PRINCESS THEATRE.

Evening Star, Issue 3788, 15 April 1875, Page 2

PRINCESS THEATRE.

Bat for thsunfavorable weather, we fed sure that Miss Stoneham’s appeal last night WOuM have met with the answer her merits dsteNsdAs it was, there was an excellent attendance below stairs, and a fair sprinkling in thb circle.. School,” which went remarkably Well, end The Bonnie Fishwife” consfcituted- the programme. 'This, evening “ The Wandering Heir ” will be played for the first time in Dunedin, and we append a synopsis of the plot;— In the prologue the audience axe entertained with an episode supposed to have occurred in the house of Lord Eltham, on Irish pear, who resides in Dublin. He is, of course, a dissipated spendthrift, who neglects his son, a lad of twelve years, the hero of the play. The romantic title of the wandering Heir is conferred upon the youth owing to-his having run away from school, indignant at the treatment to which he was subjected. There ore several villains in the piece, but the principal one is Lord Eltham’s brother Bichard, whose object is to gain possession of the family estates.. lu-order to accomplish this he min Lord. Eltham in a drunken brawl,. kidnaps the boy, and'sends him swsy to America, where he is sold as a slats. In . the next act the scene Is removed to >in»™»d, where the heroine, Philippa Chester (Mim-i Howard) is represented as a dashing young girl of punish proclivities, fretting under the control of a^er wllOße sou is induced to make love to her, with a view to sottimr of her fortune. She repulses nis tuiareS-tcs, and finally runs away to London, where, in order to avoid detection' she assumes tiie garb of the sterner sex. The next act opens with a scene upon an American plantation. The Wondering Heir and., Philippa sre fotmd as slaves, the latter appearing rather to enjoy her condition. - In this act the main interest is centred in the peculiar mode of love-making adopted by Philippa towards the heir. It eventuates in the hero and heroine effecting their escape to England! Philippa continuing her deception towards the heir by donning female attire, ostensibly foe the purpose of evading pursuit. On their arrival in England the heir gets into trouble tor having, as alleged, shot a poacher, and is arrested for murder. In the last - act the heir is tried for the offence; Philippals the principal witness; he is necessarily acquitted; his' claims to ths earldom of Angus sre established, and - be and Philippa are supposed to be left the happiest of mortals at the fall of the curtain. There are many minor incidents end ohsMCters introduced, bat they do little more than swell out the performance.