THEATRE ROYAL.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1632, 14 May 1879, Page 3

THEATRE ROYAL.

The management are to be congratulated on having achieved a genuine success in the production last night of Bret Hurto’s picturesque play the “ Two Mon of Sandy Bar.” A more complete and effective representation has seldom been witnessed in Christchurch. Tho story of the drama is well known from the wide spread circulation of the book, which is a species of novelette in a dramatic form. The characters of tho Californian gambler, John Oakhurst, and his partner Sandy Morton, found admirable representatives in Messrs Hamilton and Ogden. Mr Ogden was especially happy in illustrating the character of the castaway Sandy, with its strange admixture of weakness and resolution ; all the delicate and subtle phases of tho character being depicted with consummate effect. As a specimen of dialect character acting, it was was equally artistic, and was received with unqualified approval by the audience. The character of Oakhurst, though subordinate to tho other “ man ” of Sandy Bar, afforded Mr Theo. Hamilton an opportunity for the display of the quiet, earnest and impressive stylo of acting, which is his best characteristic. Ho so far won upon the sympathy of the audience by his manly bearing, as to condone to a great extent his treachery to his friend. Another admirably sustained character was the Colonel Starbottle of Mr Harry Daniels. It was the first opportunity this gentleman has had of exhibiting his peculiarly quaint comic powers in Christchurch, and he made the most of it. Pompous, fussy, and grandiloquent, ho thoroughly succeeded in realising the creation of Bret Harte. Mr J. G. Joyce was effective as Old Morton, his acting in tho last scene where ho is reconciled to his son being very fine. Concho, the treacherous Major Domo of Don Jose, was capitally played by Mr. E, R. Russell and the Chinaman Ah Sin in the hands of Mr Lance Lenton, was thoroughly Mongolian. His pigeon English was laughable in the extreme, Mrs FitzWilliam, as the poor Duchess, was humorously pathetic, and may bo complimented on her happy faculty of rendering a somewhat repulsive character graphically true as to the author’s intention and at tho same time developing those womanly trai's which are its redeeming features. Miss Emma Bronton was pretty and interesting as Mary Morns, the heroine of the Idyll of the Red Gulch, and Miss Beatrice v-ai equal to the requirements of Donna Jovita. Her introduced song in the first net was received with favor by the audience, but was scarcely appropriate to the situation. The drama was very well mounted, the best scones being tho “ rancho ” of Don Jos6 and the “Red Gulch,” which was an excellent realisation of Californian scenery. The some piny will be r prated this evening.