The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-04 00:00:00

Haymarket Theatre.

Last evening an English version of M. Alexandre
Dumas's play, " Mademoiselle de Belle Isle," 11
Mrs Frances Anne Kemble, was produced at this
theatre, for the purpose of introducing a new French
actress, of some Parisian celebrity, in a part that
once employed the talents of Rachel. "Mademoiselle
de Belle Isle" was first performed in this country at
the St James's Theatre in 1846 or 1847, under the
management of Mr Mitchell. Madlie. Plessy then
played the heroine, and in 1851, when the play was
reproduced, Rachel sustained the principal part'
The play itself, although written with even more
than the usual ingenuity of construction peculiar
to iorench dramas of the kind, possesses in the ori-
ginal no very high order of literary merit, nor do the
characters, with the sole exception of the heroines
excite in any way our sympathies. An English
translation of " Mademoiselle de Belle Isle," under
the title of " Ihe Duke's Wager," was produced at
the Princess's Theatre in 1851, Mr and Mrs Charier/
Kean and Mr Alfred Wigan sustaining the principal
characters.

The story turns on the jealcusy manifested by 8
young officer, the Chevalier D'Aubigny (Mr Wr.
Farren), towards Gabrielle de Belle Isle, his be,
trothed wife. The profligate, although not alto+
gether heartless, Duke de Richelieu (Mr Howe),
has laid a wager that he will obtain a midnight
terview with the young lady in her ow❑ chamber.
This interview the Marchioness de Valcour (11199
Louisa Angel) betrothed to the duke when veil
young, but discarded by him, is resolved to pre-
vent. Gabrielle has a father confined in the
Bastille. The marchioness, by means of a signet
ring of the Duke de Bourbon, the prime minister,
obtains for her the privilege of visiting
her father in prison, on the very night that
the duke's weg J. is to be decided. Having thus
secured the absence of her protege, the marchioness
contrives, by means of a darkened room, to pass her.
self on the Duke fur Gabrielle. Richelieu fancies
he has triumphed, and a boastful letter which he
writes on the occasion falling into the hands of
D'Aubigny his suspicions are strongly excited
against Gabrielle, who being unable to exculpate
herself by reason of a promise given to the mar•
chioness not to divulge her visit to the Bastille lest
it should place her in danger, is thrown into aU
agony of perplexity and contusion. D'Aubigny
now leaves her and challenges the duke, but as they
are prevented from fighting by the interposition of
the authorities, they determine to decide their
quarrel by the dice-box, the loser in three throws
engaging to destroy himself within six hours, Fors
tune is sgainst D'Aubigny, who employs the brief
interval of time left him in an interview with
Gabrielle, Meantime, the Duke of Bourbon being
suddenly removed from the Ministry, Gabrielle is
now enabled to exculpate herself by disclosing
her secret, and D'Aubigny, freed from his suspicions'
is released from his vow of self-destruction by
Richelieu.

Mdlle. Beatrice, the new actress—who comes
from the Odeon and Vaudeville Theatres in Paris
has a great deal to recommend her : a highly pred
possessing appearance, infinite tenderness and deli.
cacy of expression, much natural ease, a graceful
deportment, and considerable play of features. In-
deed, she made her way with the audience in a
moment, and was accepted well nigh before she had
spoken a word. Mdlle. Beatrice must have been
a long time in England, she speaks our lan.
gusge with so much ease and fluency, and her
utterance is so untrammelled by any mats
rial error of pronounciation She has, indeed,
the French accent and enunciation very perceptible
in her speaking, but nothing to be compared ti
Mdlle. Stella Collas, or even to Mr. Feebler. Mori
passion and force assuredly would be desirable ie
Mdlle. Beatrice's acting, but enough remains to
interest and even enchain the sympathy of any
audience.

Mr. Howe sustained the part of Richelieu with
great tact and vivacity, and Mr. W. Farren gave an
admirable picture of the jealous and high-principled
chevalier, who was ready to lay down his life kJ
his honour. Miss Louisa Allgel was perfectly al
her ease in the pact of the marchioness, and the
other characters, of secondary importance, were all
supported most tffieiently.

Aldlle. Beatrice was recalled at the end of the
third act, and twice on the fall of the curtain, Each
time being received with great enthusiasm.

Adelphi Theatre,

The opening of this house for the winter season took
place last evening. The pieCes selected for the occasiol
were " Good for Nothing," " The Irish Ambassador," and
"Teddy the Tiler." It is scarcely necessary to say the
":good for Nothing " in the hands of Miss Woolgar, Mr. J
Clarke, Mr Billington, and Mr W. 11. Eburne, was all tha
could be desired. The great features of the evening, how.
ever, were " The Irish Ambassador " and " Teddy till
Tiler," in which Mr John Collins, a gentleman who hat
attained much celebrity in America as a delineator of Irist
character and a si❑ger of Irish songs, made his first appear,
ance before a London audience, and produced a mos
favourable impression as Sir Patrick O'rlenipo, in " Tht
Irish Ambassador," and as Teddy, in " Teddy the Tiler.'

Mr Collins is an actor of no inconsiderable merit
He combines a perfect knowledge of stage business
with a capital brogue,unexceptionable because it is genuine
and he carefully avuids most of the vulgarity in which
many actors aro too prone to indulge when representinE
Irish character. As a singer of Irish songs be is mos'
effective, eliciting a unanimous encore for his opening swap
in "The Irish Ambassador," " The Bould Sujer Buy," I
possible, he increased his reputation as a vocalist in " Thi
14(w-heeled Car," and more especially so in " Widow
Machree," which was twice encored. Mr Collins's style if
gentlemanly, and without straining after effect he produces
it, and fairly promises to be a favourite with the Adelph
audience. At the conclusion of " Teddy the Tiler" hi]
Collins was loudly called fur, and bowed his acknowledge
meats.