THEATRE ROYAL.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 25, 29 June 1874, Page 3

THEATRE ROYAL.

After an interregnum of some weeks the Theatre Royal has again,opened its doors for the performance of the legitimate drama, tbe,"Grif." .dramatic company who .have ' bedri playing in'the southfern provinces making their debut in Ohristchurch on • 'Saturday 7 'evening' in a new drama V The Waif of the Streets." '" ' \ ton YjOf the piece itself it may be said'that it is bio one of a class now becoming pretty riumer,qus; both in England and the colonies, in which the probabilities as actually occurring in real -lifeJare painted to the utmost'by the author in order to meet that craving for; senBation "which , appears to have taken s ~• possession' of the- modern playgoer.' . Advantage is also taken:of the popularity of realising on the stage the common objects of every day life, to make the sensation of the play culminate in the escape of the youthful, heroine' from being: crushed to death;bVa pile-driver, which is shown on the stage unmistakeably real. The plot, which at; times is rather obscured by the introduction of subordinate Characters, who have really! very little to do with its development, turns ; upon the fortunes of a child deserted by her mother, and left to pick up a precarious ; living in the 1 streets as an itinerant vendor of ballads. The plot however is somewhat in- > f VolVed i and lacks .continuity, indeedl the author has to trußt a great deal to the imagination, of ibis audience. I; Of the company themselves we can speak in ./tsrmsofpraiseasa whole, fortbey are of course in no way responsible for the vagaries of the author*; <Jsiss< Rosa Towers as Miggs,; the •waif of the streets; is excellent, exhibiting as she does a knowledge of Btage business} and • f thorough, comprehension . of the i various ' '"•« points'" "in her part which is something wonderful in one so young. In her hands • the) part is made a life-like picture, startling in its fidelity to nature, and her capital acting makes one wish to see her in a piece more •'' worthy of the undoubted talent she possesses. Miss Jessie Raymond, who played the part .oif/Rosa Sid'dons, the mother, who deserts her child, and urged on by the force of circum- -.', stanch* its life » did so in a manner which shews that in a part affording ~.- moos-scope* for- her-powers she "would be fcigEly, successful, , As the author has written ' it...it is a mere, outline, a picture as it were "! but half finished, and therefore for any lady to jnake a success in it, as she did on Saturday

evening, is so much more to her credit. She has a very good voice, a pleasing appearance on the stage, and a thorough knowledge of the bigness, but, there is one fault which militates greatly against her perfect success, and that is a somewhat stilted manner, the result probably of want of experience. This will doubtless disappear with practice, and we hope this talented youpg lady will take the hint in the spirit in which it is given, and endeavor to overcome a defect which, though slight, yet to some' extent spoiled what would otherwise have been a highly creditable rendering of the part. Mrs, Frank Towers had a part which no ata'ourit of acting coiild make-a success. It seems a recognised idea with dramatists that to represent a native of the Emerald Isle, it is only necessary to furnish the character with an abnormal language never beard except on the stage of the theatre, and this, character is> about one of the most absurdly drawn in 'this respect'we ever saw. Mrs Towers did' her best'with it, but as we have said, the author has done so much to render the character ridiculous and absurd in the extreme, that no scope is left for the lady representing it, to make it at all tolerable to the audience.- - ••■ c - r c-»

' Miss Howard played! the dual parts of Lady Carlysle and Mrs Jowell, but neither character is sufficiently elaborated by the author to afford any opportunity of judging of the capability of the performer. In the character of Props, the stage struck youth who is fond of quoting scraps of tragedy, Mr Towers had a part thoroughly suited to him, and he made it intensely amusing. Mr Burford was the villain of the piece, and was very successful.in his rendering! of the character. Mr Thorpe played Herbert Carlysle capitally, his rendering being marked with care and a great deal Of talent. The other parts were well filled, and the piece was capitally put on the stage, Mr Kemp receiving the compliment of two calls before the curtain' for his scenery. During the drama Miss Rosa Towers sang several songs which were encored. The orchestra is very efficient, and rendered good service during the evening. Altogether the opening performance was very successful, and gives promise of a good season. The same piece will be repeated this evening.