PRINCESS THEATRE.

Evening Star, Issue 3866, 15 July 1875, Page 3

PRINCESS THEATRE.

At the Princess's last night a crowded house assembled, the attractions being, first, tbat the j evening was set apart for a benefit to Mrs | Bates, and secondly the pi foimance of another new drama. We were poised to »oe that Mrs Bates is so highly esteemed, but were astonished at the bad taste shown by tiie management in putting on the stage such a production as Psychosconc. ' A scene in the second act of this sensational vday can only be characterised an degrading to thentrird bomls and an insult to an audience. " Peyolm ,■ ,|-, D » j R anurninced for repetition to - night, when we hope to see all its objectionable features eliminated and an endurable performance dwn. The scene of the drani.t is laid in " New York, and the plot turn.. a runnier committed by Eobert Fairbank (Mr Clinton), who manages to throw the su pinion on to Percy Gresham (Mr Kcogh), and, while the latter is incarcerated in Sing gjng prison pays his addresses to hi;-, betrothed (Lucy Royalton (Mr Bates). Pcvcy however is of an ingenious and mventivo turn of mind, and by his chemicd knowledge first contrive j to e3cnpe from durance vile, and thin proclaims and proves i; o bert Fairbanks guilt. The pari sustained by Mrs Bates is one calling tor no particular ability, but it is pleasingly played by tha', k !y, a pretty air being introduced suited to her voice " Mr Bates has a congenial part in that of Philo makes it amu.-aiu'; but Mr Keogh was entirely overtaxed in his character The powerful prison scene suffered Severely through the wane of dramatic talent in the more prominent actor in it. Mr Clinton is continually taking the ."gentlemanly villain's" part, so that he was quite at home ■. .3 Fairbank. Mr Hooper as the dandy, Fif z H-,ry Search, was sufficiently foppish; a «d , r Musgrave, as ±Vter Holmes, had a character to wlrch no one can do more justice than himself. Wo have purposely reserved all notice of Mr .Savilled Henry Tripp to the last became it .v:w decidedly the b e ,< pl :iycd parfc in the drama, and our opinion ?SST' l f W i ai i h J 8 first appeared at the Princess'-, that he was a M.i-u y acquisition to vh-s company. Mv •-■rtvillc 1 1118 unfort.nn.iJdv not dropped hrt\u T? SUita l )le hithSto, Bering ? el il efy *?, f the "citations <>'- acnptive of the tableaux of,i Hercules and

Omphale, Bottom and Titania, aad Elaine and the boatmnn showed that he understood and appreciated the Hiks lie was uttering. Prolonged applause, twice repeated, rewarded this gentleman's effort?, which made the final scene, although h.vin no connection with the plot of " l'sychofcope,"-' the only redeeming feature of the play. Of the lady actors there need be little paid, as, with exception of Mrs Bates and Misa Willis, Jthey had to appear in what must have been ungrateful parts.