THE THEATRE ROYAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4379, 2 April 1875, Page 2

THE THEATRE ROYAL.

Last night “ The Flowers of the Forest,” one of Buckstone’s most popular dramas, was presented. ; The criticisms of the Melbourne Press had prepared us for a fine performance of the part of Cynthia, by Mrs. Bates ; and . the imticipation-.was not unfulfilled. M-The, play as pijelof; the'romantic class, the plot of whiqh ‘is hot difficult to describe, but" in which there ■■are opportunities-Tor the .display of ‘dramatic: ppwer to a much greater extent than the mere outline of the £tory ;would' indicate. Thus Cynthia.is.the daughter .)!' the chief of a tribe of Italian gypsies ; she is. tlie’unseen spectator of a duel in which one falls dead—not, however, by ; the . bullet : of . her English lover, but by that of a member of her tribe, and - she saves the life of that 1 lover by the sacrifice of the guilty member of the -tribe, and, at last, Mils herself with a weapon, stained with the blood of her own mother, given, to- her by.Tshmael, her father, that she might assassinate her English lover, as the price of her restoration to the tribe from which she had been driven out. In such a part there is ■ scope for a display of talent leading up to tragedy, and it will not be denied to Sirs. Bates that she fully justified the criticisms just referred to—criticisms that are infinitely more able than any she can be exposed to here in Wellington. ■ The Ishmael of Mr, Bates was also a .veryclever performance. Miss Jessie Raymond’s “ Starlight Bess ” was creditable to her, though short of what other artistes whom we need not . name have made of the part. Mr. Hydes, “as “Cheap John,” and Mr. Howard as: “ The Kinchin,” occasioned immense amusement, some of the “gag” being appropriate as well as funny, and occasioning roars of laughter.’ Completeness in every detail marked the production of the piece, though it was put upon the stage for one night only. ...

This evening “Madelaihe” will be played. It was performed one night only during the company’s previous visit to Wellington, and was then-much appreciated..- A wish has been very generally expressed that “ Elizabeth, Queen of: England,”'should be repeated, andon Saturday night-—if it suits the management