AMUSEMENTS.

Evening Star, Issue 3444, 6 March 1874, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS.

the pbikcess’s,

We were very pleased that Mdlle. Claus was sufficiently recovered to enable her to reappear in public last evening, and that the painful accident from which she suffered had no perceptibly detrimental effect upon her brilliancy of execution on the violin. We trust she experienced no serious inconvenience from the effortshemade,which wasthe more onerousasslie labored under the disadvantage of playing with a gloved forefinger. We should have been glad to have seen a fuller attendance, as the entertainment is one in *yhich no expense has been spared to render attractive. There is an excellent band, conducted by Mons. Fleury • ana last evening, in addition to the members of the Olaus-Rskel Company, Mr jj, Towsey appeared, and sang several popular songs with great taste and sweetness. Mons. Eekel, as accompanyist in two solos, and in duets with Mdlle. Claus, went ably through his work, and the vocalists were well received. We need not comment separately on Mdlle. Claus's pieces; each was so exquisitely played that the last, as leaving the most abiding impression, would be deemed the most effective. She was rapturously applauded at the conclusion of each, and on one occasion reappeared aud played a beautiful ballad with great feeliug and sweetness of tone. She takes a benefit to-night, when we trust the support given to her will be a just tribute to her artistic merit. THE -queen’s. “ Grif; a Story of Australian Life,” was produced at the Queen’s Theatre last evening. It ia almost unnecessary to mention that this drama is founded upon Mr B. L. Farjeon’e well-known novel bearing the same title. Although the piece, taken in its entirety, has been well dramatised, still a large portion of the senseless^ dialogue might be judiciously cut out without interfering with the due carrying out oftheplot. The part of Grif was entrusted to Miss Rosa Towers, and we candidly confess that we were taken by surprise at the manner in which this little lady performed her allotted task. We have witnessed the impersonations of several juvenile performers, but we must give the palm to Miss Towers for natural, unrestrained acting. From first to last there was no straining after effect, and the result was that the very large audience marked its approval of her exertions by calling the young lady before the curiam at the termination of each «ct. Mrs rowers’s Alice Handfield does not call for special remark; Mrs Searle’s Mrs Nuttall was anyttuigbut brilliant; and what little Miss Matthews had to do was done well Mr Towers, as -Honest Steye, the tender-hearted Oysterraan, appeared to advantage; but Mr Hoyle in the part of Matthew Nuttall. was decidedly Wit of place. The moral character of the drama (Mr Zacharfah Blemish) was played

by Mr Hydes, and his representation of the part would have been more successful if he had confined himself to his text, and not had such frequent recourse to his vivid imagination. Mr Glovers Richard Handfield calls for special commendation ; his acting throughout was exceedingly good, Mr O’Brien, as Welsh Tom, and Mr Searle, as Old Flick, also played well, Mr Kemp, the scenic artist, was called before the curtain no less than four times during the course of the performance ; and it certainly was a just recognition of his ability, for the success of the piece is in a great measure due to the really beautiful scenery painted by him expressly for the proper production of “Grif.” The management have spared no expense in presenting this piece, and we trust their enterprise will be substantially rewarded. “ Grif” is announced to be played every evening until further notice.