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

HAYMARKET.

Mr. Buckstone, true to his usual spirit of enterprise,
determined that the public should not lack novelty, and
accordingly a due proportion of that element was intro-
duced into his programme for the amusement of those who
make holiday the week after Easter. Of the four parts
into which the entertainment was divided, the first was
Shakspeare's comedy of " Much Ado about Nothing." It
is almost needless to say that at the Haymarket this was put
well upon the stage. Mr. Howe well sustained the cha-
racter of the young lord of Padua, and Mr. Compton was
not wanting in fidelity to the character of Dogberry. Miss
Louisa Angel, from the Theatre Royal Newcastle-on-Tyne,
made her first appearance as Beatrice, which she portrayed
extremely well, and with more than the self-possession
usually displayed by those so new to the metropolitan boards
in so difficult a part. Miss Ellen Terry appeared as Hero, and
added fresh laurels to those which she already so deservedly
wears. Don Pedro was effectively personated by Mr. W.
Farren, and Mr. Walter Gordon made a creditable first ap-
pearance at this theatre, as Claudio. Next followed "an
original, domestic, and dramatic apropos sketch," by Mr.
Sterling Coyne, entitled " Buckstone at Home; or, the
Manager and his Friends." The worthy manager is dis-
covered in his room, reading the manuscript of his Easter
piece, when, to his great surprise, he is interrupted by the
appearance of his "familiar friend" (Mr. W. Farren), a
gentleman with a strong odour of brimstone about him, a
kind of Mephistopheles, who disapproves of many of the
points in the piece. Tragedy, represented by the two
Hamlets, sustained by Mr. Braid and Mr. Coe, both capital
hits at Messrs. Kean and Fechter ; Comedy, with Mr.
Chippendale as Sir PeterTeazle, and Mrs. Wilkins asWidow
Green, Burlesque (represented by Miss Louise Keeley),
Opera, Ballet, and Horsemanship are all rejected in favour
of the suggestion of Britannia, Mike Ellen Terry, who
proposes a grand panorama, and which idea the anxious
manager accepts. One of the most telling parts in the open-
ing was the wonderful stump oration of Mr. Buckstone, in
answer to that of " a man of peace who keeps a little shop
in the cotton district," and' who pleads for his North Ame-
rican brethren. The laughter evoked was quits extraordi-
nary, and when the good-humoured lessee made a passing
complimentary noticeito his
," American Cousin," and said
"he liked that Sotherralfeller amazingly," the house posi-
tively echoed with applause.. Of
,the idea of a new
panorama of the principal places in the East visited
by the Prince of Wales in his recent tour, Mr.
Buckstone was the projector, and its execution was
entrusted to Mr. T. Telbin, by whom it has been well per-
formed. The subjects comprise Cairo, the Nile, Jerusa•
lem, the Jordan, the Dead Sea, Nazareth, the Sea of
Galilee, Mount Hermon, Baalbec, Beyrout, and Constan-
tinople. A supplementary illustration, by Mr. Grieve, was
also given of St. George's Chapel, Windsor, as it appeared
at the celebration of the marriage of the Prince and Princess
of Wales. Tableau after tableau was applauded, and at the
end Mr. Telbin was led forward by Mr. Buckstone to receive
the ovation due to his talents. Mr. Grieve's picture was
not less warmly applauded. The entertainment was
brought to a close with the farce of "Borrowing a Hus-
band," in which Mr. Compton was successful in his
efforts to amuse, and in which Miss Maria Harris
made her first appearance at this theatre as Pamela. There
was a full house, which was cordial and at times enthusi-
astio in its demonstrations of approval.