THEATRE ROYAL.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2348, 12 October 1881, Page 3

THEATRE ROYAL.

Shakespeare's idyllic play of “Winter’# Tale ” wag repeated last night at the Theatre Royal to a large house. Christchurch playgoers are indebted to Mils Pomeroy for making them acquainted with some of the most charming of the works of the Bard of Avon, and none more so than with “ Winter’s Tale.” Miss Pomeroy’s Hermione will take rank as a pourtrayal of the highest order amongst her Shakesperian performances. Differing entirely from any other in which she has yet appeared, Miss Pomeroy clothed the character with a realists and force which made it stand forth with the distinctness of a painting, or, perhaps more properly speakkg, an exquisite piece of statuary. The confiding and unsuspicious nature of Hermione in the earlier part of the play, anxious to please her lord in her hospitable reception of Polixenes, were pourtrayed with great truth to nature and fidelity. So also with the" Court scene—where, with the statue scene. Miss Pomeroy was at her best —she gave us a life-like representation of the injured wife secure under the shield of her own innocence, but hurt even unto wishing to die by the unjust suspicions cf her lord. It is, we think, to be regretted that the exigencies of the stage compelled Miss Pomeroy to play Perdita, as it was by no means so successful as one could have wished. The statue scene was a triumph of artietio rendering. The sudden change from apparently lifeless stone to living breathing woman was managed by Miss Pomeroy with such consummate art and grace as in itself to be a play worthy of the highest commendation that can be bestowed. It was certainly one of the most charming effects ever witnessed on our stags, and Miss Pomeroy deserves every credit for the way in which she managed this. Miss Arden’s Paulina wag a very excellent performance throughout. Her lines were spoken with care and finished elocution, and particularly in the scone with the King, where she pleads for the infant, and that before she draws the veil from the statue she was alike good. Miss Grey as Mopaa, and Miss Jenyns as Dorcas were good, though the duet in which the former took part was again repeated, and with musically speaking the same negative effect, Mr Holloway, though in parts heavy, was yet very good as Leontes. He rendered the text, as he always does, with a thorough appreciation of it, and the part as a whole was most successful. Mr Hamilton’s Polixenes was a fair performance, though, judging from his appearance, the king had but slight ground for his jealousy. Mr Fleming’s Plorizel was a careful and student-like rendering, end Mr Jewett deserves very great credit for his Camillo. Miss Grey would have been far more successful as Time had she spoken her lines slower. As it was, she rattled them off like a boy getting rid of an unwelcome lesson. The other characters were fully filled. To-night the piece will be played for the last time, and for to-morrow ’■ The Hunchback ” is announced, with Miss Pomeroy as Julis.