PRINCE OF WALES OPERA HOUSE.

West Coast Times, Issue 289, 27 August 1866, Page 2

PRINCE OF WALES OPERA HOUSE.

'five engagement d: Miss Julia Mathews has commenced an era as new as it is welcome in theatrical amusement in Hokitika, which lately has been of so poor a quality a 9 to defy — because it was beneath — criticism ; and the disappointment caused by the non-realisa-tion of the hopes and expectations of the public at the starting of the Theatre, has been considerably lessened by the desire at present evinced by the management to amend their former errors, and produce something really deserving of public patronage. We do not refer to any want of energy on the part of Mr Bartlett with respect to the production of novelties. On the contrary, if variety possesses that charm usnally ascribed to it, there have been changed enough to satisfy the most fickle ; they have been, indeed, a great deal too rapid to allow any one piece to get into proper order for rej>resentation. But apart from this, the most objectionable feature in the management has been the poorness of the talent engaged, which bos in most ! cases acted as an insuperable bat to the success of any piece. Granted that the building of a theatre on such a scale, in such a town as Hokitika, was a 1x)ld speculation — granted Unit Mr Bartlett had already incurred a heavy outlay before the Theatre was indeed opened : yet the hearty and unnhiihoris response made by the Hokitika public should have been quite. sufficient assurance that proper support would not he wanting to repay a spirited enterprise. But one cannot be constantly lost in admiration of the ' building, nor is one's good nature always proof against ] aying heavily for an inferior article". What, for example, would the public thmfc if Mr Byrne endeavored to palm on" inferior wares upon his customers on the plea that he had spent a heavy sum in building his store, and could not see his way clear to keep a good stock ?

It must be both gratifying and the reverse to Mr Bartlett to witness the success that has attended the engagement of Miss Mathews, from which we trust he will take a lesson in theatrical management. (Jrnlifying, as it announces ft full treasury ; and the reverse, as it Mt only shows the unsoundness of his former system, but goes far towdrds proving what we ha\' r e above stated — at the same time allowing some of his company to form an ideii of their true value — the estimation in which they hold themselves, and tnat in which they are held by the public, being manifestly different. Mr Bartlett made at the outset a great mistake in his calculations as to the intelligence of the Hokitika public ; and if he has not met hitherto with the success he expected, he only has himself to blame. For a while the manifest mediocrity of company was endured, hi the hope that time would produce an alteration for the better, ancl indulgent — indeed partial— criticism, and unS limited encouragement were ah"£e bestowed. LJJut it appeared tb&t-MiLßartlettr held a" different opinion, and expected a continuance of liberal support without troubling himself as to giving an adequate return ; apparently looking upon himself as a public benefactor — instead of a mere business man, possessed of fewer notions of philanthropy than of his proper interest. This erroneous course in time brought its inevitable fruits. Their feeling of goodwill, and desire to encourage, aside, the intelligence of, the public revolted against the inferior fare provided, and objected to five shillings' worth of yawning discomfort every night ; and though sham benefits mid bogus testimonials might attract some, and fancy balls of doubtful propriety, others, yet the Theatre was generally looked upon as a failure — lamentable but hopeless : the ticket-taker held an undoubted sinecui'e, and the dress circle might have existed in the mind of Cowper, when he wrote — " O ! for a lorlgein some vast wilderness ;" while the yawning portals were shunned as though over them were written-^ as in Dante's description of the gate of his Inferno — " AH hope abandon, ye who enter here." Miss Mathews has, however, " changed all that," and if a good seat and sometimes even standing room, is desired, an early application to the moneytaker must now be made. We are happy to observe that Mr Bartlett has at last aroused to a sense of his former errors, and hope that he will continue to benefit himself and the public equally by a perseverance in the course that the engagement of Miss Mathews would indicate that he has begun.

On Friday last the comedy of " Everybody's Friend" tvas performed to 'a full house, succeeded by the extravaganza of " Endymion." Mr Stirling Coyne's idea cannot be considered as at all original, several pieces of the same kind being long-established favorites — witness Goldsmith's " Grood-natured Man" ; but the situations are good, the dialogue sparkling, and the plot excellent. Mr Felix Feather ly is a gentleman who neglects his own affairs for the purpose of assisting his friends, and the piece is merely a detail of the scrapes in which he becomes involved through his goodnattired interference. The character, Avas assumed by Mr Bartlett, and is one that is particularly suited to him, a«d calculated to educe whatever of talent he possesses. We are sorry we cannot say as much for Miss Mathews, whose abilities were entirely lost in the merely minor character of Mrs Swandown • and though she acted the fascinating wid jw with a grace that might have moved a colder ami more bashful individual than even the coy Mr Icehrook (Mr Burford), yet the impression was left that justice wus not done to her powers. Mr Burt'orJ's character was wholly unsuited to him, and never have wo seen him appear to greater disadvantage. Where on earth did lie acquire that abominable prolonged " Bniff," which appears to be his mode of expressing emphasis ; and, which, though it might not have been out of place in. the drunken but far-seeing Dutchman, Rip van Winkle, is scarcely suited to a lady's drawing-room, in her presence, and from a gentleman paying his addresses. His dress, .too, was certainly not comme ilfaut; he would have looked more like a gentleman if ho had not appeared so remarkably like an inverted note of admiration ; and on his first appearance tho impression left on the mincb of the spectators was divided between a Methodist parson in a chronic state of imppcuniosily, and a low-spirited undertaker's assistant out of employment.

One of the most glaring defects in Mr Bartlett's acting is his stereotyped style, which shows forth in every piece and through every character ; so that, whether showing his teeth in the " Ticket-of-leave Man" or laughing a gorge deployte in " Everybody's Friend," the individuality of Mr James Bartlett shows equally through the thin disguise that endea-

vors to present Jem Dalton or Mr Felix Feutherly to the audience. This disagreeable peculiarity, which would bo nfc flrflf, Unnoticed, becomes painfully evident in proportion to the frequency of this actor's appearance ; and though the readiness with which Mr Bartlett got through his, first. attempts at genteel comedy in Hokitika led us to ascribe his success to a quiet knowledge of his own powers, a skilful conception of the character, and an unstudied abandon, yet it is nAw plainly ,bo be noticed that a series of limited but well-conned posturing lesSoiis only are his stock-in-trade, uhich every evening, and through every character assumed, are unvaryingly and invariably the same ; and which lessons, however they might do credit to a performing monkey or tumbling mountebank, ore scpvcely worthy of an actor — especially one of such lofty pretensions as Mr Bartlett. We may laugh at tho jaunty style — the insouciance that renders him most offensively " at home" in other people's houses — the coolness with which he meddlos with other people's concerns — and his utter disregard for otlier people's notions of propriety ; but though these traitß may suit the character of tht? Unprincipled dun-hunted i adventurer or ewellmobsman on a holiday — they aye eccentricities that scarcely become a j gentleman, or even . a man of fashion ; and which, we^do not Hesitate to sny> would procure for Mr Bartlett an unceremonious expulsion, not wholly unconnected with the toe of a boot, were he to endeavor in real life thus to exhibit his notion of gentlemanly habits. If Mr Bartlett Wei'e to throw more study and less impudence into his parts, in time he might become a fair second-rate colonial actor in his particular line ; but the constant repetition of his present stereotyped attitudes will only obtain for him the .appellation of a ""stick," even where his representation of gentility does not announce his models to navk b"edn procured from the neighborhood of Botany Bay — an idea which becomes daily more confirmed by the unnecessary " damme's" and " devils" now so perseveringlv and disagreeably introduced. About tho highest p'l'dibe wo can award Mr Bartlelt is, that he always remembers his part. — a particular generally lost sight of by most of his company p and which so constantly evokes the voice of , the -prempter as to cause great announce to tho audience located anywhere within eye or ear-shot of the stage, and which effectually mars the effect of the be3t piece. But, as against this quality, we must object to Ml' Bartlett's style of constantly " leading off" a laugh, as if he were claqueur in chief to tho house, instead of manager. It has a vile effect, even when successful; but when— 'as it often happens — it is the revei^e, and M? B. has the grin entirely to htinseli — the audience either not seeiug or not appreciating the joke — it is heartily worthy of unqualified censure. We understand Mr Bartlett's Opinion to be that he is a colonial edition (uii&ppr'ee'ialed, it may be) of Charles Mathews ; and we would therefore ask him whether he has ever noticed that celebrated actor endeavour .to achieve the success of a piece or a character by unseemly cacchination, varying from the silly giggle or empty guffaw down to the final dead level of hysterical grinning.

Theafterpioce of "Endymion" may be very briefly dismissed. One of Brought best efforts, bristling with puns and sparkling with wit, its success has been undoubted wherever it has been produced ? but hero, also, were it not for the excellent acting and singing of Miss Julia Mathews, it would . have been to the audience "fiat*' and ''stale," while the management would have, had good reason for styling it " unprofitable.." , Burlesque U eminently Miss Mathew's./<>rte, while it d&es not detract from. tile merits of Miss Eosa Cooper to say that she is entirely out Of her element in it. When we say that Mr Andrews mado -a-piwaabla Actetan, wa sh.a.ll haye giv*;n all the praise due to the actors in thi9 piece. The chorus and minor singers may be shortly classed as execrable, and must have reduced Mr Eigenschanck to the very verge of insanity. Though perfectly innocent of music, their persistency and devotion to the cause wa9 just as evident, and equally worthy of praise^ They were either left howling at their" leisure by the perplexed orchestra, or, after a vain effort at guidance in the matters of time and tune, the ungainlineßs of, thdit hoarse and untutored utterances was drowned by the blatant clamor of the bonevolent lnusicians, as the cymbals of the Corybantes are said to have drowned the cries of the infant Jove, the audience being re luceJ to the necessity of guessing at what they were saying or singing, from tho waggling of their extended jaws. We are aware that in thus speaking we have been treading on delicate ground. A critic has always a difficult and sometimes a disagreeable task to perform ; and especially in the present case, where the provorbial thin skin of the act or has become in the person of Mr Bartlett so morbidly sensitive of the slightest titillation as to shrink from the approach of anything like fa,ir and honest criticism. We have not made the above remarks in any spirit of ill-nature — far from it ; but it seems that tho indulgence and leniency hitherto shown to the company of the Prince of Wales has not had the desired effect of encouraging and stimulating, but rather to have caused a relaxation of their energies. Like spoiled precocious children, they have mistaken the too partial praise of their friends for their rightful dve — think themselves prodigies — rest satisfied — consequently retrograde — and shortly show themselves the boobies they really are, especially when a contrast such as Miss Mathews appears beside them.

One of the most abominable medleys- in three acts that it has ever been our unhappy lot to sit through was presented to a suffering public on Saturday night. The name of this precious production, "Ireland as it was," will convoy some idea of its nature to those more conversant with the " wrongs " of that unhappy country, possessing a3 it does, " A glorious pisantry on a fruitful sod ; Fighting like devils for emancipation,

I And hating each other for tho love o' God." To convey au idea of tho piece would, we fear, be beyond our power*. It chief aim appears to be to claim for Ireland everything that is noble, to repudiate everything that is bad. and for the inculcation of a series of moral essays on " I-orrrr-ish" hospitality, humanity, charity, and the like. The first act opens with tho cottage of Neil Carolan (Mr Harding), a peasant, who is safely delivered of a wholesalo malediction on the Irish lundlord, who, strangely enough, requires rent for his land. After a homily from Dan (Mr Burford), an old gentleman -with high moral perceptions, a hoarse voice, and a thick stick, on the hardships of the infant population, a inatuh is concluded between a cockney-looking Irishman, Conor (X Flaherty, (Mr South) and Florence, Neil's sister, doubtless for the purpose of decreasing the woes of the popidation aforesaid. Then arrives Judy O'Trot (Miss Mathews) who details the particulars of her visit to London in a long, tedious harangue, which only her charming acting rescued from condemnation. But why proceed ? The family are turned out into tho snow, and after a quarter of an hour's dramatic misery, tho filial affection of the Irish is beautifully and strikingly exemplified by the younger branches leaving the old man to perish, while they take passage for America, introducing a claptrap allusion to star-spangled banner, hail Columbia, independence, and so forth. Thou we tire introduced to the interior of the agent's house into which Miss Judy O'Trothna managed to enter, for what .oarthly purpose does not appeal-, except perhaps to gratify her. leisure hours with the truly laudable

amnsomenfc of burglary .and, the audience" with the charming long of," Nora Macliree;" which met with loiid and well-merited dp'plause. Well, After the <Jld m"an had HAlf geflfc the houso tot sleep with a series df lldarse (eiitiments, lie IS reWiied from his dungeon (he has been thrown into prison on. & charge of robbery) by a body of "pisantry." f Slow music, lamps down j hoarse reiteration of «eiitimeilts } ihttJr" cdmp'any of ■bldier'a, vrhd oil particular desire of agent fire at hoarse old man, but whoso guns (which do not, for a wonder, miss fire) are struck up by. Ragged Pat (Mr Andrews), who then chate» the mill* taw off the stage } . general ,upraat l >, ; blue flity and whisky ; aildr which we are lritro'duce'd to the last flcenei wliefe d sdvfc df private and confidential court of justice is being held, and where absentee landlord appear*, virtue is rewarded, and the agent committed for trial. Another hoarse appeal by Dan on the gl'Otthda of I-err-ish charity and forgiveness, after which delinquent agent walks off Unmolested, and the piece concludes with more hoarse sontimonts and a jig by , Ragged Pdl and Jtdfi O'Trot, the justice of the pedce and absentee i landlord looking benevolently oil. To attempt, to criticise, such a^wratphed jumble of incongruity, .would, tie tiriio arid patience wasted; THe evils of the " star' 1 system hare been so often and so fully dilated on. elsewhere, that it is unnecessary for us to go over Biicii well-worn ground | out those who are less impressed with them need only devote , one night to the Prince of Wales Theatre to have their eyes open to some of them at all events. It Id positively gainful to those who have enjoyed, the pleasure df seeing Miss Mathews elsewh ore, and under more favorable auspices, td bob .the waj in which her undoubted talents are dlscdunied by .tile blundering and incapacity of her so-called supporters. Everything devolves upon her — from the prompting i to the direction of the stage carpenters} and it wduld Seem as Ifsne' had been carefully getting up tlie character of Job himself, for only the patience of that exemplary individual could- have, endured tho annoyance which on Saturday night wat ?vqn more evident than ordinary. The ettpoi'numerary department is very much neglected ; witness the company of soldiers, consisting of two fire-brigade-looking individuals, and the four " fauns." Truly Mr Bartlett should not forget to give them the same advice as the provincial manager to his brace of devils — to " spread themselves out, and look as much like a legion as possible." The dresses iii "Ireland, &c." were absurd Jo a degree. .Mr Bartlett would doubtless dbjeet.'tp Macbeth, being per- , formed in a pioaeni field marshal's Uniform, or Hamlet in the costume of a policeman; but surely that would ,'npt be tnan every poverty-stricken Irish 1 peaearit feeing arrayed in patent leather kiiee^oots, Mr Lionel Harding's attire struck us as a kind of mixture of an Australian stock-rider's ratlwr in want of the wash-tub,, a stage brigand,, arid a French postilion. The, brogue, too', was execrable ; all', with tne eicep'tiort of Judy, adopting a sort of Whitechapel cant, — and the distortion of her pretty mouth acutely expressed the agony of that organ in being condemned to utter such " murdered English." But enough of this : to those, who have endured three hours of such abominable traih as "Ireland as it was," no counsel is needed;" to those who have not seen It, we give" most emphatically Puilch'd advice to those about to marry — don't. Another piece of counsel .may also net bo out of place lieve, When Mr Bartlett again announces an " Irish night)" it would be as well to secure tile services of a few policemen, and also not to allow individuals in the dresscircle, unless they have become acquainted with soap at least once within the previous six months, unless they are at least half clad, and unless they are not more than three p»rts " sprung."

The time for the registration of claims to land in the unsold portion of Hokitika expires on Wednesday next. In Order to carr"y out the instructions contained in the advertisement of

the Cdmmissioner, it is necessary that the occupant of any portion of the land within the prescribed boundaries shall call at the Survey Office, and state the number of the section on which his premises are located. He will then receive from the Surveyor a paper on which the boundaries of his claim are marked, which he must take to the office of the Registrar of the Warden's Court j and on handing in this paper and presenting his business license, he will be required to sign his name in a book, in which a description of his claim is written. These preliminaries must all be completed, as we have said, on or before Wednesday, after which 1 , for fourteen days, tlie H3t 6f registered claims will be open to the inspection of the public, during which time rival claimants for the same portion of land will have an opportunity of lodging objections, and of citing their rivals to appear before the Wardon, who is empowered to try and decidesupon the question of title.

Wo are glad to soe such good progress is being made by Mr Edgar, the contractor, with the protective works on the river bank between the wharf and Beach-sti'dei. The row of low water piles aye driven to a little below Revcll-3treet, and part of thorn are already waled, whilst nearly as many of the inner row have also been driven, and are in readiness for the upper waling. Two " monkeys " are in full work, driving home the remaining ; and we trust as the work has fallen into such, good hands that it will be completed within the time specified in the contract. Cobb's Christchurch coach arrived in town at fives p.m on Saturday, having made a capi- , tal trip overland. Messrs. Hollingworth, Bag- 1 shaw, Shoppard, Blake, and Bruce were pas-l sengers by it. 1 An inquest wus held on Saturday by Dr. \ Beswick, the District Coroner, upon the body of the man, Robert Clark, who was found drowned in the Teremakau lagoon, on Thursday last. A miner named Wm. Spears deposed that the deceased was his mate, who had been digging with him for •omo months on the Greenstone Creek. On the 12tb inst. the deceased started for Greymouth, and it is supposed tlwt, on his return, he was drowned when attempting to ford the lagoon. Spears stated that he left no property behind him, and had not, to his knowledge, any relatives in the colonies. A verdict of found drowned was returned.

The sale of the Adelphi Hotel was effected, on Saturday, through the agency of Mr Gh W. Binney. It realised the very handsome sum of L 550, a proof of the high estimation stroot property in this town is held in.

Mr Stafford has formed a now Ministry, consisting of the following gentlemen : — Mr Stafford, Premiar ; Mr Fitzherbert, Treasurer; Mr J. Hall, Commissioner of. Customs ; Ma- 1 joi- Richardson, Postmaster-General j Mr J. C. Richmond, Native Minister ; Colonel Haultain, Defence Minister ;.tyfr Johnston, without office..