THE THEATRES.

Evening Star, Issue 3257, 29 July 1873, Page 2

THE THEATRES.

Some months have elapsed since I last contributed to the columns of the Star ; and my absence from the Province for a portion of the time, and other engagements during the remainder of it, are the explanations of my silence. But now that lam again in my accustomed place, I shall forward, for the information of such of your readers as my lucubrations interest, my impressions of the performances of the companies playing at the two theatres in this City. To commence with the Princess’s, as the oldest established house. Burlesque is matched against light comedy at the opposition establishment; and Miss Fanny Sara occupies a prominent position in the company. In “ Cupid and Psyche” she has not much to do : a rather fortunate circumstance, for the week ought to accustom her a little to the stage, to which, it is very evident, she is almost a total stranger. Her excellent singing, however, compensates for other drawbacks which time may help to remove. The burlesque would have gone off tamely without Mrs Macgowan, who was the very life and soul of it. The other members of the company do well what is required of them ; and as a natural consequence the audience and the managers are satisfied with them. Mr Willis painted some very nine scenery, but he has uot been so active as hr* might be. The last scene, though effective, did not bear so much trace of originality as aimiliar productions from his brush have done. 'Jo-night Mr Macgowan and his wife take a benefit—their first in Dunedin. Row, I do not suppose there are any persons in the company greater and more deserved favorites than they ; and I hope their merits will receive substantial acknowledgment.

At the Queen’s this week I have seen the “Lady of Lyons” twice, the “School for Scandal,” and “Leah.” One night. Mr Douglas played Claude Melnotte ; the other, Mr Steele appeared as the love-sick and ideal gardener’s son. Most playgoers admit tha' Mr Steele’s appearance gave him the advantage, but my opini n goes beyond that ; lam inclined to say that his acting was the better. I honestly confess that I could never see in Mr Douglas’s Claude anything to warrant it being so highly praised as it has been hero The “School for Scandal,” on Friday night, was successful, but not so enjoyable as when VI r lioskins appeared in his proper character of Charles. I know stage exigencies required that he should play Sir Peter, but I am disposed to think that he would have preferred to have retained his old part. Mr Steele was out of place as Charles, and he knew it. Nevertheless the piece went well on the whole. “ Leah,” so far as Miss Colville is concerned, is a mistake. It lacks the dig nity and earnestness imparted to it by the other representatives of the character I have seen. While you can listen to Miss Colville throughout with pleasure—indeed, I do not know any piece she plays that cannot be witnessed with satisfaction—in no part of the play does she succeed in rivetting her audience's attention. Miss Cleveland’s Leal was the best we have seen in the Colonies, 1 and who that saw it can forget her “curse’? With that true art which is able to concal art, she so typified the character as to plfie her bearers under the illusion that from fist to last a reality was being enacted. Wth what intensity was the anathema aganst Rudolph delivered : it almost made fle’s flesh creep to listen to it! No such ffect is produced by Miss Colville, and whei the curtain fell I had only seen what I co eider a tolerable representation of the ebaacter. Let me say a word for Mr Booth, whse improvement must be apparent to a’ playgoers. His Nathan is the best thinf he has done since he has been at the Quod’s.—On Friday, I believe the amateurs are o give a performance in aid of the BeoevoJnt Institution, which is sadly in need I all the money it can get, for which there ought to be a good nouse. “ tit* Waters ” is to be produced, the whole i the male characters being tided by amateur The Mildmay of the evening has playe here before with success; but Hawkesbydll be represented by a brother scribe, of vwse histrionic ability report speaks very hiMy- As they are to have the assistance ofMisses Colville and instead, the performaue ought to be a good one. I will conclude with few scraps of general news relating to id chums : —Sam Woolfe is heavy man, Polly Leake chambermaid of the comply that has been playing at Adelaide for >me months ; and was about to return to \ctoria when I last beard from them. Baow is at Sydney, and Cora at the Than*, where her prizes draw her tremendous buses. At Auckland she secured both hou }S , 80 that when the Lottie Troupe came P, they found themselves forestalled, an had to go to the Choral Hall. By-the-ye, Holly had a stroke of luck in Wanganui, think. He purchased for thirty shillings scarf ring, which contained what appeare to be a white shell in an old fashioned fid setting. He was, however, informed t Auckland that it was a pearl of large si? and great value. • He took it to a jewler, who informed him, after examination that the pearl was worth LIOO This by several other jewellers, and J)Hy took it with him to Sydney, where > expects to receive its full value. is still in Christchurch, Kut his readinpdid not pay there. Stephenson and Burfoi are there also, and intend opening the Ityal. 'ihe Carandinis, with Mr (t. Cotterb whose performances at our Vl.vouic Hal/can not have been forgotten, added to tbr company, arc on their way <outh. I otice the “very kind” treatment of IV Fairclough by the Dunedin Press ast<i she d the Melbourne Australasian, vhich speaks of the Daily Times’s renter gushing over Mr Fairclough, and r that “-it is something to l>e thankful » r that some people are satisfied, tor if eVybody were hypercritical, a good many oh ß would come halting off. The Daily WWf however, finds his Richelieu is

a mistake, and as some people hen affected to discover that .this was not only the best thing that he did, but better than the Richelieu of most other actors, this diversity of opinion can be explained only on the de gustibus principle.” Prompter.