THEATRE ROYAL.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2245, 9 May 1881, Page 3

THEATRE ROYAL.

On Saturday evening " The Danites" was presented. It is an American drama strongly resembling in more points than one the piece called " The Tiro Men of Bandy Bar," whioh it will be remembered was produced here under Messrs Hiscooks, Hayman and Oo.'s regime. Aa a literary production its merit is but mediocre, some very glaring inconsistencies being noticeable in it. For instance, we have a schoolmistress arriving at a digging township in tho Sierra, where a woman is such a rarity that sho is the only one there. How the children that she is supposed to teach arrive under thoso circumstances is not elucidated by the drama. In various other things, too, the piece is weakly constructed and ineffective in dramatio force. But while this is so, and whilst all the characters except four are the merest dramatic sketches, these four ore drawn with life-like fidelity. Tho ourious mixture of quaintness (at times almost approaching absurdity) and pathos, real,deep,Bimple and afiocting whioh is so characteristic of Western life and writing, particularly at mining campß Buch as the ono depicted in the piece, is perceptible throughout it, and saves it from being a positive failure. As Sandy McGee, the hero of the piece, Mr Theo. Hamilton was excellent alike in make up and acting. The part was played wilh much success, and showed that Mr Hamilton hud not only oarefully and intelligently studied the charaoter, but had also identified himself with it most thoroughly. Tho scone of the proposal to the school-marm —identical, by the way, except in actual dialogue, with that in " The Two Men of Sandy Bar" —was admirably acted by Mr Homilton, and he tally deserved the warm plaudits whioh greeted his efforts. In Sandy McGeo Mr Hamilton has succeeded in what we consider tho acme of aoting, viz., given a, life-like natural picture of a Western minor refined and subdued by the softening influence of a woman's love. Mr Grottan Biggs is also entitled to the highest possible credit for his inimitably comic rendering of the part of the Judge. His make up was wonderfully good, and he evoked roars of laughter by his irrepressible love of what

Americans oall "orating." It was certainly ono of the best bits of character acting we have had here for many a day, and with Mr Hamilton's impersonation went far to redeem the shortcomings of the piece from a literary point of view. Miss Lily May was far too hard and unsympathetic in her renlering or the oharaotcr of the schoolmistress. There was a want of pathos, more particularly in the scenes with the disguised Nancy Williams and with Sandy, which detracted greatly from the success of her impersonation. In one or two parts she was good, but as a whole Miss May failed to make as much of the part as might be expeoted. Almost the same remarks wiil apply to Miss Arethuoa in the port of Nancy Williams, who, while speaking the very long speeches allotted to her most perfectly, yet did so as if she wore reciting, and not moved by the strongest human passions it is our common lot at one time or another to feel. Here and there she did infuso some pathos into her acting, but she was in many instances far too cold and hard in her delivory. Miss Vivian, whom wo are glad to welcome baok as a de servedly great favorite here, had not a great deal to do in her part, but did it well. Mr Stark desorveß oredit for his aoting in the part of the Parson, especially in tho scene where he gives the key of his oottoge to his successful rival, which was capitally done. Mr Mflwry made a fuirly good Ohinaman, and Mr Kennedy was funny as Limber Tim. The rest of the characters, who had little to do but como on in crowds, fulfilled that onerous duty successfully. The piece will bo repeated to-night.