QUEEN'S THEATRE.

Evening Star, Issue 3310, 29 September 1873, Page 2

QUEEN'S THEATRE.

Mies Colville’s benefit, which took place on Friday, attracted one of the largest audiences that ever assembled within the walls of this theatre, all parts of the house being filled to overflowing. The performance commenced with the cleverly-written piece 11 A. Practical Man,” in which Mr Hoskins sustained the principal character, that of Mr Cloudesly, who appears to labor under the impression that ho is eminently practical, and fitted for any station in life, but invariably ends by neglecting to seize any and every opportunity of advancing himself by his dilatoriness. When we say that Mr Hoskins surpassed himself, it is unnecessary to add more. Miss Mainwaring and Mr Musgrave, as Mrs Mildmay and Mr Kockstone, assisted to make the piece a success. Mr Palgravc Simpson’s drama of “ The World and the Stage” followed; and as it has never been played in New Zealand, we purpose giving a slight sketch of the plot. The first scene represents a villa residence to which Kate Kohertson, a popular actress, has retired with a view of recruiting her exhausted energies. Another reason that induced her to select this secluded spot was the fact that the mansion iu the immediate neighborhood was the place of her birth, and which had to he sold, in consequence of reverses sustained by her father, to Sir Norman Castlecrag. _ Sir Norman, in the course of his business transactions, comes into contact with the sister of Mary Somers (Kate Robertson’s right name), and marries her, but strictly forbids her to bold any intercourse with the actress, whom he considers has disgraced her family and connections by adopting the stage for a living. The Hon. Henry Malpas, accompanied by his friend and prototype, Air Buzzard, make their appearance in the first act, and by a curious coincidence they meet Sir Norman and Lady Castlecrag in the grounds adjoining the residence of Kate Robertson. While there. Mr Malpas contrives to deliver a letter to Lady Castlecrag; but the action is perceived by the actress, who also observes the stealthy manner in which her sister receives it. She judges at once that all is not as it should be, and resolves on saving her sister from ruin. AMr Leonard Ashton, a former admirer of Mary Somers when her position was much higher than his, and who is not aware that Kate Robertson and Mary Somers are the same person, calls to see the actress in reference to a new piece he has written, and their old acquaintance is renewed, which speedily ripens into love. In the next act we arc introduced to Miss Robertson’s town residence, where, owing to a series of misadventures, Leonard is persuaded that Malpas has succeeded in ingratiating himself into the aifections of his beloved, and discards her. As in order to exculpate herself her sister’s honor would be compromised, Kate is debarred from making any explanation, and she is obliged to lie under the imputation of being false and inconstant. In the third and last act, by another very curious coincidence, the whole of the dramatis persona: meet in a continental hotel. They had gone abroad for various reasons : Miss Robertson on account of her health, which had been undermined on account of Leonard Ashton’s desertion; Sir Norman on the score of economy, he having embarked in some commercial speculations which had not turned out well; the Hon. Henry Malpas, in order to cany out his designs against Lady Castlecrag ; Buzzard because his friend was there ; and Leonard Ashton to follow his profession of artist. There were present, also, two devoted followers of Kate- --Hepzibah, her waiting-maid, and Daniel Dewlap, an attached and faithful servant, who is ready on the shortest notice to have a “slap” at anyone whom he considers has the slightest design on his mistress. "While staying at this inn Malpas and Lady Castlecrag meet, and upon demanding her letters from him, he declines to deliver them up. While taunting her with being in his power, and holding the documents in his hand, Kate suddenly appears on the scene, snatches the letters from him, and destroys them. It afterwards comes out that it was owing to Malpas’s artifices that the sisters had been so long estranged from each other, he having intercepted and suppressed their correspondence for obvious reasons. Matters, however, come right at last. Sir Norman discovers that the mortgagee of his property is none other than his wife’s sister; he refuses to accept of any assistance from her, but she shows her magnanimity by making his lady a present of the amount she has advanced. Explanations then ensue, and a general reconciliation is the order of the day. We have already exceeded the apace at our disposal, and will simply make a few remarks as to the merits of the principal performers. Miss Colville, as Kate Robertson, played with power and effect; Miss Anstead’s Lady Castlecrag was a splendid effort; Miss Mainwaring’s Hepzibah was to the life; but Miss Matthews utterly misconceived the part of Miss Lipglue, who to our idea had been selected by Sir Norman Castlecrag as a companion to his wife on account of her supposed rigid propriety, while as represented on Friday night, the duenna looked like a broken-down washerwoman. Mr Douglas, as Leonard Ashton, acted the part with taste and energy; Dir Musgrave, as Sir Norman Castlecrag, the dignified, yet withal crotchety English gentleman.ihad a character suited to him, and he played it well. Mr Hyde’s Daniel Dewlap was a rich treat, and his comical gestures provoked the utmost merriment. Messrs Booth and South, who appeared as the Hon. Henry Malpas and Buzzard respectively, were extremely good types of a certain class of the British snob. The entertainment, taken as a whole, was successful, and there is no doubt that it was so from a pecuniary point of view. Cfi Saturday Tom Taylor’s drama, “The Ticket-of-Leave Man,” was presented to a large audience. The only characters worthy of especial mention were those represented by the Misses Colville and Anstcad, and Messrs Douglas and Newton. It would he impossible to procure a better Mrs Willoughby than that of Miss Anstead, and although it must be admitted that Miss Colville's May Edwards was graceful and womanly, still it is not a character suited to this lady. Mr Douglas, as Bob Brierly, played splendidly, and it is only a just mood of praise to say that this actor’s efforts mainly tended to the success of the piece. Sam Willoughby was capitally depicted by Mr Newton, who showed a proper of the part: and we consider his impersonation one of the features of the drama. The performance concluded with “'1 he Irish Attorney, but, owing to the lateness of the hour, it being close upon midnight, the management, with commendable discretion cut the performance short, and droppia 1 the en rtain. To-night *' Belphegor " will be produced, preceded by “A practical Man.”