The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-09 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

Mr. E. T. Smith, the indefatigable and enterprising
lessee, commenced his regular dramatic season last
night, and so crowded an audience has seldom been as-
sembled within the walls of "Old Drury" as met toge-
ther last night to greet him. Long befora the doers
were opened a crowd was assembled at esch of them,

which reminded us of the palmy days of the drama ;
and within ten minutes after the doors were opened
the theatre was crammed to suffocation in every part,
and hundreds were sent away from the theatre unable
to obtain admission. The play announced for represen-
tation was a new original Egyptian drama, from the
pen of Fitzball, entitled Nitocris ; and, from the myste-
rious placards that have for some time past been posted
in the most public places, great curiosity had been ex-
cited ; and we are bound to say, on the whole, that
curiosity has not been disappointed, for the play in ques-
tion is one of the most novel productions that has taken

place for years. With respect to the place and personages
represented, we are told that the early ages of Egypt
are lost in dark mystery; the most learned antiquaries
have not been able to hand them down to us with any
degree of certainty, especially those great events which
doubtless manifested themselves long before the sove-
reignty of the Pharaohs. Then as regards the heroine,
Nitocris, Herodotus slightly mentions her in his Euterpe,
and there he tells us she was an Egyptian Queen, in
whose reign the third pyramid was completed. Other
writers of antiquity differ materially in their historical
accounts, both as regards her sovereignty and her mar-
riage. With what materials Mr. Fitzball could collect—
and to collect them no pains have been spared, no ex-
pense has been considered too great—a drama has been
produced that has afforded the most ample scope for the
efforts of the scene painter and the glittering labours of

the property man. As a dramatic piece it will not take the
highest rank ; but this fact is a mere secondary conside-
ration—the great thing being to bring upon the boards
of Drury-lane Theatre an immense quantity of scenes,
pageants, and properties illustrative of a race that
existed four thousand years ago ; and this feat has been
accomplished to admiration.
The story of Nitocris is simply this. Nitocris, the
sister of Mesphra, King of Egypt, in her infancy has
been confided to Urania, a priestess of Isis, and has thus
been reared in ignorance of her noble birth. While in
her retirement, she becomes devotedly attached to
Tihrak, a young Ethiope, of noble birth, but row a con-
quered bondsman and a slave to the Egyptians. Tihrak,
however, hulds high office in the King's Guard, and the
secret love of Nitocris being in danger of discovery he
persuades her to fly with him to the desert, and there
share the boom he has prepared for her. This she con-e
septa to do on the morrow, but before that morrow
arrives, Amenophis, the Prime Minister of the King of
Egypt, with a grand retinue, comes to convey Nitocris
from her seclusion in the temples of Isis to the temples
of her brother Mesphra ; and Tihrak having been
appointed captain of her guard, the regal party set sail
for Memphis.
The second act brings us to the interior of the palace
of the Egyptian King at INlemphis, where we find the
Princess indulging in stolen interviews with her lover,
and there she vows constancy at all perils to Tihrak.
Mesphra, it appears, is in fear of a certain King of
Lybia, and to satisfy the demands of the barbarian, as lie
calls him, has promised him the hand of his sister, and,
as a natural consequence, the kingdom of Egypt by suc-
cession. Nitocris, on the proposal being made to her,
refuses compliance with her brother's wishes, and he is
about to take summary vengeance on her when
Tihrak rushes from his hiding-place to save her from
the fury of her brother, i❑ whom he recognises the mur-
derer of his father. A. fresh quarrel ensues, in which
Nitocris saves the life of her brother from the vengeance
of Tihrak, but this is only reserved for the knife of
Kcephed, the brother of Tihrak, who, on hearing that
the King is his father's murderer, strikes him dead.
The soldiers of Mespbra are about to strike Tihrak,
when Nitocris, as their Queen, commands them to de-
sist. This closes the second act.
On the accession of Nitocris to the throne her first
act is to proc:aim Tihrak her chosen husband, much to
the disgust of Amenophis and the thoroughly Egyptian
party, who do nut admire an Ethiope alliance, and ac-
cordingly they plan the downfall of the Queen's fa-
vourite. Tihrak hears of their treachery, and accord-
ingly determines by one act to take vengeance on the
whole of the conspirators, and they are acccordingly in-
♦ited to a feast in the Grotto of Memnon. The ban-
quet accordingly takes place, and in this scene one of
the remarkable effects of the piece takes place. Tihrak
has now the whole of the conspirators in his power, but
they, imagining that Tihrak is in theirs, at the departure
of the Queen, are about to take summary vengeance on
him ; and he, finding appeal is in vain, touches a spring,
which causes his throne to open, Slows him to ♦anish
through the wall, and then reappearing on the roof of
the apartment, he turns the huge key of the Nile, and thus
admits the waters, and the conspirators are all drowned
with the exception of Amenophis, who escapes
through the instrumentality of his slave, who decoys
him from the cave. After the fall of his friends Ameno-
phis takes the field, and makes war upon Egypt, with a
view of destroying Tihrak, but both he and his son are
♦anquished by the Queen's lover, and Tihrak
returns in triumph to be crowned King of
Egypt. Since we witnessed the rehearsal on Friday
last the play has been very much condensed, and the
alteration has certainly not added to, but rather de
tracted frem, its effect, and the audience felt a little dis-
appointed at the sudden termination. Mr. Smith, how-
ever, came forward and explained the cause, and satisfied
the majority of the audience. The Nitocris of Miss
Glyn was an exquisite creation ; there was a majesty,
and at the same time a womanly feeling about her
acting which we have never seen surpassed ; it was the
perfect union of dignity and love. Mr. B. Sullivan
made a capital Tihrak, and the other parts were all well
filled. Nothing, however, has ever surpassed the mag-
nificence of the scenery. From_ first to last it was one
continued succession of gorgeous pictures—now exhi-
biting the mighty Nile in all its splendour, anon the
wonderful Egyptian temples, then the vast trackless
deserts—and, finally, closing with a scene which lan-
guage would fail to describe, or the fancy of a poet ;
realise. Miss Glyn, Mr. E. T. Smith, and Mr. Sullivan,
at the end of the third act, were summoned before the
curtain, and were most enthusiastically cheered on their
appearance.

ADELPHI THEATRE.

This pleasant little theatre, after a few days' recess,
re-opened last night for the winter season, under the
same direction as hitherto. The company has not been
materially interfered with, Mr. and Mrs. Keeley and Mr.
Paul Bedford appearing as usual, in conjunction with
Mr. Webster and Madame Celeste. Mr. Hudson is an
addition—also, Miss Eliza Arden ; the latter promising
actress an importation from Drury-lane Theatre, where
she last year appeared in the " Etoile du Nord " with
very agreeable effect. Both appeared last night—the
former in Mr. Lover's popular burletta, Rory O'More,
and the latter in the extravaganza Open Sesame. It is
some years since Mr. Hudson performed on these boards,
but the favour with which he was received upon the pre-
sent occasion, joined to the undiminished excellence of
his acting-, proves the engagement to be a judicious one.
A Miss Kate Kelly sustained the part of Kathleen in the
burletta, and made a favourable impression. The house
was crowded, and the season may be said to have corn.
nuanced auspiciously.