Amusements.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLV, Issue 258, 16 December 1903, Page 4

Amusements.

DAXPIER DRAMATIC COMPANY. OPENING NIGHT. This evening Mr Alfred Dampier and his talented conyiamy will open a season ai three nights in the Theatre Royal with: "The Bust King/' an Australian play which chiefly' relates the adventures of a gang of bushrangers, who respect women and cbthfetxi, but fear not God, man nor The piece is full of those faairbnedth escapes and during escapades which are the every vay incidents o{ a" busJirangjy~s hie. 'l'he story is of great dramatic interest, and is not without a moral. A New Zealand audience desire nothing better than to have the emotions deeply stirred by a rattling metodrama, highly spiced with adventure ; and as the "Bush King" progresses the audience is amusud, interested, thrilled anil touched in repealed sequence until the curtain falls upon the final scene. As Ned, the Bushman, Mr Alfred. Dampier is seen—not at his best—Cor his best is Shylock m the Here Kant of Venice —to great advantage, while the scenery is typically Australian, so much so that one can almost detect t'he scent of the 'blue-gum, which shelters the mining camp in which Ned has a startling adventure. "The Bush King" will be produced to-night only, and will give place tot-morrow to Shakespeare's greatest comedy, "The Merchant of Venice," and on Friday to toe ever popular "Robbery Under xntta." Scats can' be booked without charge at tihe Colonial Piano Depot.