Amusements.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLV, Issue 260, 18 December 1903, Page 2

Amusements.

DAMPIER DRAMATIC CO. " THE MERCHANT OF VENICE." L/ast night the Dampier Dramatic Coim[)iaavy produced Shakespeare's famous comedy, " The Mewbamt of Venice.''' ll'tifortuniately, New Plymouth has not, t'horougiliily appreciated the 'o,pj>oi"tu'n'ity here presented of heading and seeing this work of the immortal bard, and the audience was inert l'arge. The comedy was very well staged, and the interpretation of tine piece was excellent. Never was so severe a test of tile capabilities of players as when the plays of Shakespeare were to be treated, and when wo say that those who took puit last night acquitted themselves with the greatest credit we mean that they have indeed done well. Mr Alfred Dampier's wonderful versauality has 'been clearly shown 'here by the very able mateier in which he has treated the totally different parts of New HlarHhg and Shy lock on Weduesday and Thursihiy nigilits respectively. Last night his acting was perfect, arnd his enmnciatioiv a treat. In the trial scene he was at his best, the closing lines 'being uttered in almost realistic despair. The honours fell, too, on Miss Ijily Dampier, who impersonated Portia. Ber clever handling- of that portion of her lines, in which she posed as the ypiung atijl "i earn<xl judge," wall Jong bp i-eniemibßred 'by those wiho saw it, and WJvq are ]iamilwr wiuh the beautiful passage. I> Dute of Vmice was represented m all 'his dignity by My Billipgß, and the 'merchant" by Mr Bdnwid Holfoway. tooth parts toe lin , g ™ sustained. Mr Alfred Rolfe, as Bwsanio, Antomio.'s friend, was distinctly good, and tilxs parts of J orenko (Mr Leon Roche), Norissa Miss Emily &, (M, ss Rone Dampier) wire also l^c^ he scenery, of course, was anjl the production as a whole a del wdedcredt to the ft W «»* SMcespeari^n

TO-NIGHT. '■' Robbery Under Ams" will b. staged). When this <trwna was ™2 land Herald savs • ■ V Ze *" the part awd made the play' S '"otio,, ftxMtt him- Fw ~.«. I*6- p.viS'JSi,. ™; j>Wr of StaSt a«d „"«* l»i-"B closely followed i„ ll ous course bv Mr *m„ V,™ s »*m«u* WaettS HoUoway ken Marstan w a , Mora ». Aidered bv J"",) bbkl th t „rodL«„ n I)am, " e ''. c-ed tan every ata t • vi COnsW«'n lUKsuaJilW skSss " f V ' Was »'ish to see tt stinw',l J lwsw "*° wittoKndglrt. tobepres-