THEATRE ROYAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2178, 23 December 1885, Page 2

THEATRE ROYAL.

ARRAH NA POUUE],

The Julio Dramatic Company had another excellent house at the Theatre Royal last night, when " The Bonny Fishwife" and " Arrah na Pogue" were put oil the boards. In the former, Misa Juno had an old and favorite character, in which she always appears to advantage, and she was ably supported by Mr Kennedy, Mr Taylor, and Mr Forbes. The play of the evening was, of course, " pa Pogue," As in (f Jeanie Deans" we had presented a vivid realisation q 1 ? Scottish life it) 'the last'centurjf, the characters represented being drawn from the lowlier rank? of life; so in "Arrah pa Ptgue" we lad p opportunity of witnessing ipi} the stagp a picture of Irjsli life, in which the figures were also types of the Celtic national character, selected from the ranks of tho people. The story of Arrah MeeM, the heroine 'of the play, is a simple one of womanly devotion to the object of her love, and would serve equally to illustrate the selfdenying fidelity of the tender passion, whether the heroine in whose breast [it burnt were English, Irish, Scotch or Welsh. Love is cosmopolitan ; byt the author of the play, the qelebrated Ijion Boucicault," ha§ 'constructed jiia story from an old chapter of tlie romance of Irish history during the '.'troubles," and the gHaraoters in the p%, t]ie sentir rpnts they uttor, their language with its imagery, tenderness and humor, are all racy of the soil and redolent of the peculiarities of the people, The heroine Arrah Na Pogue, Arrah "of the kiss" has acquired her quaint name by her ingenuity in passing' a letter to her fosterbrother through the bars of the prison in which he is confined for participation in the rising of '9B, Rolling the precious missive on .'which his liberty depended in the torn} cif a small scrol], the 'ftithflil A'frah'gives it to thg captive wither lips in the sweet form of a kiss, and earned the "sobriequet thereafter bestowed on her by her quickwitted (jquntiymen. Tlie constancy of Arrah is emulated by the faithfulness of her lover "Slmun the Post" who gives with true Hibernian impulsiveness his life for his love, and is only saved at the crucial moment by the ingenuity of his sweetheart, whose fertility of resourse is equal to her devotion to her lover. The " upper crust" of the dramatic" personae is represented by Colonel O'Grady, a good specimen of tjie fijie qldlrisjigeptletijan, spattiish McQoul a patriot' of the Rojierfc * Errjmetttypo, Fahny Power an Irish heiress, and all the villainy of the play is concentrated in the person of Mr Michaej Feei]ey ( a prgce§g stiryey, whq, in the of Shaun," is reptile Tvho crawls sp flat in the dirt that you cant crush him." A glimpse of the inner life at the "Castle", in which we are introduced to the Secretary for Ireland, is afforded, and the occasion for its introduction is justified by the fine dramatic character of. the episode, The play is intensely national, but not more so than attractive Miss Ella Carripgtqj| the character of jfy'rah'in Simple,''unaffected,"and most charging manner, for which she was agaiji and again applauded. Fanny Power was, of course, m very appropriate hands when entrusted to Miss Juno. Mr Taylor's Shaun was most laughablo, and Mr Nunn'? villain of the piece thoroughly realistic, All the other characters were exceedingly well rendered, and the audience thoroughly enjoyed the play from beginning to end. To night the company plays at returning to-morrow .to represent" Leah the Forsaken."