The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-12-31

/ THE THEATRE LAST NIGaT-H AZET
| KIRKE.--Tbat the Theatre, despite ibt
piercing cold and dis,greeable walking,
should have been filed with brilliant au.
dience last evening was q fitting compli.
ment 10 the charming rendition given there
oi the beautiful and clever play Hazel
Kirkc. The auditory press notices and
general EXPIRE ssions OF praise which have
so long bernIded the coming of the play
were not one whit too extravagant,
IL we are TO judge from the gem
eral satisfaction which Its FIRST presents
tion here seems to have given. And
we may consider ourselves particularly for
innate TO be able 20 gather onr drs, impress
sions OF this cIeversy- wrought romance from
the Interpretation given by the very excel
lent and original 1isdison.SqhreT Theatre
Company. We conceT in the opinion Of
another, that IL Is q conspany OF Stars.
Hazel Kirke is beauyjIul melo-damu, m
which the delicate shades oi pathos and love
are cle,eYIy eonirasted wrh inflexiNe viii
and refreshing flashes OF humor.
The sceDe OF the play Is laid in Lancas-
tershIre. Eng, and the audience finds Ha-
zel kfrke engaged 10 her Ether's patroDy
her Own beDefactor, Squire Rodney, much
her senior, good man, but one whom she
does not love. Lord Traves, under his
family name, In recovering from the effects
OF ari accident, is under the roof-tree OF the
Klrkes. He has inspired Hazef with love
fo.ahim as sincere as his fol her. Plitacus
Green learns OF this state OF aissirs from
HazePs cousin. Dolly Dntton, Who bad di-
vined the secret, aud concludes TO avert the
unpleasant consequences.
lie tells Rodney Hazel does not love him,
n Pull atl aaf 10
the hand that had not a heart to give. But
when the father. Dnnstan Kirke, learns OF
Hazel's heart detection, be refuses 10
hearken to any excuse or explanation, a1d
casts bis daughter of. Travers and NsZcl
are married according 10 the Scottish law,
az they believe. ROdney. suspicious of
the sincerity Of his fortunate rival, under
stands that the marriage was but a pre-
iencc. He informs LADY Trayers, The mo-
ther, who desires her sou TO unite with a
lady who rightfully was entitled to the
Trayers estate.
She seeks out Hazel and tells her she is
not the legal wife OF Trayers. HazePs fu-
ture movements are to seek her home, when
her father, who has been stricken blind, de-
carps he will never receive her; endeayors
to drown herself, and, after being saved by
her husband, comes back into the old life,
with all doubts removed and happiness
general The incidental characters OF the
olay are Mercy Kirke, the mother; Lady
Trayers, Barney O'Fynn, Mat higgins,
and Clara.
As the honest old Dunstan kiIke, Mr..
COuldock, in feature, voice, and action,
must thoroughly satisfy the authors ideal.
His impersonalion Of the r6ke simply dehes
criticism. A more natural and pleasing
piece OF acting than that Of Miss Eflie Els
Ter in the title-.0le would be bard I'D tud.
II is Certainly the most diiiicult part in the
play, yet this pretty little lady gave 1t an in
teligent and graceful rendering that
etlectuallv concealed with its natural
ness anything like effort on her part.
The Pittacus Green OF Mr. W. j. Ferguson
was well conceived and truly refreshing.
With his quaint. dry humOr he turned many
a tear bedewed cheek into smiling c0uG-
tenance, and he may henceforth consider
himself fayorite with Richmond audiences.
The karon Rodney OF Mr.. Henry Aveiing
was a finished piece OF aciiDg, while Nr.
Leyick was acceptable as Lord TraVers.
The other parts are all well filed, and their
rendition Of Hazel Kirke cannot fail OF CIV
ing genuine qualification.
The scenery by Mr. Dufocq. and the
stage setting, was very beautiful; and II
we except the scene in the second act, we
can say with all truth it compared most
fayorably with the celebrated original IN
the Madlson-Square Theatre.
The play will be repeated tonight, sat
urday MATINEE. and Saturday, evening:
Those who fail TO see the fine rendering OF
this beautiful PLY will have cause for re-
gret.