THEATRE ROYAL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2373, 25 October 1880, Page 2

THEATRE ROYAL.

The Comedy and Burlesque Company which visited Timaru a few weeks ago when Miss Clara Stephenson (who has now seceded from it) was one of its members, opened on Saturday evening at the Theatre Boy a! for a short season. The piece selected for the occasion was “ The Lancashire Lass,” one of the earlier productions of H. J. Byron’s prolific pen. The plot of the piece is too well known to require any very detailed notice. The scene is laid in Liverpool, and the interest may be said to hinge upon the plottings and schemings of an unprincipled adventurer, Robert Redburn (Mr Mack Alexander), who, having brought about an estrangement between Ruth Kirby, “ the Lancashire Lass ” (Miss Lizzie Morgan), and her lover, Ned Clayton (Mr R. Love), proceeds to London, and being in a very out-at-elbows condition, endeavors to retrieve his fallen fortunes by a marriage with Fanny Danville, a rich banker’s daughter. The banker, however, does not at all approve of the match. Redburn now finds an unexEected ally in the person of “ a party y the name of Johnson ” (Mr R. W. Rede) who is the possessor of a secret affecting the reputation of the banker. This secret Johnson divulges “ for a consideration ” to Redburn, and the pair endeavor by its means to force Danville into agreeing to his daughter’s marriage with the latter. By the same means Johnson manages to extort various sums of money from the terror-stricken banker, who, thinking at length that his tormentor would be ns well out of the way, on the principle that “ dead men tell no tales,” takes the opportunity of pushing him into the River Mersey. Ned Clayton, who has before this turned up in London, and whose evil star is certainly in the ascendant during most of the piece, is charged witli the murder, and only escapes hanging by the timely assistance of the “ Lancashire Las-,’’ who is mainly instrumental in his getting away Jfrom gaol. The next act lands ua in Australia, where we are introduced to the home of the hitherto unfortunate but. now happy Ned, who has at length married the “ Lancashire Lass ” and settled down snugly. He has not done with Redburn, his evil genius yet, however, or rather Redburn has not yet done with him. That worthy turns up at the Antipodes, whence we are led to infer that he has Iteen conveyed at the expense of the Government, and subsequently escaped. Anyway he finds out Ned and ia just on the point of wiping off old scores by shooting him with a pocket pistol when the report of a rifle is heard, and he himself falls, shot dead. Thin is the work of the u party of the name of Johnson,” who, singular to relate, was not drowned after all, but most fortunately lived to find his way to Australia, and turn up just in the nick of time to prevent the Lancashire Lass ” from becoming a widow.

Miss Lizzie Morgan as the heroine was natural and pleasing. Miss Amy Johns as Fanny Danville, the banker’s daughter was also very successful, while Miss Lawrence gave an effective impersonation of the Gypsy. Kate Garston. Mr W. Alexander, as Kedburn, the villain of the piece, was fairly successful, Mr Love’s make up as Ned Clayton was anything hut satisfactory. Mr J. Wilkinson as “ Spotty” was as amusing us usual. The dissipated but good natured Jellick, another of Ruth’s admirers, found an able exponent in Mr G, W. Herbert, who was extremely funny. Mr U. \V. Rede, as “ the party by the name of Johnson,” created a most favorable impression. His make up was simply perfect, and his acting as the needy, shabby adventurer, well worth seeing. This evening the programme will be “ Ormond Brag,” and on Tuesday evening the well known drama “ Doing for the Best,” and the burlesque of “ 11.M.5. Pinbehind,” which recently had a run of three weeks at Dunedin will form the bill of fare.