Mr, Butterscotch, a retired sweet-stuff manufacture Mr. Wrongman, Freddy, his son Mr. Thornton. Theodore Macclesfield, s1 boat-builder of Miacclesficld's Yard, Putney Mx, Frank.
Theodore, his son Temple.
Gregory, a Yorkshire room. Mr. Umber.
Ullage, Mr. Butterscote servant. G. L. U. Potts. Vellum, Mr. Butterscotch'
lawyer Mr. H. Morton, No. 3,407, a Cabman Mr. Jarvey.
Jellicoe, ' Butterscotch'
MeYoddy, frae the north. Mr. Allan.
nara e. Mr, Weed.
Mrs. Butterscotch......... Mfrs Evelyn.
Kate, Butterscotch's daughter by his first wife... Miss Madlyn. Mrs. Macclesfield Mrs. Lochiel.
Carrie, her daughter..... Madame Reitrop.
Though a bitter nor-wester had set in and snow was falling when people were starting for the theatre, the Lyceum, with Thureday evening (Grd) by the ubscribere the exception of the gallery, was crowded on
anxious to see the first performance by the 'A.D.C. under the new scheme. Every seat in the dress circle, and boxes, and on the floor, was occupied, and there were still many who were content with standing room, The play selected was one of those amusing and unscrupulous farcical comedies in three acts which have been so popular of late years in England; but while it is unscrupulous as regards truth to nature, and depends on the supposed faithlessness of Mr. Batterscotch's young second wife, the audience sees from the Brst that this charge is so absurd, that no objection can be made to the play on that score. The complications that arise from the jealousy of old Butterscotch, fanned by the mischievous suggestions over the garden wall of his neighbour Jellicoe, make up most of the humour of the play. The retired sweet-stuff manufacturer imagines that the deaf old boat-builder Macclesfield is in love with his wife, whereas it is young Macclesfield tha love with his daughter; he takes Gregory, the Yorkshir groom for the son of an old friend, who, he has arranged, is to come to him and marry his daughter; he takes the MacToddy, fae the North," who! has come to look for a coat he has left in arab, for another old friend, and in fact he keeps the whole play going with his misunderstandings, and when it comes to the interview with the deaf boat-builder, who naturally misinterprets everything he says, the whole house is in roars of laughter. The play has one great merit, that every 2] part in it is goud; and it was so consistently well represented by the A. D Thureday, that the most was made ut word, and every word could be heard. We might have said, could be heard and understood, but that the dialect spoken by The MacToddy was really too perfect for southern ears. 1 Mes. Evelyn took the part of the young fe, and the A.D.C.'s leading lady was quite in her element in the role, which, hi however, did not bring out all her, powers, as it gave her no opportunities for pathos. Mrs, Lochiel was the bow builder's wi Of an in ranks, Sue entered admirably into the spirit of
and by-play left nothing to be desired. the scene, and in make-up, enunciation, Her daughter was played by the other leading lady, Mme. Reitrop, who is the most char: iyéwnes, full of vivacity, and most natural in her rendering of the part of the pretty girl who is being made love to, Miss Madiyn added very considerably to the reputation she has already gained by the quiet grace with which she played the not very brilliant part of Kate. I very difficult to represent emotion suc ce: fully ina three-act farce, where the audience is never sure that it is seriously meant.
It would be dificult to say too much of the make-up and acting of Mr. Wrovgman and Mr. Frank. The former bore the burden of the play with unfailing energy and plause bility. The seriousness with which he mis-tood everything and everybody was imitable, while Mr, Frank's rendering of the deaf and bullying old boat-builder was amazingly life-like. "It was a little cabinet picture in itself, Mr. Thornton and Mr. Temple as thie two young lovers, are heartily to be congratulated on the success with which they performed these very critical reles. There is nothing more difficult to do (on the stage) than love-making, where the actors are personally known to a large part of the audience. Mr. Umber' was played with the most commendable finish, and Mr. Potts was excellent as the old family servant, rendering the part by with a mixture of dryness and unction that was just right. The gentleman who called himself Mr. H. Morton and Mr, Jarvey made complete little pictures of the two small parts of the cabman and the lawyer: he is another great acquisition to the company. It was a veri- grid table triumph to have succeeded in securing Mr. Weed for what is intrinsically the small role of Jellicoe. As an eccentric comedian Mr. Weed is hors concours in Shanghai, and he raised the part of the old mischief-maker to a prominence which it could only have attained in such practised hands. There remains to notice Allan's admirable presentation of the un telligible Highlander, The MacToddy, who showed himself to the manner born and the speech:
Even more noticeable than the individual excellence ut the actors was the perfection of the ensemble, for which the greatest credit must be given to the stage manager, Mr. D. Munday. He was heartily called for and enthusiastically cheered at) the fall of the curtain, while the neters were recalled and cheered' at the end of every act. Messrs. Goodenough and Prophet had painted three charming sets, the boat yard with the Thames in the background being a very striking scene, and the drawing roon in the thied act being one of the most charming interiors that our stage has seen, The town band, under the direction of Commander Vela, played delightful elections in the intervals, the overture being from Gounod's Mirella; and the whole performance was an unqualified success.
We are requested to state that there were found in the theatre, after the audience had left, " white silk muffler and an umbrella, aad the owners are requested to apply to the honorary secretary, Me. Drummond Hay, for them,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.