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 or 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. Madlle. Plessy thee
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 pecuier
to French dramas of the kind, possesses in the oTi-
ginal no very high order of literary merit, nor do the
characters, with the sole exception of the heroine,
excite in any way our sympathies. An English
translation of " Aliademoiselle de Belle Isle," under
the title of "'lhe Duke's Wager," was produced e
the Princess's Theatre in 1851, Mr and Mrs Charles
Kean and Mr Alfred Wigan sustaining the principal
characters.

The story turns on the jealousy manifested by a
young officer, the Chevalier D'Aubigny (Mr W.
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 in'
terview with the young lady in her own chamber.
This interview the Marchioness de Valcour (Mi°
Louisa Angel) betrothed to the duke when very
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 wager is to be decided. Having thus
secured the absence of her protege, the marchioneEs
contrives, by means of a darkened room, to pass her-
self on the Duke for 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 an
agony of perplexity and confusion. 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
pngagieg to destroy himself within six hours, Fors
tune is against 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, Gabrielie is
❑ow enabled to exculpate herself by disclosing
her secret, and D'Aubigny, freed from suspicions,
is released from his vow of self-destruction by
Richelieu.

Aldile. Beatrice, the new actress—who comes
from the Odeon and Vaudeville Theatres in Paris--
has a great deal to recommend her : a highly pre'
possessing appearance, infinite tenderness and dell'
cacy of expression, much natural ease, a graceful
deportment, and considerable play of features. 'um
deed, she made her way with the audience in a
moment, and was accepted well nigh before she bad
spoken a word. Mdlle. Beatrice must have bceu
a long time in England, she speaks our lan'
gunge 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 to
Mdlle. Stella Collas, or even to Air. Fechter. Aloe
passion and force assuredly would be desirable la
Mdlle. Beatrice's acting, but enough remains tl
interest and even enchain the sympathy of an 7
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 lite for
his honour. Miss Louisa Angel was perfectly at
her ease in the part of the marchioness, and the
other characters, of secondary importance, Were all
supported most efficiently.
Mdlle. Beatrice was recalled at the end of the
third act, and twice en the fall of the curtain, each
time being received with great enthusiasm.