THEATRE ROYAL.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1648, 2 June 1879, Page 2

THEATRE ROYAL.

“ BACK FEOM THE CBAYE.” After what has been heard of the success attending Mr George Darrell’s new piece “ Back from the Grave,”’it was to be|expected that considerable curiosity would be evinced by playgoers here to witness its performance. The piece itself is constructed with great care; the plot is coherent ; the situations dramatic and effective ; and the sensational effects introduced most realistic. For the first time in a drama here, the sciences of mesmerism and clairvoyance play no inconsiderable part in the development of the pieoo. It i* true that in many modern pieces

they are introduced, but not, as in this dram* of Mr Darrell’s, made the dens ex machine, to confound the guilty and protect the innocent. In this, as in the other part* of his piece, Mr Darrell brings his incidents in so naturally that one is not at all surprised to see the leading events reproduced in two visions. The underplot of the piece is also good, all the characters are well drawn and with a vigorous hand. Of the acting it may be said that Mrs Darrell as Mrs Rivers played with much dramatic force. This lady possesses the rare gift of pourtraying deep emotion without rant or bombast, making it considerably more effective. The part was played with that finish which marks all her impersonations. Miss Solargo Navaro, as the persecuted heroine, showed how much real histrionic talent she possesses when afforded scope to display it. The character was naturally pourtrayed, and Miss Navaro received due commendation at the hands of the audience. Miss Mayor looked very pretty and very interesting as Irene Refton, and Miss Bessie Vivian made a hit in the characte. of Dolly, an upper servant. Mr Darrell played Sydney St. Aubrey, the hero of tho piece. In the first act he pourtrayed most skilfully the careless ease of a Bohemian, and was natural both in voice and manner. In the succeeding acts however, whilst playing the part with much skill, he appeared to go too much into the tragic vein, and tho charecter was thereby invested with a gloom and sombreness which appears foreign to it. It must however be remembered that he had to render the character of a man under tho subtle influence of mesmerism, and this might account for what seemed to be too heavy a conception of the part. Mr Darrell, as he most undoubtedly deserved, received several enthusiastic calls before tho curtain in his dual characters of actor and author. Mr Vincent played the villain of the piece naturally and well. He has usually played parts of a lighter character here, so that his undoubted success on Saturday night was the more marked, and shows how sterling an actor he is. Mr Whyte was very good as Mr Rivers, and Mr Power achieved a complete success as the Ostler. Mr Elliot had a small part as Reginald Rivers, but made a good deal of it. The piece was put on the stage with an effectiveness that has rarely been equalled here, tho lire scene being quite a triumph of stage effect, and all the scenery being good. The various members of the company received warm welcomes on making their entrance, and at the close there was a perfect ovation. The same bill will be repeated this evening.