THEATRE ROYAL.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2039, 6 September 1880, Page 2

THEATRE ROYAL.

"The Sprissaurj," an Irish drama in four acts was presented on Saturday night to a full house, the lower part of the Theatre being crowded. The piece is described in the bills as of "the romantic, highly sensational, and comic " order, adapted by Mr Walter Reynolds from an Irish romance " Croohore na Bd Hoge." Perhaps there is less of exaggeration in this description than may often be charged to the play-bill class of literature, which rejoices in a field of fancy peculiarly its own. The play is certainly romantic; with equal truth may it cl.im to be highly sensational, and the comic element is prominent throughout. Further than that, however, by way of commendation as to its claims to merit, the habitual playgoer could searcs'y proceed inasmuch es "The Sprite aun " possesses very little of originality in design (no doubt this may be due to the work on which it is based), and it bears evidence of having been hastily written ; the general construction of the piece seeming to be of the " patchwork " order, striking situations being thrown togeth- r with something' too little of regard for consistency if not connection. Albeit, the author anticipated the public humor to a large extent, and the play is undoubtedly one to attract a certain class of the community. It has all the merit of Mr Darrell's effortß, in tbjrt it presents a fair quantity of " moving incidents," one fire (for instance), one murder, and several "gallant rescues" of a startling character, and it possesses, in a literary sense, merit beyond what we hive been accustomed to from Mr Darrell. With regard to its representation, the company may be congratulated all round. The piece ran very smoothly, having evidently been carefully rehearsed. Mr Reynold's took the principal character, Lanty, and in this he had an opportunity of proving, by contrast with a former meritorious representation, that he possesses great histrionic ability. His impersonation of the ■ eooentrio Irish lad was really excellent, and he developed a power of Bong, which there can be no doubt went a long way to gain the) sympathies of the audience, and gave additional force to an impersonation in which there was nothing in reason to be found fault with. Mrs Hill pourtrayed the heroine —a victim to a series of misfortunes, out of which she emerges to gain her heart's desires—and played as this lady always does, exceedingly well, especially in rendering the pathos incidental to tho scenes in which she moved. Mr C. Burford made a characteristic Croohore, the child of mis or tune, but a favorite type of character as the defender of oppressed innocence ; and Mr Kennedy, who has become a great Javorite, appeared in a comedy part well suited to his physical as well as mental peculiarities, of which, it should be needless to say, he made the most. Miss May played Biddy McFlinn nicely. The other characters were very fairly sustained, and, as before stated, the piece was well received, the author and principal actors being called before the curtain at the conclusion of each act. It should be mentioned that Mr Willis painted and arranged some admirable scenic effects, which contributed very largely to the success of the first representation of "The Sprissaun." The same piece will ba produced this eyening.