"he A. D. O. gave their Fifty-third performance, on Tues ug, before a fairly good house. e begun their season unusually early this year, in order, it is leved, to avi with a "professional troupe which Tanuary, and which desir polish the' theatre thenceforward. But whatever the motive, we are glad to welcome the.appearance of the A.D.C. on the poarda—the earlier the better.
comic drama in two acta, entitled "Old The performance opened with the gorio—Phil's Birthday."" Phil Stapleton is a
outinEngland.. He has been for forty-six specimen of adas which appears tobe dying Yoara in the employ of Hardress and Ca., lodge porter, and would have laughed at the possibility of leaving their service. moreover the ungrateful one of the pi His only son, Frank, has been educated nity, too, of the allusion at Mr. Hardress' cost, and taken into the to his pallor which occur more than once office, where he is in high favour; the firm in his cousin's mouth, tickled the audience is, to Phil, well nigh the beginning and irresistibly—the more ses the factitious end of all things; its reputation is his repu-which had been resorted to hide tation, and he feels a homely, honest pride that incongruity made it only more pain-in his connexion with it, that wins our fully apparent. On the whole, we must sympathy. The scene opens on his congratulate him on having yot past birthday, as he receives the congratu-pitfalls which more than once endanlations of his employer's daughter and gered critical scenes—M?r. Doolittle, as niece, and indulges in a little garrulous Frank Stapleton, knew and looked his part statement to them of how important well, though there was a want of bout epochs his birthdays have always been his acting, when some display of warmth his life. Then Mr. Hardress enters, and was called for. insists on giving Betsy Baker ix one of Maddison xchange for Morton's screaming farces; and, if th Phil hardly knows how feelings of the audience' were' rather enjoy the possession of Hardress & Ca.' painfully worked on by the drama, own box. The old man is, in fact, at they had an opportunity, of which they the height of his honest pride and fully availed, to indemnify themselves pleasure, when a false suspicion of being now. Miss Julia Brisaf, as Betsy Baker, concerned in robbing Hardress & Co.'s was simply a "screaming" success, Th safe falls upon his son, and breaks and youngest of sixteen or six-and-thirty crushes him to the earth. Mr. Hardress' (we forget which) sisters, who are son Lionel has been gambling, lost money, all working in one laundry establishment and: taken £200 out of his father's safe to "over the way," she looked and acted the Tas done, Stapleton to lend y it, Then, horror-struck at what he part, with ludicrous, deity. A good-looking, buxom wench, with a keen sense lends herself to Cruminy's plot ing Mr. Mrs, Marinaduke Mouser from wi of conjugal blin with a relish that is only heightened by the promise of the greengrocer's 'Taking off his coat immediately afterward: the corner, which will enable her to to run to the assistance of Miss Hardress, her fianog.' Mr. Mouser is, in fact, alto-whose horse is restive, he flings it on the gether too spoony on his wife, too at floor. Itis picked up by Phil, in thepreseuce tive by half," as she confides to her cousin Hardress, and the false key falls Crummy after her husband has. trented out, We need scarcely explain the story her to tivo or three fond embraces" before further; how Frank bears the blame rather going out to seo a client; and Crummy than peach on Lionel; Phil's broken-conceives a little jealousy will be the best hearted despair ion; and how remedy for the tlirentened disento. He ncthe truth is eventually discovered and all cordingly bribes Betsy Baker to make love ends happily, with the marriage of Frank to Marmaduke, and she does so to auch and Mario: frightened at the drift unconfessedly, prion, 'Things reach id Phil" is of course the central climax when Mrs, Mouser rotw character of the piece, and it will be expectedly from 'a party, to discover readily understood not' only how much the fancied intrigue. "Crummy, scope the part affords for careful acti who has ball rolli but how absolutely essential it is to the enough to guide it home. success of the piece that it should be well explained; Botay is given the price of her rendered, Mr. Crowguill never achieved shop, and. all ends happily. he pivco greater success. he respectful, sclfdepends chiefly upon Betsy Bal honest old servant; his all-in to say, if she acted heavily the firm of Bardress brightly, the piece must fail, whereas ratither one of the other characters might fication at the kindness and confi ce be dull with Jess serious results. How-with which treated, ever, no one did fail, and the piece went his son's apparent cri off well.
Miss Brisaf, a Boy, was, represented. The 0 (Biss Castor), sitting at th feet, begs him to discredit the suspi zyes, her laughter, under which Frank labours, and express mourous bye-play were simply irresintibl her own belis Mr. Hawk had, as Marmaduk 7 was admirably rend part infinitely' better suited to him the immense relief with than that of Lionel Hardress, eventually loams the truth, and acted it well—Mr. Tonald MoTonald, a faction at finding that Frank has been Crummy, kept the thing going with' the sacrificing himself to screen his master's rattle which la essential in farces and son, were heartfelt and lifelike. In fad, burlesques; and Aiss Henrietta Babeel, as tendency which was evident among the Mrs, Mouser, pulled off her husband's audience, to feel bored in the first scene, and boxed his ears with a moat re the old man's gossip about his good will, and expressed her doterminabirthdays, gave place to an. almost tion never to complain of his attentions painful interest in his fortunes.—There again, with consistent warmth of feeling. are few things more difficult on the Altogether the performance, though than for a man to act the part of a woman scarcely one of the A.D.C.'s brilliant in love, without exciting the hilarity of jucceases, went off well; and in the cases the audience; but=Mfiss Castor accom especially of Phil Stapleton and Betsy plished this, and acquitted herself in some Baker, brought out some really yood ficult -situations with a success ti acting. No very startling effects of seen lows her talent has not rusted during were needed, but such as was employe short retirement. Her make up was ex-in good taste and harmony. And cellent, as was that of her cousin Blanche, the Band played pleasantly the pieces of Miss Oauliflower—who acted capitally in the gramme which they we little scene where she tries to make Her 1] mitted to accomplish—th sir somewhat late go fora ride, read to her, swing her in the garden, or do anything that will afford her some amusement and be an excuse for a little cousinly flirtation.—Mr. Fast-day performed the part of Hardress naturally and well,—Mr, Hawk had, in return from consultation between the pieces, apparently defrauding the audience-of the Isat—as the bell rang and the curtain rose for the commencement of thie firca, almost at the moment the first note seemed about to be sounded,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.