MRS LANGTRY IN "SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER.”

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1047, 11 March 1882, Page 4

MRS LANGTRY IN "SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER.”

The London Times has the following notice of the performance Danger and difficulty enhance the pleasure and merit of success. When we say that the representation was eminently successful, we are paying the highest compliment to the performers who principally contributed to this result. Foremost among these was Mrs Langtry, who, it would be affectation to conceal, was the grand attraction of the piece—the attraction which caused to come together one of the most distinguished audiences that have recently assembled in the theatre. The house overflowed with rank, fashion, and celebrity, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, who are rarely absent when a praiseworthy purpose is to be forwarded or a kind action to be done. The proceeds of the representation, it will be remembered, were to go in aid of the funds of an excellent institution. Exquisite purity of complexion (remarkabe in this lady) unaided by art is apt to become paleness on the stage ; the brightest of eyes are not seen to advantage across the footlights, but the finely shaped head, the classic profile, the winning expression of the features, the fascinating smile, the musical laugh, the grace of the figure—“ a full flowing roundness inclining to length ”•—these are gifts which the public in a theatre can appreciate as well as the privileged admirers in a drawing-room, and the enthusiastic applause which greeted Mrs Langtry on her entrance must be regarded as the willing eager homage to the far famed beauty as well as the cordial welcome to the debutante. The oldest playgoers who had seen half-a-dozen Miss Hardcastles were astonished at the ease with which she glided into the part, the accuracy of the conception, and the felicity of the execution throughout, She was good in all but the test scene is the one in which she plays the barmaid, and here she assumed the pert tone and the required degree of flippancy without once approximating to vulgarity. It saw, although young Marlow did not see, the high-bred, as well as high spirited girl under the disguise when she repels his attempt to kiss her with “ Pray, sir, keep your distance. One would think you wanted to know one’s age as they do horses, by mark of mouth.” The touches of sentiment, admirably given, were marked by the same appropriate tone as the mocking irony with which she overwhelms her lover when the mystery is cleared up and what enabled her to give full effect of every telling point was her voice, with which, clear and silvery and aided by a singulary distinct articulation, she reached, without an effort, every corner of the house.

An American physician is suing for a divorce from his wife on the grounds of cruel ill-treatment. His professional duties frequently call him out at night, and his wife, being very jealous, adopted the plan of taking poison whenever he had a night call, thus compelling him to stay and attend to her. Several times he has saved her life with great difficulty. The story is told that a factory girl at Lawrence was ordered by the physician to use chlorofcrm to induce sleep, and taking an overdose she was overtaken by sleep so profound that it was thought that she was dead. She was accordingly prepared for burial and the mass for the repose of her soul was being celebrated in a Catholic church, when all who were in church were horrified by hearing a scream from the coffin. The coffi n was opened and she w as restored to life.