The Sun.
London, England, 1852-02-17 00:00:00

FRENCH PLAYS.

The St. James's Theatre campaign commenced last night,
when a full and fashionable audience testified their apprecia-
tion of the spirited enterprise of Mr. Mitchell. The open-
ing of the season was of good augury for this admirable
manager, than whom none is more deserving of public pa-
tronage. The two initiatory pieces selected were La Pension
Alimentaire and Le Marquis de Lauzun. The acting of
Lafont in the former is a masterpiece of nonchalant vivacity.
The vaudeville is nothing but the lively rattle of the scape-
grace, who for his sins against solvency and good conduct is
expelled by his relatives into the garden, where he lives in
a summer-house, and diverts the spectators for a couple of
hours pleasantly. The scanty plot of the piece, which in-
volves the restoration of a heiress to her rights, of which
she is likely to be robbed by a genteel and polished hypo-
crite, is of little moment ; but the quickness with which it. is
played, and the point and dexterity of all concerned in it,
afford a brilliant and admirable example of French acting.
The happy conversational tone and natural movement
throughout kept the audience last night in a roar of laughter,
which it is not toe much to say scarcely for
a moment ceased during the entire performance.
Lafont's rollicking ease as a mauvais sujet,:his obstinate disre-
gard for all the prejudices of respectability, are well known;
but there is in this particular scamp an admixture of delicacy
and a stamp of grace which, in the midst of pipe-smokings,
petits verres, and endless laxities of language and deport-
ment, point to the redeemable nature. In the Marquis. de
Lauzun, the quaint and inimitable Dejazet played a part
which for some time past has been ingreat vogue at the Palais
Royal Theatre. Though several years have elapsed since Ma-
demoiselle Dejazet last appeared before an English audience,
and her long and brilliant career has brought her to a period
of life when time usually begins to triumph over all the re-
sources of the most consummate art, we should be puzzled to
point out in what particular any signs of weakness are be-
trayed. Even her singing voice is as fresh and flexible as
ever, and it would have been severely tested had she yielded
obedience to the encores which followed each of her vaude-
villes. The piece itself affords a display for the consum-
mate tact and confidence of this most accomplished ac-
tress. Nothing could exceed her finesse, vivacity, and finish
in the several characters which she assumed in this little
piece. The self-possession of Dejazet is unbounded; her
manner is so degage and spontaneous as to completely sink
the actress in the real, natural person; while with all her
saucy assurance there is something in her deportment which
quells the fear that at first instinctively rises lest she should
overstep the bounds of decorum and commit some heinous
breach of propriety. Her skill in the assumption of " cha-
racter" is, however, less remarkable than her ease in accom-
modating herself, in her own minute and chirping way, to
the motive and spirit of the scene. Dejazet, in fact, is—
Dejazet ; and, bound by no rules, she exercises a control over
the audience which it is impossible to analyse, but which,
nevertheless, is singularly genial, piquant, and agreeable.
The arrangements made for the ensuing season are of the
most liberal character. After Lafont and Dejazet we are
promised Lemaitre and Clarisse, to be followed by Reguier,
Denain, Rose, Cheri, and others.
The following distinguished persons honoured the theatre
with their presence :—The Russian Ambassador and the
Baroness Brunnow, the French Ambassador and the Countess
Walewski, the Sardinian Minister, the Baron Rehausen, the
Baron depßetlunan, Count Perponcher, the Marchioness of
Ailesbury, the Viscountess Palmerston, the Marquis of
Douro, the Earl of Malmesbury, the Countess of Glengall,
Lord Elphinstone, Lord Chelsea, the Countess de Flahault,
the Portuguese Minister, the Vicountess D'Alte, Lady
William Russell, Viscount Canning, the Earl and Countess
of Strathmore, Lady Rendlesham, the Countess of Bucking-
hamshire, Lord and Lady Wodehouse, Baron de Geer,
Lady Frederic Beauclerk, Lord Eliot, the Baron Kirbeck,
Count Trautsmannsdorfl, the lion. Agar Ellis, the Hon.
Frederic and Mrs. Byng, the Hon. Mr. Harbord, Sir
Henry and Lady Bulwer, Mr. Leveson Gower, Hon. Mr.
Anson, Hon. dames Macdonald, Mrs. John Stanley, Mr.
Augustus Craven and Mrs. Craven, Mr. Russell, Mrs. Free-
mantle, Mr. W. Delsfield, Mr. De Horsey, Mrs. Roberts,
Mr. Samuel Scutt, Mr. Ram, Mr. A. lisom, Mr. E. Bligh,
Mr. Foster, Mr. T. Hadow, Mr. Law, Mr. Robert Vyner,
Mr. Wemyss, Captain Hamilton, Mr. S. Leger Glynn, Mr.
Zizinia.