THEATRE ROYAL-"RICHELIEU."

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1594, 29 March 1879, Page 2

THEATRE ROYAL-"RICHELIEU."

The production last night of Lord Lytton's fine play " Eichelieu " afforded Mr Creswick an excellent opportunity of appearing in a character well adapted for the display of his powers. The rule of the great Cardinal, the warrior-priest, the wily statesman, who was in his day the pillar of France, is a very showy one, and in the hands of a capable actor of average power, is always attractive. Several representatives _ of Armand de Eichelieu have appeared in Christchurch, of more or less merit, the palm up to the present time of limning the most accurately historical portrait being undoubtedly due to Mr Morton Tavares, while both Mr 6. Chaplin and Mr Hoskins have each many admirers in the part. The performance of Mr Creswick is, as might have been prognosticated, a very fine performance, though as a psychological study it is much below his conception of Lear or Virginias. Mr Creswick makes Eichelieu a man full of vigorous life rather than the senile sexagenarian some actors are in the habit of representing him. This is historically true, besides being more effective. All the many sides of the character were brought out with great skill, the acute intellect that instinctively penetrates the schemes of the villain Baradas, the astuteness of the experienced politician—the tenderness of a father to the orphan Julie—the chivalnc devotion to his country—the outraged servant who pleads for simple justice as the solei reward of long years of devotedness and fidelity, were each of them depicted with great force, and the frequent and enthusiastic applause of the audience, to say nothing of the calls before the curtain at the end of each act was a proof oi Low the performance was admired and appreciated. All the usual points were made with more than the usual success, and in the matter of applause the audience, like Do Mauprat when he witnessed the Cardinals play, gave it in the right place. The adjuration to Franco in tne first act; the vindication oi' the mighty power of the pen in the second ; the scene in the third between the Cardinal and De Mauprat; the grand deuunciation of Barada" in the fourth, and the. ci'owning situation at th ■ cloao of the play with the tiling peroration, "There, there, a'; my feet!'" were all excellent proofs of the fin.! "powers of the tragedian. Mi3S Helen Ashton api eared to advantage as Julie (ie Mortemar, her performance l>"injr delicate and refined, combining pathos with a fair amount of power. Mr ! ; . H. Vincent, who is rapidly becoming a great favorite wiah the audi -nee, gave a spirited, chiv Irons representation of De Mauprat, and was honored with a special call, which ho shared with Miss Ashton. Mr C. Burford was impressive as Baradas, and

Miss Solansro Novaro played the short but telling part of Frangois with much animation. Messrs Sterling "Whyte and Clinton were both prominent and meritorious in their respective roles 01 Joseph aud Huguet. This evening, " Hamlet " will bo performed, in which Mr Creswick has been most favorably spoken of as one of the finest that has appeared in the colonies, which have certainly not been barren of capable exponents of the philosophic Prince.