AMUSEMENTS.

Evening Star, Issue 4301, 8 December 1876, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS.

Another of Mr Emmet's German playa was presented at the Princess's Theatre last night, " Fritz" having been witndrawn after a most successful run of ten nights. " Jan," the new piece, is intimately relited to " Fritz " in many respects, but is somewhat better constructed. It is a melodrama of the orthodox type, with nothing special about it but tho excellent acting and singing of Mr Emmet, who revels in the character of the hero. The following is a brief synopsis of the incidents:—Jau, a lowly country lad, of German birth, is in the employ of Madame Kline, an innkeeper in Switzerland, at whose house an American General named Granville, with his niece Blanohe, is temporarily living. Jan rescues Blanche from drowning, and becomes thereby acquainted with the General, who, in conformity to all stage precedent, immediately imagines the German boy to be his lost son, which idea is Bhared by Madame Kline, whose daughter Carline is in love with Jan. A fierce-looking fellow called Bruno is also enamoured of Carline, and is about to force her t© kiss him when Jan rashes in and knocks the insnlter down, Bran'o, in revenge, attempts to stab Jan, but is prevented from doing so by Chevalier Bookleigh, who is annoyed at Jan having been shown favor by Blanche, with whom he also is in love, and by whom he is snubbed. These two hatch a plot against Jan, the issue of which is that Bruno steals from Madame Kline the papers containing an account of his parentage, and fathers the theft on Jan. Eventually, however, Jan's innocence is established; he turns out to be the son of Granville, marries Carline, and the play ends, according to the stereotyped fashion, in the final triumph of virtue over villainy. Mr Einmett's " Fritz " and " Jan " are so closely allied that what we said of his performance in the former applies to the new piece. He possesses the rare power of keeping the audience with him all through, and, whether in pathetic or pantomimic parts, never for a moment loses that easy self-possessed bearing which is the principal charm of his acting. The introduced songs are scarcely as good as in " Fritz," but are, nevertheless, very comical and will probably become popular. Miss Willis had an easy task as Blanche, which, was merely to look well, in which she fully succeeded ; and Mrß Byers and Miss Vivian were respectively Carline and Madame Kline. Bruno, the catspaw of Eockleigh, was in the hands of Mr Steele, who gave n fearfully vivid picture of a man in the " horrors." Mr Clinton was cast for the villian Eockleigh, and Mr Keogh looked every inch a cockney prizej fighter. Some capital scenery contributed much to the success of the piece. " Jan "is announced for only two nights more, when the Emmet season will close.

" Lucift di Lammermoor " and " Trial by Jury " were again played at the Queen's Theatre last evening. Both burlesques were performed in a spirited manner, and the several artistes were loudly applauded. The programme will be repeated to-aight.