THEATRE ROYAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 177, 24 July 1878, Page 2

THEATRE ROYAL.

Long before the doors were opened last night a large crowd had assembled outside the theatre, which, tan minutes before the time advertised for the performance, was crowded in every part. The curtain rose to Offenbach's amusing dramatic cantata entitled " Blind Beggars/ in which two gentle-' meuj hitherto strangers to the stage, proved themselves possessors of considerable dramatic talent. There were some capital songs introduced, and the acting was exceedingly amusing as was proved by the frequent peals of laughter it called forth. Aftersome little delay the piece de resistance " Trial by Jury " commenced, the curtain rising upon a motley group consisting of the twelve jurymen in costumes the most fanciful, and the usher of the Court with hiß wand of office. After a sparkling chorus, the jurymen took their seats, and some idea of the fair consideration that was to be awarded to the defendant's case may he gathered from the following instructions given by the usher to the jiify:— And if amid the plaintiffs ahrieksi The ruffianly defendant speaks" Upon the other side What he may say you ueed not iniud. lTrom bias free of every kind This trial must be tried. I The trial, as is well known, is oiie' ior hreacti of promise of marriage. To describe it in our limited space is impossible, but we may , fairly say that the piece is one of the prettiest and most attractive ever placed on a I Nelson stage. Ihe acting was perfect, and ' the by plvy which runs through the whole piece was of a most amusing description. The choruses were given with great spirit, and with a precision that reflected the highest credit not only upon the performers themselves but also upon the conductor and pianiste. The comical costumes of the jury, the somewhat undignified demeanour of the judge, who gives a moat laughable account of his elevation to the Bench, the tasteful dress and charming acting of the plaintiff, the pretty appearance and excellent singing of the bridesmaids, all tended to make the " Trial by Jury." an unqualified success, and it was not surprising that Mr M'Kellar Wix, the stage manager, was paid the compliment of being called before the curtain to receive the applause of the enthusiastic audience, who received Mr Wix's thanks for the reception awarded to his company, who, he stated, had been hard at work at the piece for the last four months. He announced that the entertainment would be repeated thi3 evening. The performance was brought to a close by the laughable farce entitled " Whitebait at Greenwich." The dignified Miss Lucretia, the sprightly and somewhat saucy Sally, the knowing Mr Glimmer who kept a careful watch ou his neighbors' bouse 9 to ascsrtaiu their dinner hour at which time he never failed to favor them with a visit, the secretly married, and still spooney, Mr Benjamin Buzzard, andlast.thoughcertainly not least, the übiquitous, facetious, selfsatisfied, John Small, who kept the audience in roars of laughter from his first appearance to the time of his farewell bow. all took their parts well, and sent their hearers home in an excellent humor, and many of them, no doubt, determined to attend again tonight.