The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-02 00:00:00

the waterfall, and the craggy heights leading up to
the picturesque little chapel of the monk Anselmo,
presenting to view, we say, a really surprising
series of illusions. That it was so, was evidenced
pretty plainly on Saturday night by the rounds of
applause greeting the first disclosure of each of these
remarkably novel effects of scenery. The reception,
however, as already intimated, was reserved by
the audience for Mr. Fechter himself, upon his
entrance at length before them—for, artfully
enough, it has been so arranged by the dramatis,
that the hero of the love story has been much
talked of by others among the dramatis personae be-
fore he actually makes his first appearance. Angelo
is the hero's name—Brachio Forte he turns out to be
before the play has very far advanced—BelDemonio
he becomes before it has been brought to its termi-
nation. As Angelo he is an amateur artist, living
an obscure life among certain old abbey ruins
beloved by all who know him, idolised by the sur-
rounding pecsantry. As Brachio Forte he is the
orphan son of a famous leader of the people, a
plebeian by birth it is true but a man of lofty and
patriotic ambition who has been destroyed like
another Rienzi. As Bel Dimonio, this heroic, noble-
hearted Angelo Brachio Forte caused hisname to be
regarded with terror by his foes as the leader of a
daring band of desperadoes. Angelo becoming the
Bel Demonio, out of the very desperation induced by
his romantic fortunes. The whole secret of the
charm, of the interest, of the passion of the love
story lies, in the fact, that Angelo, VI e obscure orphan,
loves and is beloved by Lena (tenderly and grace-
fully played by Miss Kate Terry), the only daugh-
ter of the haughty Count Campereali. Nearly
maddened with rage by the mere dread of the pos-
sibility of any such nthalliance, the proud Count
and his (if possible, still prouder) son, Fabio, resolve
from the very outset of the piece, on the one hand, to
destroy Angelo, and on the other to wed Lena to a
scion of the powerful but detested house of Orsini.
Baffled, however, the Count and his son are in both
of these amiable designs. First of all by the
prowess of Angelo, aided by that of a faith •
ful adherent to his fortunes under every emer-
gency, namely, his father's old friend and
comrade, the bluff veteran Ranuccio—a burly
old soldier, admirably well represented, from first
to last, by Mr. Emery—throughout every scene, in-
deed, in which he appeared, by every word he had
to utter. Baffled these hostile intentions in regard
to the lovers, are, however, far more than by the
combined valour of Angelo and Ranuccio.
They are rendered futile throughout, by the
agency of Ange:o's apparently decrepit uncle,
his dead father's brother, the Cardinal Mon-
talto, afterwards his Holiness the Pope. Ap-
parently decrepit, we say—for, like another
Brutus simulating madness until the moment
when power is actually within his grasp,
the old Cardinal is pourtrayed throughout the
drama as affecting to be borne down by age and
almost by imbecility—until, in the crisis of the
last scene, when the guns of the Castle of St.
Angelo announce by their third detonation
his election as the Sovereign Pontiff, his
Eminence the Cardinal, or rather his Holi-
ness the Pope, throws aside his crutch-handled
stick, draws himself up majestically to his full
Height, speaks no longer in quavering, but sonorous
accents, paralyses the evil power alike of the Orsini
and the Campiriali, announces that Rome has in
him a Master, and suspends, with his outstretched
hands above the kneeling lovers at his feet, as the
curtain is descending, the aegis of his pontifical
benediction. It is Cardinal Montalto, it should be
borne in mind, moreover, who has, in the midst of
this dramatic love story, come even then effectually
to the rescue of Angelo and Lena—by (as
the Monk Anselmo) uniting them in marriage
in the very midst of a perfect maze or
labyrinth of difficulties. More of the plot need not
here be particularised. From what has already
been said of it, the breathless interest of the inci-
dents of the drama as , they follow each other in
rapid succession, may be conjectured. Referring
now purely to the acting (we have already spoken
of the scenery), the two most admirable " situations"
of all, to our mind, in " Bel Demonio," are the love
scene between Angelo and Lena in the Palace of the
Campiriali, and the duel scene between the
future Bel Demonic, and the brother of
his beloved—one whom Angelo first uncaps
with a pistol-shot, and then disarms with a
sword. Fabio, this same brother of Lena, is the
veriest spitfire arid catamaran well conceivable. It
comes quite a relief at last to everyone when he is at
length despatched. With all oar admiration for the
skill and the magnificence with which Bel Demonio
is put upon the stage, with all our unstinted and
unaffected admiration for the genius displayed by
Mr. Fechter in his gracious performance of the part
of Angelo Bracchio Forte, otherwise Bel
Demonio, we -cannot anticipate that the new
drama will monopolize this new seasen as
"The Duke's Motto" monopolized the last—any
more than we can induce ourselves to believe that
Angelo will take rank in the long and brilliant cata-
logue of Mr. Fechter's parts, side by side with Ruy
B las—or even with Captain Lagardere. Bel Demonio
does not hold so well together as " The Duke's
Motto." And certainly Angelo, as a part, is net
by any means so worthy of Mr. Fechter as the
laforesaid Captain Lagardere. Yet, as it is, the
Iplay is a brilliant success, while the hero of the play,
we doubt not, will long continue to be a favourite.

The following are tho opinions of our morning
contemporaries :
TntEs.---Whether "Bel Demonic" will attain a success
equal to that of the " Duke's Motto" may be doubted, but
there is no doubt that it will long attract the public. As a
specimen of stage management perfect in every detail, while
the details are numerous, almost without precedent, "Bel
Demonic." is a marvel."

PosT.—The piece was received throughout with vehe-
ment acclamations, and the principal performers were sum-
moned before the curtain, not only at the end of each act,
but on the conclusion of every tableau.

HERALD. —Whether its career will be as extraordinary
as that of itg predecessor we cannot attempt to pre-
dict ; that tho triumphant success achieved on
Saturday night will ensure it a long prosperous
run, and that all play-going London will rush
to witness the performance, we do not entertain a doubt.
Much of the success must be attributed to the magnificence
and variety of the scenery, to the picturesque costumes,
and to the excellence of the acting. The performance, re-
ceived somewhat coldly at first, warmed into enthusiasm at
the end of the second act; and at the fall of the curtain
created a perfect furore.

DAILY NEWS.—The success of the adapter and the
manager and actor on Saturday night was unequivocal, and
" Bel Demonio" will, doubtless, long continue to fill the
theatre. The whole piece gave the utmost satisfaction to
the audience, and the calls at the end of the acts and
" tableaux" were hearty and numerous.

ADVERTISER.—" Bel Demonio" will roll along every
night as successfully as its predecessor, and attract as many
successive brilliant audiences.

TELEGRAPH. - " Bel Damonio" is emphatically a
marked success, and the new drama and the new stage
will evidently furnish the town with a new topic, and one
which all London during the next few months will be
assiduously qualifying itself properly to discuss.