AMUSEMENTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4446, 19 June 1875, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS.

"A crown's worth of good interpretation." —Shakspere. The "School for Scandal" is a lasting proof that pains taken in the construction, writing, rehearsal, and acting of a play are certain elements of success, provided the play itself does not contain an element rendering success impossible. It was the first mark made by its author after assuming the management of Drury Lane Theatre. Sheridan had "V succeeded Garrick, a succession which made the part of successor most difficult to fill, and by the production of a version of Vanburgh's " Relapse," and a Shaksperean revival, as I suppose it would be called now-a-days, had given opportunity to those who had prophesied failure for him, until, as a writer of his life says •" the town was astonished and delighted by the production of a comedy that has deservedly gained for its author an undying reputation, the ' School for Scandal.'" A criticism of the play in what is necessarily a mere passing article, would be as much out of place here' as an essay on the character of Hamlet. Indeed, to do justice to the " School for Scandal" would require the writing of an essay, as to my ability to do which I may entertain some doubts, but as to the present inappropriateness of which I entertain no doubts whatever. Still, in connection with some words I have used above, it may be noted that the play was the gradual evolution of a great" deal of thought, and of many sketches and scenes, two of which in their more complete form were the "School for Scandal" proper, involving the Lady Sneerwell and Mrs. Candour business, whilst the other was devoted to the consequences, as detailed by Sir Peter Teazle, of an old bachelor marrying a young wife. And yet though it is true that, as Sheridan himself said, he had been nineteen years endeavoring to satisfy himself with the style of the "School for Scandal," but had not succeeded, and though it is equally true that much time, labor, and thought had been bestowed on it befora its first representation, it was yet announced to be played before the actors had received their parts, and on the last page there is in the author's handwriting "Finished at last, thank God !" and this bears an endorsement by the prompter, "Amen, W. Hopkins." But despite the evident hurry shown by this—a hurry_ which, however, only extended to the last few scenes—the play was, as I have said, the result of great care in construction and writing. As to its cast, rehearsal, and acting, from the contemporaneous authority whence I have derived much of what I have alreadywritten, it seems plain that the original interpreters of the characters in the " School for Scandal," by their excellent renderings absolutely identified the characters with themselves and themselves with the characters. Indeed, this was more especially the case with Palmer, the representative of Joseph Surface, of whom many anecdotes are related to show how naturally he fitted the part. To make a jump from 1777 to the present time. I do not think that anyone need be dissatisfied with the representation of the "School for

Scandal" given us by the Hoskins-Colville Company. The part of Lady Teazle is one in which I have long been of opinion it would be difficult to equal Miss Colville. Added to the creat natural advantages she possess for "iving a correct idea of the chaw--tor, she takes that intepreta : ion of it which was_ the author's, and which the best opinion lias given as correct, namely, that Lady Teazle has "the graces and manners of a woman of fashion, of ono who, with the quick perception of the female character, has been enabled rapidly to assum* all the refinement and all the manners of the haut ton." For it may be noticed that Sir Peter says of her, "she plays her part in all the extravagant foppery .of the fashion and the town, with as ready a grace as if she had never seen a bush or a grass plot out of Grosvenor Square." Until I shall have seen better, Miss Colville to me represents the most complete idea of Lady Teazle. Then, Mrs. Hill is too trained and capable an actress to sacrifice a single word of the many telling words put into the mouth of Mrs. Candour. Of Mr. Hoskins's Charles some may say perhaps that there are matters, not of his making, which militate against him, but even then arises the question who else in the company could play the character as he did ? Mr. Burford's Sir Peter was so much better than what I expected, that if I wrote of it I should probably praise it more than it absolutely deserved. In many respects "Black-Eyed Susan," which we had on Saturday night, is a wholesome play. It fulfils, essentially the standard which requires that virtue and poverty should be concomitant, and that vice and wealth should run hand in hand. Its. sentiment, though of the most correct melodramatic school, is redeemed from mawkishnes3, and its fun, though also of the proper melodramatic type, is redeemed from weariness. We all know that this redemption is due to a'most talented man having written the play. Mr. Burford's William was as good a performance of the part as any one need wish to see, and it did none the less please me, that I had already seen the great T. P. and others play it. But why will Mr. Burford persist, in each part he plays, in adopting some utter incongruity of costume, which forces itself npon notice, and thus compels me to find a fault where I would otherwise, willingly, find none ? On Saturday night Mr. Burford wore, in some respects, quite a correct dres3 ; but instead of a sailor's jacket he wore one which at some time had done duty, apparently, in the Armed Constabulary ; and I have yet to leam that the uniform jacket of that body at all resembled the one in use at the time Black-Eyed Susan is supposed to have lived, though each, I have no doubt, would be equal in extorting the admiration of nursery maids. When I say that " Paid Pry" is scarcely a piece sufficient to form the staple of an evening's entertainment, I say enough as to the reasons why its production did not excite very, violent emotions amongst theatregoers. In this piece, again, Mr. Burford's acting was worthy of commendation, and his dress was what I believe i 3 known technically amongst the interpreters of the drama as " a fake." Of the Press may be said much the same as Mr. Puff says of the actors, when they do a"ree their unanimity is wonderful. Well, the newspapers have agreed that the paucity of attendance in the boxes, at the performance of "Much Ado About Nothing," doe 3 not argue much for the theatrical taste of those who most claim to have taste in Wellington. I may go further, however, and say that, as a rule, Mr. Hoskins, Miss Colville, and their company, have not been well supported by the public. Ifear.indeed, they have not hit the popular ta3te, which prefers such incidents as that which forms the groundwork of our earliest British drama, to comedyofthe highest school well acted. The incident I have mentioned turned, as antiquarians know, upon the accidental leaving of a large needle in J;he broadest part of a pair of breeches, and the misadventures consequent thereon. Let Mr. Hoskins revive Gammer Gurton's needle (I think that is the right name, but am not certain), if he can procure a copy, and he will have crowded and delighted houses. I may not be original in noticing what seems to me the main point in the plot of " Much Ado about Nothing," namely, that whilst Don Pedro, Claudio, Hero, and the rest are plotting against Benedick and Beatrice with the best intentions for the happiness of both, a plot against their happiness is being worked out. Of the performance of "Much Ado about Nothing" I scarce dare write. I fear the praise I should award might be thought fulsome, being great and general, and I desire to escape such a misconception. .But I appeal to everyone who was present on Wednesday evening to bear me out in the assertion that it would be difficult in a theatre to find better justice done to Shakspere than wa3 then done. And is not much of the credit of this due, and fairly owing, to Mr. Hoskins, who is so careful, so accurate, and so conscientious in working his materials to the greatest advantage ? It must be hard indeed to him to find that some who have preceded him played night after night mere collections of balderdash put on without care, and acted without conscience, to crowded houses.

If cood audiences be a test of success, Dr. Caxr°is a successful man. But he has good reasons for attracting many people to hear him. Whatever he has to say, he says in fairly chosen word 3, and whatever he purposes to do, there is no doubt he does thoroughly. These recommendations are amongst the best which anyone coming forward as a public entertainer can possess. Those who like phrenological and mesmeric seances (that is the correct word I believe), get the best possible article in that line from Dr. Carr. HISTMOJIASTIX.