PRINCESS THEATRE.

Evening Star, Issue 3690, 20 July 1875, Page 2

PRINCESS THEATRE.

The large audience that last night at the Princess’s witnessed the return of Mr and Mrs George Darrell to the Dunedin stage, and the enthusiasm with which their opening piece was received, may be taken as an earnest that these old favorites may anticipate a brilliant season. “ Romeo and Juliet,” as played last night, was one of the most successful performances given in Dunedin for months past; but—the fact cannot be disclaimed—this was in the main owing to the parts of the hero and heroine beiag filled by Mr and Mrs Darrell. As Juliet the latter showed that during her long absence from Dunedin her acting has lost none of its charm, her voice is as sweet and yet powerful as ever, and her elocutionary talent has not decayed. In the balcony scene Mrs Darrell was perhaps moat successful, though in the scene with the nurse, when she learns that Romeo has killed Tybalt, and, later on, in her soliloquy before taking the sleeping draught, the force and ferver with which the language of the fair Capulet was invested were very elective. Mrs Darrell was twice called before the curtain during the progress of the tragedy. Mr Darrell’s Romeo was carefully played, and, as a rule, with ap. propriate action. His bearing is good, and no looks the character well, but in one or two instances—notably when informed by Friar Lawrence of his sentence of banishment—he was a shade too energetic and given to attitudinising. The Mcrcutio of Mr Steele was disappointing, that merry, rattling blade being made to speak in a jerky, hesitating manner most unsuitable to the character. Mr Keogh’s Friar Lawrence was what might have been expected from its representative ; but Beuvolio and the fiery Tybalt were well played by Messrs Savillo and Clinton respectively. Mr Musgrave filled his two parts—Pei er and the Apothecary—admirably, the latter beiug especially natural. Miss Willis made a tolerable Lucy Capulet, and the same may be said of Mr Huntley as Old Capulet; whilst Mr Hooper gave an excellent rendering of the part of Paris, and Miss Vivian was capital as Juliet’s nurse. To-night “ The Lady of Lyons” will be produced.