The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-10 00:00:00

Astley's Theatre.

The winter season at this theatre commenced last
evening, on which occasion a new melodrama by
Mr. John Brougham, entitled " The Child of the
Sun," was produced, the greater portion of which
rested on Miss Adah Isaacs Menkin, as this lady
sustained no less than four of the characters. The
piece has been written avowedly with the intention
of setting off the peculiar talents of Miss Menkin ;
but, whether from accident or other the difficulties
which invariably attend a first representation, the
melodrama fell short of the mark intended, notwith-
standing the beautiful scenery and characteristic
dresses. It would be difficult, indeed, to give the
plot in detail, because it is one of those peculiar
productions in which a troop of horses and bands
of brigands are always kept in readiness at
the sides to rush upon the stage upon the
slightest hitch, in order to bring down the act
drop amidst a liberal discharge of gunpowder.
In brief, however, it appeared to us as follows :—A
certain rich planter in Mexico is induced, through
the misrepresentations of his brother, to believe his
Creole wife inconstant, and, accordingly, he orders
her for execution, but the old man is so attached
to her son, that, although the boy is made to under-
stand he is a slave, yet he is " educated far above
his station," and accordingly we have Leon, a very
nice young man, most tastefully attired in drab and
blue, who is deeply in love with a high-bred
Castillian lady, named Juanita. The villain of
the piece, one Don Fernando, the aforesaid brother,
is also deeply smitten with the same lady, and at
the opening of the piece we find Leon's father very
penitent for the wrong he has done his wife, and
anxious to make amends by declaring Leon his
heir. This is prevented by Fernando stealing
the document proving Leon's noble birth, and,
having previously strangled his brother, Fernando
claims Leon as his Creole slave, and at the
same time forcibly carries Juanita to his
home in the forest. Leon flies from the
tyranny of Fernando, and then follow a number of
striking sensation scenes, the great object being the
rescue of the lady by her youthful lover. Of course
it is achieved, of course Don Fernando is shot, and
of course the melodrama winds up with a marriage.
We have the perilous flight of Leon amidst the
rapids, the rescue of Juanita from the Comanche
Indians, and the wild' ride of Leon and his bride to
the Corderillas, all of which either commence or
terminate with a volley of musketry. It will be seen
that there is plenty of sensation, but the tedious
interval of nearly half an hour between each act had
the effect of damping the enthusiasm of the audi-
ence ; and, as a natural result, the success of the
piece was not of the most decided character. How-
ever, Miss Menkin was loudly applauded, and at the
termination of the drama, she, with Miss Carson,
Mr. B. Potter, and Mr. E. T. Smith had to appear
before the curtain. The dresses are very rich and
characteristic, especially Miss Menkin's, and in each
of her parts, viz., Leon, a Creole ; Zamba, a dumb
slave ; Metoxa, chief of the Comanches ; and Don
Leon, a Mexican Caballero, she appeared in very
picturesque costume, to which not the slightest
objection could be taken by the most fastidious.
When the difficulties of the piece are surmounted
it will doubtless prove an attraction, but last night
it was fully two hours too long. The burlesque of
" Ixion" concluded the evening's arrangements.
The house was crowded in every part.