The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-25 00:00:00

THE THEATRES.

The performances at Drury-lane were all Shaksperian,
consisting of two scenes from " Twelfth Night," the "First
Part of Henry the Fourth," and a new allegorical mask,
improvised by Mr Edmund Falconer, entitled "The
Fairies' Festival on Shakspere's Birthday." In a palace of
Fairyland Oberon and Titania are conversing, when Puck
introduces a deputation consisting of a poet, an actor, an
'`,r, and a critic. Application is made to the Fairy King
-n to grant their patronage for a commemoration
and Que.' is, of course, acceded to. The scene changes
. festival, whic
-'sor Forest, where the commemoration is
to a glade in Wince_
The scene is very beautiful, and
supposed to take place.
L,N, Misses Poole, Edith Wynne,
the music introduced, sung
tiers, includes some of the
Cicely Nott, Mr Swift, and ot._ Bishop's—connected
most popular vocal pieeas—mosti>
ft mortals and im-
with Shakspere's plays and poems. Bet.
A riel, sings
mortals fraternise; and while Miss Poole,
" Where the bee sucks," from the "Tempest, the scene
opens, the statue of Shakspere is discovered, and the cur-
tain falls. As an impromptu effort this little affair is en-
titled to commendation. The theatre was crowded, as
indeed it is every night now that " Henry the Fourth" has
got midway into its career of success.
The selection of plays presented at the Princess's theatre
was also exclusively from Shakspere's works. The first part
consisted of selections From "As You Like It." Mrs. Her-
mann Vezin won golden opinions for the admirable manner
in which she took the part of Rosalind. Next came a selec- '
tion from " The Merchant of Venice," made from the first
and fourth acts, and comprising the making of the bond and
the trial scene. The principal parts were supported by
Mr. Vining, as Shylock, and Mrs. Hermann Venn, as
Portia, and the representation was a very effective one. The
next and concluding portion of the entertainment consisted of
the " Comedy of Errors,': Mr. Henry Webb and Mr,Charles
Webb playing the part of the two Dromios.
The front of the Haymarket Theatre was brilliantly illu-
minated with the poet's name. The entertainments, which
were attended by a full and fashionable audience, com-
menced with the new farce, entitled " An Unlucky Mortal,"
which was followed by Shakspere's comedy, "Twelfth
Night, or What you Will." Orsino (Duke of Illyria) was
represented by Mr. Howe, Sir Andrew Aguecheek by Mr.
Buckstone, Malvolio by Mr. Chippendale, Sir Toby Belch
by Mr. Rogers, Fabian and the Clown by Mr. W. Farren
and Mr. Compton, Antonio by Mr. Braid, Olivia by Miss
H. Lindley, Viola by Miss Louisa Angel, &c. The whole
performance was of first-rate excellence. The entertain-
ments concluded with the "Ancient mythological piece of
scandal concerning Venus and Adonis."
At the Adelphi Theatre the new apropos sketch produced

as a Shakspere offering for the festival night, turns out to
be an eld acquaintance. Years ago, on the occasion of the
purchase by subscription of Shakspere's house at Stratford.'
on-Avon, the extravaganza was brought out at this theatre
under the title of ,6 Shakspere's House." The plot briciir
is as follows :—An enthusiastic student and lover of Shalo:
pore, hearing that the poet's house ie to be sold, hurries oto Stratford, becomes purchaser of the house, and goes t°
sleep in the poet's bed-room. The student's dream cont
tutes the gist of the piece. He is visited by Shakepere'a
ghost, who bitterly complains of the treatment he has re-
ceived in London lately. A panoramic spectacle takehte
Al
place, and some very admirably painted illustrations of til.
poet's plays are here exhibited, altogether with a colors
statute of Shakspere. Mr J. L. Toole played the student
in a most irresistible manner.
The lessees of the Surrey Theatre selected for representa•
Lion on the tercentenary of the immortal Shakspere
"11!
6, second Part of Henry the Sixth, or the Wars of VI
Roses." The play abounds with elegant sentiment, wit, an
sarcasm. The dramatis person number largely il3
the
development of the various transaction, and we need 0011'
refer to the chief characters. The part of the wily enti
plotting Duke of York, and that of the rebel,
which
were enacted by Mr. James Anderson in a manner
Alt
obtained long-continued and well-merited aprlause*
the characters were well cast ; the various scenes
pageants, with the rabble mob too, were prepared in the
beat artistic style, and the play was a success. The home
was crowded to excess.
The tercentenary of Shakspere was celebrated at the
Crystal Palace with a special fete. The interior of the
building presented a remarkably gay, and thoroughlY
Shaksperian appearance. Besides the wonderful counter"
part of the humble building at Henley•street, Stratford-cv
Avon, in which the great dramatist first saw the light/
and the newly-formed Shakspere Court, near the Italian
Jack Cade,
Court, examples of the genius of Shakspere were brought
under the notice of the public by some fifty of the bes.
known passages from his works with which the 0,0.1
transept was surrounded. There was the inauguration 0'
a Shakspere monument, designed by the late Mr. Thoresoo
and erected on the upper terrace, and a musical entertain'
ment, performed in front of the house, which consisted
chiefly of selections associated with Shakspere, in which
Mr. Leslie's choir took part. Shakspereian music will I':
given during ,the present week in front of the house, 01;
the presentation to each visitor on Saturday, of a carte al
visite copy of a photograph of the house at Stratford.on`
Avon.

i
NEW SIIAKSPERIAN SONG.—Among ether mu a
at the Stratford Festival this week, will be a new SOP the,
words from "The Passionate Pilgrim," set by Mr.
Mellon, for Mr. Santley: