THEATRE ROYAL.

Southland Times, Issue 657, 15 April 1867, Page 2

THEATRE ROYAL.

' The Theatre Eoyal was opened on last , Friday evening, on the occasion of an Amateur Dramatic Club Entertainment, for the benefit of Mr Wotton, one of its .late members. The pieces chosen were ebiaewhat out. of the usual recognised role of amateur performances. They embraced some of the lighter or volatile pro- ; ductiona of modern authors, but yet those that required a considerable amount .of ..ability, tact, and intuitive knowledge of the authors conception of comicality to be successfully produced. After an appropriate prologue had been read, the curtain rose to the well-known burlesque of " Villikins and His Dinah." We do not purpose critising, on account of its being an amateur performance, and it will be scarcely necessary to repeat a thrice-told-tale in order to put bur - "readers aw fait as to the plot ; suffice it to say that the dramatis personce consists of a young lady, rather in love with a youthful sprig, one Yillikins. As is usual the case, a rival appears - in" the person of a .haughty baron, who possesses a very comical black attendant, and the usual grey-headed father of the young lady, of course, comes in , for his share of applause. (The. various characters, without distinction, were more than ordinarily well played. The expression, the voice, the action, the idea of the ludicrous, appeared to be well understood by the actors, and so well was the whole pourtrayed, that the audience became as it were identified with all that was humorous and witty on the stage. Applause was frequent and well-timed, and throughout the whole of the performance the most flattering testimony of the estimation in which the different performers were held by the audience was constantly elicited. After this piece was concluded, the evening's entertainment was pleasantly diversified by selections from II Trovatore on the piano, readings fronr Artemus Ward, and some singing.- l The performance concluded with i another burlesque, a general favorite, entitled, " Lord . Lovel and Lady ISTancy „Bell." Throughout , the whole of this play the same unflagging desire to please was noticeable. With the exception of the music, everything passed off successfully, and a most • agreeable evening was enjoyed by those present. We forgot jto mention that the house was -filled .in every part, and the returns' no doubt will be very handsome. We trust that so popular an institution as a Dramatic Club will not be;allowed : , to remain long in abeyance, but that we shall have the pleasure of shortly chronicling another performance before : long, i