE.

Last evening, Hazelwood’s threo-aefc drama of “The Hop-pickers and Gipsies ” was played at the Princess Theatre ; and, considering the inclemency of the weather, there was a good attendance. The plot is very broken ; but there is a vein of humor, though somewhat rough, running through the whole of it, which gives an enjoyable piquancy to the performance. The heroine is a young lady, Honor Leiford (Mias Marion Willis). She is of good family, but, through unknown circumstances, is obliged to take an humble situation in a London family. While there, jewels belonging to her mistress arc found in her desk. She, fearing the consequences, suddenly disappears, but again reappears in the opening scone—a hop ground in Kent—where, finding that the work of hop-picking is tod much for her strength, she begs the owner of the grounds, Jonathan Hurst (Mr Clinton), to liberate her. At the same time she partially discloses who she is and the cause of her present position. He oilers protection, and secrets her in a barn. A nephew of her mistress, named Sargood (Mr Collier), appears on the scene, discloses the crime with which she is charged, and claims her in the name of the law, While searching for her, a gipsy

girl named Nan (Mrs Walter Hill) thwarts his efforts, and while 'gloating over her success, Honor suddenly appears in the custody of a person, Belcour (Mr Douglas). Sargood charges her with the crime, and again claims her. Belcour then discloses the fact that he is her uncle ; that her former mistress had died, but before death had discovered that she was innocent; that Sargood was guilty of the crime, and that therefore she had left all her property to Honor. In the next act, Sargood resolves to be revenged on Belcour, and obtain the hand of Honor in marriage. He discovers that Belcour was an escaped convict, and uses this fact as a means to gain his object. Honor despises and Belcour defies him, and, with the assistance of the gipsy Nan, succeeds in escaping the law officers, and reaching the Continent, where, in company with Honor anclNan, he isagain discovered, andharrassed by a pack of vagabonds and gipsies, who demand money to keep them silent. Their business, however, is upset by the arrival of Hurst and a magistrate named Fluff (Mr luglis). The former claims Nan as his daughter, and the latter presents Belcour with his pardon, stating that he had been condemned wrongly. One of the vagabonds is arrested, while Sargood revenges himself and companions by burning the house in which Belcour resides. _ While in the act, he is discovered, and the inmates are warned by Will Widgeon (Mr Hill), an eccentric blackguard, who had mixed himself up with the gang alluded to. They flee from the house, and, standing at a distance, witness Sargood pass out of the burning house, only to fall dead at the door, Mr Musgrave took the part of the leading gipsy, and Miss Bushe that of Dimity, a servant; but both characters were only incidental to the plot. The piece was very respectably mounted, and ran very smoothly throughout. The greater portion of the scenery was specially painted for the drama, and was very effective. With one or two exceptions common to a first performance the company were well read in their parts, and played them spiritedly, carefully, and effectively, eliciting frequent and deserved applause, Mrs Hill, Miss Willis, and Messrs Collier, Douglas, and Hill deserve special praise. Upon them in a great measure depended the success of the piece, and they faithfully fulfilled their respective tasks. The entertainment concluded with the very amusing farce of “The Widow’s Victim.” The numerous friends and admirers of Mrs Walter Hill are reminded that she will take a benefit tomorrow evening, when a very attractive programme will be presented. But independent of that, the continuous and successful efforts of this lady for some time past to please the Dunedin public will secure to her that which she deserves—a bumper house.