The Express.
London, England, 1862-12-02 00:00:00

[Stamped, Id. Additionsl.l

DRAMA.

OLYMPIC.

A alight- but lively comediettk adapted from
the French by Mr. Walter Gordon, under the title of My
Wife's Relations, was produced at this house last night
with perfect moms. The characters, with the exception
of two, which are raised into importance by the excellent
acting of Mr. Horace Wigan and Miss Hughes, are mere
sketches of well-known stage figures, including the inte-
resting cousins, the grumpy uncle, and the self-satisfied old
maids. The plot of the trine is conveyed by its title. A
young husband nada, to his dismay, that in marrying an
interesting wife he has allied himself to a long line of her
exacting relatives. When he is sufficiently annoyed by the
grumpy uncle and old maiden aunts, who seize his house as
if they were pot in possession for overdue rent, and when
the attentions of a hectoring money-borrowing volunteer
cousin to his wife become no longer bearable, be hits upon
the plan of poising off a sister just arrived from India as a
cousin and an old sweetheart, and completely turns the
tables upon his annoyers. These materials are old, but they
were brushed new again by the spirit of the actors. The
old aunts were admirably pourtrayed by Mn. Leigh Murray
and Mn.s Stephens, who made the most of their small share
of dialogue, and left nothing to be desired in their eccen-
tric making up. Mr. Horace Wigan, who never fails in any
character—who can make something out of nothing, and
who is squally ag how fR Irauisa, ltiamilw, rural
denim. law to aid men—gave sinfift esseolatemateMisat
of a selfish careless volunteer dandy, whose impudence is
only equalled by his vanity. Miss Hughes acted the part
of the young wife with great spirit, and gave all the rapid
changes of feeling and manner belonging to the character
with her well-known skill and precision. Her performance
made u regret that we see her so seldom in the bills of this
Umtata.

The other parte were well filled by Mr. W. Gordon, Mr.
Rivera, Man F. Haydon, and Mrs. St. Henry.

ADELPRI.

The Adelphi has always been famous for farces
which seize upon the prominent subject of the hour, and
neither hotel nuisances, burglaries at Notting-hill, nor
International Exhibitions have been allowed to pass by
without being turndl into comic dramatic material. The
increase of garotte robberies and the hypocrisy of ticket-of-
leave mon were sure, before long, to inspire an Adelphi
dramatist, although at first sight it appears to be as diffi-
cult to extract fun from such unpleasant facts is sunbeams
from cucumbers. The farce produced last night, under the
title of A Tirka-of-Lcarc, has been expected, like an in-
crease in the family, and the happy father is said to be Mr.
Watts Phillips. Descending gracef the high dramatic
stool, and putting aside his tone loTti7al philosophy, this
popular dramatist has played nimbly with the practical
" business "of farce, and given Mr. Toole another opportu-
nity of showing his power in depicting fantastic terror. As
Mr. Aspen Quiver—a gentleman troubled with a ticket-of.
leave butler, a Gabler bulldog who bites his master, and
a fear of everybody and everything, either animate or in-
animate—this excellent and conscientious actor does his
author good service. Mr.. Billington is well fitted with a
part requiring energetic acting, to which she does full jus-
tice ; while Mr. Paul Bedford, as the sleek ticket of leave
butler, and Mr. Stephenson. as a returned though innocent
convict, have an important share in the action of the piece.
The hour was rather late when it was produced, but it was
well received ; and with a little tightening-in about the
middle, may keep its place in the bills for a few foggy
weeks.