THE VICTORIA LOFTUS TROUPE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5747, 30 August 1879, Page 2

THE VICTORIA LOFTUS TROUPE.

This company, which only recently arrived from the United States, opened at the Theatre Royal for the first time last night. The house was filled from floor to ceiling, there being scarcely an available seat left in the dress-circle. The performance commenced with the “ Stage Struck Chambermaid,” in which Mr. Harry Lo Clair gave a capital sketch of a stage-struck servant, named Betty. This was followed by some Dutch and French impersonations, and' imitations of a French dance, after which the vagaries of a Yankee girl named Sally Slapapple were introduced. Mr. Lc Clair’s clever sketches gave place t<r some very good acrobatic performances, dances, and songs, by Messrs. Walters and Kelly. The Irish sketch, “Rehearsal,” was given in such a way as to create roors of laughter, Mr. Sam Rickey, as Darby O’Grady, and Mr. Charley McCarthy, as Bridget O’Grady, contributing in a large degree to the success of the farce. The chief interest of the evening’s performance centred in the mnsical extravaganza of “ Atlanta, or the Female Athlete.” The piece abounds in fun and drollery, and punsters especially will find delight in listening to the state of perfection at which their peculiar art can be brought in the hands of a clover composer, and good interpreters. Mr. Gilbert Sarony (as Schoenus, King of Soyros), Miss Victoria Loftus (as Hippomencs), Mr. George Aitkeus (as Paidagogas, an usher of the old school), Little Katie (as Cupid), Miss GeneveveSt. Marc (as Venus, Queen of a kingdom upon which the sun never sets), Miss Emma Du Bois (as Mernpe, the Queen mother of Hippomenes), Miss Ella Le Ferre (as Atlanta), Mr. Harry Le Clair (as Mississarliis), Mr. Thomas Waters (as Cobius), all showed an intimate acquaintance with their respective parts ; whilst Little Katie and Miss Genevevo St. Marc quite captivated the audience by the sprightliness of their acting, dancing, and good looks. Taken altogether, the performance proved a very enjoyable one. We do not pretend for one moment to say that it was by any means a high-class one, or that it belongs to that better school of the stage which we would like to see encouraged instead of neglected ; but it was free from those low vulgarisms which too often degrade performances of the class to which it must fairly be said to belong. Before the arrival of the company here, we had certainly heard rumors which did not tend to prepossess ns in its favor ; but if the remainder of tile entertainments should he given with the same regard to propriety os that of last evening, we do not think that there is any great foundation for the rumors to which we refer. The audience last night appeared to be thoroughly satisfied, and the majority of those present—so far as we could judge—went away with a 'higher opinion of the genuine merits of the company, in its peculiar line, than they were prepared for.