The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-07 00:00:00

THE OXFORD.

Mr.. Morton has been fortunate in securing the two
French clowns, Arthur and Bertrand. Coming freim the
Theatre Imperial du Chatelet, Paris, where they performed
for upwards of 360 nights, Mr. Webster imported their ex-
traordinary talent into the last Adelphi burlesque, to which
they gave an immense fillip by the daring and novelty of
their tricks. They are now also at the Crystal Palace;
but will find a permanent home, no doubt, at the Oxford,
at which place of entertainment they appeared with great
eclat last night as the novelty for Easter. Arthur and
Bertrand defy comparison with any specimens of the acro-
batic schools we have yet seen. In the "sensational" and
mercurial character of their evolutions they are essentially
French; and a spirit of mischief seems to underlie most of
their tricks, imparting considerable zest to their perfor-
mances. It is next to impossible to describe their feats of
tumbling and juggling—for juggling we must call the hat
scene, where the two confreres keep the felt hat in medias
res, with the aid of a stick, for an unconsionable length of
time. Negatively, we can say that their peculiar feats of
lifting and poising each ether, and their thousand and one
antics in the air, are utterly unlike what we have been
accustomed to in the English clown—who is "beefy" and
sluggish to a degree compared with the aerial artists we have
here. Whilst the native clown is thinking of what he is
going to do, these foreigners do it. No sooner is a "com-
bination" arranged than the magicpose is an accomplished
fact. Professor Owen shou d examine the vertebra of
these singularly supple performers. These clowns revel in
a wealth of tricks—sufficient, we are told, for eighteen die
•
tinct exhibitions. Their marvellous gambols include
Le Tonneau Diabolique, le Chapeau Enchants, la Chaise
Perilleuse, la Machoire Infernale, Tete en Bas, le Sommeil
d'Hercule, la Grenouille Sautante, l'Habitant des Landes,
les Santa de Serpent, l'Homme Cease, and many other rich
performances. Arthur and Bertrand tie up their bodies in
a way so unaccountable that it would require almost the
aid of photography to fix the precise attitudes. What is a
pleasing characteristic of their performance is that they do
all without fuss. They seem to have been well and early
trained to their business, for an exciting occupation has not
told on the frame of one of the artists, which may almost
be called "pudgy," if we may apply so homely a word to
so mighty an artist. There is something very comical in the
repose of this little stout-set man. He is the figure of the First
Napoleon, and the crisp horizontal moustache and impas-
siveness of feature are equally suggestive of the Third. It
will be treason, we suppose, to say that the other gentle-
man is very much like Mr. Charles bean, but such a re-
semblance the physionomist can hardly fail to detect—and
the two artists, viewed through these triple resemblances.
may be more relished than without them. We have said
that we should fail in a technical description of their tricks.
They must be seen to be fully comprehended. But of the
result of their performances we can bpeak without hesita-
tion. Whilst combining every species of grotesque contor-
tion with feats of downright strength, which would of
themselves place them in the first rank as acrobats—their
performance is without a tinge of vulgarity. Any sense of
uneasiness in the beholder is allayed by the consummate
ease and aplomb with which the several tricks are ac, om-
plished. We have dwelt upon the special attraction afforded
by the engagement of these artists. Them usical excel
lence attained at the Oxford has long been past dispute.
The selections from " Ernani," " Nabuco," and the new
cantata " Herne the Hunter," are gems of the pure water
in point of execution. In these the splendid vocalis
of Miss Russell, Mr. Albert, and the earnest sinngning With
little tenore tobusto, M. Bernardi, are conf ifornexe s•
~ Masa-
commel dable emulation,
a new
"Iveicrthi°the revival of the
niello" is produced in the some week %awe;
and, taking the
opera at the Royal Italian Opearanyrs
lea
and
dn
hie h echsoppl-elnodziide
wrietshpetohtes the
latter.former
u
ns-
v"irveasio
willur ee
not
tineutoffearcchoyucnotro, ipinaann3.son
worth, the stump orator,
of the Oxford and
"and terpsichorean
is well set off by the voc sallies of his
ht tiorrneiguhtatb;
nonsense he utters from ni
The sole ownership
hoe reverted to Mr. Charles Morton, the
Canterbury acre
founder of the modern music hall, to whose spirit of indivi-
dualable ally, Eugene.
enterprise the public will look with confidence for the
production of novelty of the A 1 class.