THEATRE ROYAL.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1690, 21 July 1879, Page 3

THEATRE ROYAL.

A dramatic version of "The Woman in White," was produced on Saturday night at lie Theatre Royal. The drama comprises a prologue and four acts. The plot of the " Woman in White " is too well known to need narration, but in the play the plot is divested of the intricacies and complications that form one of the charms of the romance. In the prologue Sir Percival Glyde abstracts the marriage regis! er of Mrs Oatherick, which may be considered the keystone of the story, involving as it does the mystery of Anne Oatherick and Laura Fairlie. In the first act Walter Hartrightis leaving Summeridge, where he has been engaged as drawing master to Miss Fairlie, who is about to be married to Sir Percival Glyde. It terminates with the appearance of Anne Oatherick, who has escaped from the lunatic asylum, and places a letter in Walter Hartright's hands to give to Mibs Fairlie, warning her against wedding Sir Percival Glyde. In the second act the marriage has taken place, and Count Fosco and Sir Percival are plotting to obtain possession of Laura's money, which, at her marriage, was settled on herself. Again the Woman in White appears, and her extraordinary resemblance to Lady Glyde inspires Count Fosco with the devilish idea, which he afterwards carries out, of consigning Lady Glyde to a lifelong incarceration in a madhouse, under the name of Anno Oatherick, who has died and been interred as Lady Glyde. In the succeeding aot, Laura makes an unavailing appeal to Posco's pity in the asylum, and it terminates with her recognition by Marian Halcombe. The concluding act deals with the triumph of Hartright over the Count by forcing the latter to give up the proofs of Lady Glyde's existence, and the subsequent assassination of the Count at the hands of the secret brotherhood, •whose secretß he has betrayed. The play is a powerful one, and, in addition to being most effectively well put on the stage, was exceptionally well acted. The Count Posco of Mr Wybert Reeve was a remarkable performance. His make-up and appearance were in striking keeping with the creation of the novelist His accent, peculiar intonation, precision of speech and by-play, with his transition from glosing tenderness and mock sympathy to expressive bursts of energy and passion were the very perfection of artistio Bkill. Mias Lester made an excellent first appearance as " The Woman in White." She is young and attractive in appearance, ladylike and winning in manner, with graceful action and finished elocutionary ability, qualities which she displayed to perfection in the peculiar contrasts of the dual character she pourtrayed. She was refined and winning as Laura Fairlie, but her true power was shown by her olevor assumption of the fatal malady of madness as the poor waif Anne Oatherick. Each delineation wbb dis tinct from the other, and showed that Miss Lester was a real artiste of undoubted talent. Miss Beatrice played the character oE the faithful Marion Halcombe with power and pathos, and aided materially to the success of the piece. The fine situation at the end of the third act, when she recognises Lady Glyde in tho madhouse and vowb to protect her, woke the house to enthusiasm, and Miss Beatrice, Miss Lester, and Mr Wybert Reeve were three times called before the curtain. Mr R. D'Orsay Ogden made an impressive Walter Hartright, and as Sir Percival Glyde Mr E. B. Russell acted with judgment, making the role less repulsive and villainous than in the novel. Miss Bronton made the most of the small part of Madame Posco. New scenery was painted, and the scene representing the garden of Blackwater Park hy moonlight was deservedly applauded. The *' Woman in White" will be repeated this evening. Other novelties are in preparation.