construct niches, out of which leered figures said to represent .Lschylus, Euripides, and a couple of unrecognizable magnates of reputed mythological antecedents. "Jack Davies," though never popular, was a bustling, pushing individual, and when embarked in any worldly undertaking where ability failed, indomitable "cheek" struck in and pushed him through. In " running " a benefit for himself, it yvould not be easy to find his equal. Very little could be said in praise of the performance, but the patronizing public were, or affected to be, yvell pleased with yvhat they got for their money, and as the beneficiaire was sure to pocket the lion's share of it, there could be little doubt of his being pleased too. T h efirstperformance under the direct auspices of the proprietor yvas on the ist May, 1845, a n d Smith in the advertisement notifies " that, having completed arrangements for the opening of THE NEW THEATRE ROYAL,
He has the honour of announcing to the patrons of the drama, the public generally of Melbourne and vicinity, that he has secured all the available talent in the Province, and is in communication yvith the neighbouring colonies for the purpose of adding to the strength of his company." T h e prices yvere—Dress circle, 5s., half-price, 3s.; upper circle, 4s., half-price, 2s.; pit, 2s. 6d., half-price, is. 6d.; and gallery, is. 6d., yvith no half-price. T h e bills yvere subscribed " M r . Smith, proprietor; Mr. Nesbitt, stage manager; Mr. Capper, mechanist." There yvas a capital attendance on the opening evening, and Nesbitt delivered an introductory address befitting the momentous occasion. H e was yvell received, and this " preliminary canter " of his elocutionary poyvers brought doyvn the house. T h e principal joint in the bill of fare yvas the " H o n e y m o o n , " Nesbitt playing the Duke opAranza. T h e interlude consisted of tyvo songs, viz., " A n Admired One," by Mrs. Knowles, and a comic song by Mr. Miller, with, as an afterpiece, the laughable farce of " T h e Unfinished Gentleman." I have not been able to meet with any critique upon those early performances, but as the people w h o attended were the reverse of exacting, the novelty of the thing itself went a great way towards satisfying them, so that a limited quantum of ability, served up with some degree of propriety, did the rest. Smith'sfirstregular company consisted of Mesdames Knoyvles, Cameron, Boyd, and A d a m s , with Messrs. Nesbitt, Capper, Boyd, Cameron, Lee, Cochrane, Miller, Jacobs, C. Boyd, Jones, and Smith. M r . John T h o m a s Smith had n o w his new venturefloated,but " fair winds and blowing fresh " Apollo did not send. O n the contrary, some of the DU Majorcs seemed adverse. A s with other and greater men, the elements were unpropitious, and "Jupiter Pluvius" turned on one of his mains, so as to deter only the most ardent playgoers from an after-dark visit to Queen Street, in those times not the most inviting of promenades, sloppy and unlighted, except by a here-and-there groggery lamp, little better than a guttering dip, showing a blear-eyed speck of what could hardly, by the extremest stretch of politeness, be termed a light. T h e theatre was opened, but poorly attended, two nights in the yveek (Mondays and Thursdays), with " Richard IIP," " T h e Honeymoon," and " Catching a Tartar," and all the attractive accessories' possible, whilst Nesbitt, an actor of sterling merit,. m a d e almost superhuman efforts against formidable obstacles-very inefficient professional support not amongst the least. W h e n matters are at the worst they generally mend, and so it was with the new theatre. T h e rainy season for the time passed by, fine weather supervened, the house began tofill,the performances to improve, and a general brightening up followed.
