The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-29 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE-MORNING
PERFORMANCE.

Nightly have we been accustomed, since the engage-
ment of Mr. G. V. Brooke, to see Drury-lane Theatre
crowded ; but we were little prepared to behold the
house full to overflowing with an elegant and fashion.
able assemblage, at a morning performance.
Proud, indeed, may the enterprising lessee, Mr. E.
T. Smith, be, in thus seeing his efforts to resuscitate the
love for the drama, which for ages marked the taste of
the people of this country, so eminently triumphant.
With his accustomed liberality and consideration, he
had, as his invited guests at the morning performance,
the full attendance of the boys of the Duke of York's
School, who, seated in the pit, and accompanied by their
band, who occupied the orchestra, formed en interesting
group in the tout ensemble of the house.
Othello, the Moor of Venice, was tee play selected for
the occasion, and in no character has Mr. Brooke earned
greater distinction than that of the Moor. His persona-
tion of the character is a masterpiece of acting, giving
to a mere stage performance so much of the semblance
of reality, as to lead the audience nervously on, exciting
in their minds various emotions of admiration, sym-
pathy, indignation, horror, and dismay.
Mr. Davenport, in the character of lago, formed a
profound conception of the part, and wrought upon the
Moor with such consummate skill, as to elicit succes-
sively the admiration and hatred of the audience. The
acting between the two characters in those passages ofguilty
imposition on the one hand, and of excited jealousy on
the other, was of the most finished order. It was the very
semblance of outraged, Othello, and of the villany of lago.
Miss Anderton played the part of Desdemona with a de-
gree of care and propriety which won for her the admi-
ration of the audience. Cassio, for whose restoration to
the Moor's favour poor Desdemona sues her lord so
earnestly, was well represented by Mr. Belton. He
possesses discretion, and with care and study, cannot
fail to become a favourite actor. Mrs. Vickery, in the
important character of Emelia, played effectively, and
elicited repeated and well-merited marks of applause.
The characters were altogether well cast, the scenes
admirably set ; and, distinguished in all he undertakes,
there is no part in which Mr. Brooke shines out
more as a great artist than that of Othello. His en-
gagement draws to a close ; he has won high honours
—laurels worth preserving, and golden opinions at the
hands of London audiences, and may they serve him
in the New World to which he is about to depart, and
whence we hope he may return once more to adorn our
English boards, and do honour' to the histrionic art, of
which he is so distinguished an ornament. He was
rapturously called before the curtain at the close of the
performance, and, saluted with right hearty greetings,
an honour also conferred on Mr. Davenport for the ad-
mirable .support which he gave him in his polished rea-
dering of the very difficult character of lago.
The juvenile band of the Duke of York's Military
School played some beautiful music between the acts,
executing it in a manner that reflected great credit upon
their training and efficiency.
Thus, as we have already remarked, the experiment
of a morning performance of Shakspere's plays at our
national theatre has been most triumphant.
The fact of two crowded audiences assembling in one
day within the walls of Old Drury, is too remarkable a
contradiction of the current cant that decline in the public
taste for the legitimate drama marks the present period
to pass unnoticed. Last evening the curtain rose to
Kotzebue's pathetic play of The Stranger. Again, Mr. G.
V. Brooke was the Charles of the mysterious and tear-
moving drama. The impression produced by his previous
powerful impersonation of The Stranger was deepened and
confirmed, and we can unhesitatingly say that within the I
experience of the past 20 years so great a performer has
not moved our sympathies. We shall not particularise
situations or scenes, or refer to living stage representa-
tives of the deeply injured and sensitive misanthrope,
further than to say that, as Charles Young was ques-
tionless the greatest master of this character, Mr.
Brooke is the only other representative worthy of re-
taining in memory. The other characters were compe-
tently filled, and at the close Mr. Brooke was vehe-
mently called for, and, on re-entering, leading Mrs.
Vickery, was greeted with a shower of bouquets and
enthusiastic cheers. On Friday Mr. Brooke is advertised
for Richard the Third, and we have the promise in the
annonce, that every exertion of the experienced stage-
manager, Mr. Edward Stirling, will be directed to its
production in the most perfect state of historical and
scenic accessories, The Fountain of Beauty was repeated
as the afterpiece.

AMERICAN FISHING SCHOONER STARLIGHT.—III refer-
ence to the American fishing schooner Starlight, which
was brought into this port for condemnation, charged
with an infraction on the treaty existing between Great
Britain and the United States regarding the fisheries,
we learn that she was detained on the coast of Lower
Canada, and that the captain of her Majesty's steamer
Devastation, in obedience to his instructions, brought
her to this port, when, after some delay, he was advised
that the Vice-Admiralty Court of Prince Edward's Is-
land had no jurisdiction over that portion of the coast,
and that she ought to have been taken to Quebec. In
consequence of the inconvenience and expense to the
owner likely to ensue from delay, and with a desire, no
doubt, to deal as leniently as possible, Captain Campbell
judged it expedient to release her from detention.—
Charlotte Town Advertiser.
SUICIDE OF A RESPECTABLE BUILDER IN CAMDEN
TOWN.—A lamentable case of suicide was discovered to
have been perpetrated on Tuesday evening, by Mr. Wm.
Shaw, a highly respectable builder, resident in Arling-
ton-street, Camden-town. M. r. Shaw, who has for many
years taken au active part in local matters in St. Pan-
cras, and was highly respected, had latterly become
somewhat flighty in his manner, and would at times ab-
sent himself from home. He had not been seen, it is
stated, since Sunday evening ; but on Tuesday night he
was discovered suspended from a beam in some back
premises in the rear of his house, and it is supposed he
had been hanging there from the time he was first missed.
Mr. Shaw was of a literary turn of mind, and some
' years ago contributed occasionally local news to some
of the daily papers. An inquest is expected to be hela
on the body this day.