THEATRE ROYAL.—MR. BLACK'S BENEFIT. (1855, October 30).

We were glad that our vaticination as to there being a crowded house on the occasion of the complimentary benefit to Mr John Black, as the originator of the Theatre Royal, was in every respect fulfilled last evening. Every part of the theatre was crammed, and the ladies of Melbourne, by their attendance in considerable numbers, satisfactorily proved that the appreciation of Mr Black’s efforts was not confined to the citizens of the other sex. His Excellency had announced his intention of patronising the performances; and in consequence of the non-arrival of the vice-regal party until nearly half an hour after the time advertised for the commencement of the evenings entertainment, a delay to that extent was occasioned. This arose out of the custom (“More honoured in the breach than the observance”, since the etiquette does not appear to be reciprocated) of inaugurating proceedings by the performance of the National Anthem on the Governor’s entering his box. The delay caused considerable dissatisfaction, and no doubt will account for the large proportion of hisses which characterised the reception of the Vice-Regal party on their entering of the theatre. At this time the appearance of the audience part of the house was brilliant in the extreme, the dress circle being completely occupied, and the gorgeous attire of the ladies mingling with the handsome uniform’s and dress-appendages of the officers of the garrison and the Rifle Corps, presenting a very splendid Coup d’oeil.

The curtain at length having been raised, the following address, written expressly for the occasion, was spoken by the author R. H. Horn, Esq., author of “Orion” &c,’ President of the Melbourne Garrick Club:-‘

How many centuries have slowly roll’d

Their great events o’er our maternal lands:

Lands we may well regard as nations old

While we are infants – but with giants hands:

Men’s heads, and their experience here, are young;

Their working powers have grown too fast and strong.

Hence have their vigorous hands too much essayed:

Accomplished mighty things against time and tide,

Then stagger’d ‘neath the conquests they have made,

O’er leaped their sells – and “fall’n o’the other side;”

While adverse winds, changed times, bad luck, bad weather,

None could foresee, came howling on together.

Men speak in this not only for themselves;

Merchants, mechanics, tradesmen, stockmen, sailors,

Land-owners, speculators – cunning elves –

Rich jewellers, drapers, publicans and tailors;

Nay, millionaires, with all their golden bobbery,

Have burned their fingers with the cleverest jobbery.

Grant some men built too fast, - imprudent, wrong, -

Would prudent men have given you such a house?

You have Black’s work, may you enjoy it long;

His tenure here at best is hazardous;

Lessees and managers are like new plays;

None can predict the number of their days.

But though great loss is all their present mead,

You would not in the first act see them die?

Help them once more to take the field and bleed:

They have fought bravely in their infancy.

You will not suffer, as their final gains,

A falling room to crush them for their pains?

The shadows of the night are but the nurse

Of flowers, fruit, foliage, ere the sun arise:

No spirit lies with in you creeping hearse –

It soareth upward to the opening skies!

Nor doth it need romance or poet’s verse

To tell how art my droop – it never dies;

So shall the drama live through cloudiest nights –

Here strike its roots and teach while it delights.

The opera of “La Sonambula” preceded by Flotow’s fine overture to “Stradella” was repeated for the fourth time, and achieved, as on the previous occasions of its performance, the most unqualified success. Miss Hayes was in magnificent voice, and threw great vigour into her acting. Madam Carandini was also most successful in her impersonation of Elvino. At the conclusion of the opera Mr. Black was loudly called for, and at length appeared in front of the curtain. Addressing the audience he said that he thanked them for the manner in which they had evinced their sympathy with his reverses and their approval of his enterprise. “He had, like others, been blamed for what he could not avoid, but he would ask these self-appointed accusers, whether, in the event of their having sustained the losses that he found accrued from the speculation, they would not have left the theatre a heap of ruins rather than have risked their all by finishing it. He wished particularly to thank Miss Catherine Hayes and the company attached to the theatre, who had given their gratuitous services that evening; and , in conclusion, begged to thank the company for their countenance that evening, which sufficiently proved to him that he preserved the esteem of the public, notwithstanding the reverses which had overtaken him.

The remainder of the entertainments, consisting of the performance by Miss Sara Flower (who was evidently suffering from severe indisposition) of the celebrated romance “Robert, toi que j’aime,) and the ballet of “La Giselle”, were scarcely so successful with the audience as the opera. With regard to the ballet, we must suggest an alteration in the ladies dresses, especially in the second act; for, with respect to this species of performance, it is absolutely absurd for the corps de ballet to appear in long dresses, or rather robes, such as were worn last evening.