The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-29 00:00:00

HAY.ItAt(KET THEATRE.

On Saturday a new four-act play, entitled The Be-
ginning and the End, from the pen of Mrs. Lovell, the
authoress of Inyo►nar, was produced here. In order to
give strength to the cast Mr. Buckatone has availed
himself of the services of Miss Cushman ; and it is to
the efforts of that lady that the authoress is mainly in-
debted for the success that this play met with. The
plot is as follows :—A certain German merchant, named
Hoffman (Mr. Rogers), is on his death-bed, and is about
to bequeath the whole of his fortune to his partner Van-
derkiste (Mr. Braid), a grasping, selfish man. Durieg
the latter ye a's of his life Huffman has allowed a small
annuity to a certain Lambert, formerly a clerk, and this
man is, with his wife and children, starving on the pit-
tance. Their abode is under the control of Vanderkiste,
and he, on the death of the old man, means to
turn the family adrift. Mrs. Lambert (Miss Cush-
man), on learning their impending fate, seeks iiut
Hoffman, and informs him of the state of affairs. The
old man asters nis will, on the persuasion of Mrs.•Law-
hert, in favour of his natural heir, and having done so
in her presence, he places it under, his pillow. Mrs,
Lambert is tempted to steal the will, and a false one is
substituted, in which Lambert, her husband, is be-
queathed the whole of Hoffman's property. Lambert, by
this device, having become rich, remorse for tho crime
they had committed seized both husband and wife, aiid
as the husband is indulging in brandy, Mat Hail (Mr.
Howe), who witnessed the stealing of the will unknown
to Mrs. Lambert, arrives, and not only demands his
share of the spoil, but insists upon receiving the hand
of Lambert's daughter Rachel as the price of silence.
The mother finding entreaties in vain attempts to poison
Hail, but he imagining something is wrong with the
wine offers the glass to Mrs. Lambert's child, and a
scream from Mrs. Lambert strengthens his suspicion. He
then compels her to save the child to swallow the
potion, and the curtain falls upon the death of Mrs.
Lambert—who, however, witnesses the arrest of Mat
Hall, and is thus fully assured of her (laughter's safety.
The first part of the play is decidedly the best, but the
latter part degenerates into melodrama. As we have be-
fore remarked the whole weight of the play fell upon
Miss Cushman, who, as the fond and despairing mother,
exhibited all the p )wers of a consummate artiste. Miss
Swanborough, as Rachel, was excellent, and Howe, as
Mat Hall, was exceedingly effective. The piece, which
has been placed upon the stage with the greatest care
and attention, was given our for repetition every even-
ing.

ROYAL SURREY THEATRE.

MR. FLEXMORE'S BENEFIT.

This unequalled comic dancer and master of the pan-
tomimic art concludes a most successful engagement at
the Surrey Theatre on Thursday, the Ist of November,
which is appointed for his benefit. After playing afe w
nights next month in Paris, Flexmore returns to take
the leading part in the Covent Garden panto-
mime, and we are no true prophets if " the
Wizard " and " the inimitable " do not insure
a brilliant Christmas season at that splendid
theatre. The friends of the popular beneficiaire and his
accomplished lady will doubtle:s avail themselves of the
opportunity afforded on Thursday evening of giving them
"a bumper at parting" at the Surrey. The bill of fare
compri,esi, among other entertainments, the drama of
The Flower Girl, and the ballets of The Spanish Dancers
and The Dancing Scotchman, in the latter of which two
of Flexmore's young pupils. Miss Eliza Leon, and "la
petite Leon," an infant debutante of three years old, will
make their first public appearance.