KING HENRY V."

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1537, 21 January 1879, Page 3

KING HENRY V."

Mb G-eobge Rignold. If anything could rovive a taste for the legitimate drama it should surely be the production of the great masterpieces of England's national poet, aa placed upon the stage in the style in which " King Henry V." was produced last night at the Theatre Royal. Every element which ought to command success was present—every sense was appealed to, an heroic theme couched in language worthy of it, a pictorial pageant which mirrored the customs and manners of a by-gone day, when kings and princes were tho actors, and the world the stage on which they enacted the enthralling drama—formed such a combination of dramatic excellence p.s could scarcely bo excelled oven in the theatres of tho old world, with the vast resources at their command. Apart from the interest of the play, which as it progresses increases, apart from the beautiful scenes with which it is embellished—the rich armour and appropriate coßtumes, which give such an air of realism to the play that the spectator can almost fancy he is transported back over three centuries, and is personally interested in the action that is taking place before him—the central figure of tho King stands forward, the type of the chivalrous age in which ho lived, the young heroic monarch, " in the very May morn of his youth—ripe for exploits and mighty enterprise." Mr George Rignoid possesses in rare porfection the physical qualification for such a part as Harry of England, successful alike in lovo and in war. A handsomo oxpre ssive face, a form combining dignity and grice, and a voice clear, musical, and resonant, are qualifications not often found in tho same actor Mid when to these advantages are added finished elocution, guided by tacto and controlled by exquisite judgment, it is not a matter of wonder that Mr George Rignoid should have created such a sensation in every country where he has appeared. What Mr Rianold's qualifications aro generally as an exponent of Shaksperian it is premature on the assumption of one part to say, but there is no denying that m that ore part Nature has dona eo much to qualify him, that he stands without a rival. '. It is questionable whether he possesses the ; tragic depth of passion and intense earnestness • for the adequate rendering of such characters. < J as Macbeth, Othello or Lear, but in auoh roles ; no Benedick, Romoo, or Mark A".tony, tow actors could be found who nould personally be as acceptable or win their way so surely into tho sympathy of the spectators. In tho i earlier portion of the play ho was full of quiet dignity, oub of tho fiat-st points in the play bemg his dismissal of the French envoy who

convoys to him the Dauphin's defiance In the battle scenes he was full of fireandenergy,buthe was most successful in the last act where ho woos and wins the Princess Katherine for hii bride. In this scone he was admirably acted up to by Miss Solange Navaro, who, with her pretty admixture of French and English and winning piquant style, certainly furnished a Btrong incentive to tho royal conqueror to extend his conquests to the possession of her hand. The Princess's waitingmaid, Alice, was also very nicely played by Miss Mayor, who spoke the French phrases very naturally and artlessly. Of the great number of characters that crowd there are only some half-dozen that stand out prominently, though tho majority of them were done justice to, and many of them deserved higher commendation. Foremost amongst the subordinate characters was the Pistol of Mr Elliot, who succeeded in giving an admiruble portrait of that mixture of cowardice and braggadocio that were the distinguishing characteristics of tho trio of worthies who were the boon companions of Jack Falstaff. Equal in merit, and a much more difficult character to adequately represent, was tho Fluellen of Mr Harry Power. His scone with Pistol, where he compels him to "Eat the leek," which has become a proverb, was a capital bit of comedy. Mr Burford gave a good representation of Bardolph, though the part was shorn of a great part of the dialogue in tho text. He doubled it with the King of France, which he played with ease and dignity. The character of Williams, the blunt rough English soldier, found a capital representative in Mr 0. C. Vincent. The part of the chorus, represented aa a beautiful female in classic costume, was entrusted to Miss Jennie Watt. She looked exceedingly captivating, and delivered the beautiful speeches explanatory of the action of the play with considerable elocutionary power. A novel arrangement was introduced for the first time in New Zealand by the division of many of tho scenes terminating in tableaux by flowing curtains, in lieu of lowering the act drop. Many of the tableaux wero singularly picturesque and beautiful, but that of the Battle of Agincourt surpassed all the others in grandeur, and fairly carried the house by storm. The king's triumphal entry into London —with the introduction of real horses—was another of the best efforts of the play, though many of the other scenes, especially the Beach at Southampton with the English fleet at anchor, the breach at Harfleur; some of the battle scenes and the interior of the Cathedral at Troyes were masterpieces of scenic art and deserve the highest commendation. The drosses, armour and weapons were all in keeping with the piece, and added materially to its effect. Ab a spectacle alone nothing like it has ever been witnessed in New Zealand before, and Mr George Darrell deserves the very highest praise that can be accorded him, for his pluck and enterprise in bringing Buch an entertainment to the colony. " Henry the Fifth " will be repeated till further notice.