MISS DARGON'S HEADINGS, RECITALS, AND DRAMATIC SKETCHES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1734, 12 July 1884, Page 2

MISS DARGON'S HEADINGS, RECITALS, AND DRAMATIC SKETCHES.

(From the New Zealand Times,) Miss Augusta L. Dargon, the celebrated tragedienne, gave the first of her series of readings and-recitals, at the Theatre Royal, last night, to a house fairly filled at every part, thou«h not to tile extent in justice demanded by the extraordinary high character of the entertainment. Many of those who would otherwise have been present were doubtless unavoidably absent elsewhere, on account of piessing political demands on their time; and there were probably some

who did not attend, thinking the published eulogies of Miss Dargon's powers as an aotress most likely exaggerated. To all such we can state, with a full confidence, that those who have witnessed and heard the best elocution of the last thirty years, will most fully agree with us, thai the lady who made her appearance last) night is, in the extent and rariety of her powers, far and away the superior of any aotress who has jet appeared on the Wellington stage, and may well compare with the best of those now living who have either acted or read at an} part of the world, No matter how highly raised the expectations may be by the anticipations of her publio entertain* merits those who listen to her are not likely to be disappointed, though l they may perhaps form a slightly different opinion from what they expected of the idiosyncrv cies of her powers, She may be different from what they expected, but it is not likely to be thought inferior, If it be true that she has not the exquisitive pathos of Fanny Kemble, or the profound thoughtfulness of Walter Montgomery, or the queenliness of Kistori, the excels them tjll in the wider range of her powers, extending from the depiction of broad Irish comedy in Hood's" Lost Child," to the high tragedy of the betrayed and forsaken Queen Katherine in Shakespeare's "Henry the Eighth," More than any aotress wo have known, she reminds us of Helen Paucit in that accomplished kdy's best days. In not one of her oharaoters does she sink as low as even to mediocrity and, for versatility and brilliancy combined, is the most wonderful actress we know. During the two remaining nights of her brief stay here, every person in Wellington who has any taste for high art on the stage should certainly visit Miss Dargon's performances, It ought also to be added that Miss Dargon has the special advantages of ; a very handsome face, commanding figure; and pleasing, lady-like address. 'Her voice, also, though penetrating, is by no means too loud, She commenced last night with a scene from the"Sohool for Scandal," excellently well rendering the display of exhubereni Bpirits, and occasional frivolity on the part ot the young wife, Lady Teazle, but, as it seemed to us doing scarcely justice to Sir Peter, who was Hot represented by tsheridan as either morose or a boor, but an old gentleman, foolishly jealous, a little peevish, and not able easily to bridge over by extent of human sympathy the difference in years between his wife and himself, The pathetic descriptive sketch "Beautiful Snow" followed, and was given with just appreciation of the subject and with much affect, though it was rather too rapidly spoken, and did not please us as mucli as some of Miss Dargon's otherefforts. The divorce scene from" Henry VIII," on the other hand, which came next, was a delightfully artistic rendering of the great dramatic conception, both the forlorn Queen and the wily, but dignified oardmal courtier being excellently true to the originals. The • " Charge of the Light Brigade" was given with superlative fire an vigor, hut this fine piece has been perhaps a little played out through the various incompetent amateurs and third class professionals who have attempted it. In the second part of the entertainment, Miss Dargon gave another specimen of her marvellous euergy in the rather overstrained "ourse scene" from "Deborah," and immediately afterwards effected a lightninglike ohange to Lady Gay Spanker's sprightly and vivid description of the Steeplechase in "London Assurance," Just alter this oamo what seemed to us the most' beautiful piece of elocution in the evening, Edgar Allan Poo's quaint, poetical, and still pathetic, though often-repeated " Raven." It is difficult to praise too highly Miss Dargon for this presentation of a really fine poem, often heard, but little perhaps, generally understood in its hidden and higher meaning; Whittier's simple sketch, "Barbara Freitchie," an incident in the Federal and Confedorate war succeeded, and the evening closed with a most perfectly hnmerous and intensely Irish reading of Tom Hood's "The Lost Child," given with the genuine brogue and natural accompaniments with whioh Londoners are io conversant as common among the metropolitan Irish peasantry in the great city. On behalf of the people of Wellington we beg leave to tender to Miss Dargon our thanks for the splendid intellectual treat with which she favored us yesterday evening. She appears again this evening, and to-morrow night gives her closing series of readings, recitals, and dramatic entertain' ments. The theatre should bo orowded in every part.