The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-21 00:00:00

PRINCESS'S THEAT.RE.

THE NEW MANAGEMENT,

This theatre, which on Thursday last witnessed
the close of Mr. Harris's management, as well as of
the engagement of Mr. and Mr. Charles Kean, with
something like the eightieth performance of the
spectacular revival of Henry Vlll.—was re-opened
last evening by Mr. Lindus, with a company com-
posed for the most pert of various favourites from
the leading theatres, and with an entertainment
which favourably indicated the taste of the
new lessee, however insufficient may be his present
arrangements to render it duly attractive. If it be
his intention, as we are induced to infer, to play
either the regular or the romantic drama, in a form
which shall rest their attraction on the piece
itself rather than on its setting—on the merits
of the writing and the acting rather than
those of mero production—in other words, on
dramatic ends rather than the ordinary
dramatic instruments—we cannot but think
that such a design, supported by a mode•
rate amount of energy and a tolerable share
of sense and taste, will result in a success that will
be as profitable as it will be praiseworthy. Indeed,
we see zao other course that is at all possible at this
theatre. Spectacle has been so exhausted here,
whether in respect to Shakespear or melodrama,
whether under the pretence of illustrating poetry,
or upon its own avowed attraction, that it seems to
us the only path left which a manager can pursue in
safety—is that which honestly avows the value of the
drama itself and its exposition, and not the facti-
tious aids which have so often stood in lieu of them.
After the manner in which the public have been
drugged with the sensuous at this theatre, a
recourse to the mental and the human would be the
greatest possible novelty. This argument becomes
conclusive when it is remembered that spectacle in
its highest form, as connected with Shakespear at
this theatre recentlywas onlyattractive on the ground
of the excitement it supplied to our jaded exhibi-
tion visitors. In its announcement of dramas, and
pictorial aid, in the services of Mr. Beverley, the
management puts forth signs of energy undoubt-
edly in a right direction, but we cannot dis-
guise the fact, that the company must be
considerably strengthened, especially in the
matter of heroines, in order to give this right
direction any fair chance of success. The enter-
tainments commenced with Mr. Charles Dance's
pleasant adaptation, entitled " Delicate Ground,"
which was capitally acted by Mr. G. Vining, in the
Citizen Sangfroid—saving an occasional excess of
emphasis—by Mr. Roxby, in his original character
of the lover, and by Miss Mary Oliver, in Pauline—
a character that is rather difficult to act, owing to
the struggle it exhibits between a true and false
attachment, fancied wrongs, and illusive pleasures,
but which she mastered with an amount of skill
and ease—with a mixture of feeling and intelli-
gence which marks her recent and sensible ad-
vance, both as a comedian and an artist. The play
of " Love," which followed, most of our readers
are aware is a highly poetic treatment of the idea
of the "Lady of Lyons''—the assertion of the claims
of the heart and humanity against those of an-
tique convention—but which has the defect of a
plot or movement so desultory and meagre
as to deprive its eloquent appeals of any
due effect on the sympathies. It rather de-
claims its noble purpose than it embodies and
imparts it. Its hero—Huon, the serf—was played
by Mr, Herman Vezin with a vigour kind a fresh-
ness which placed his claims in the front rank of all
our young tragedians. His conception had the
defect that it leant rather too much
to the ideal side, and at times was
wanting in reality—in the degree it was want-
ing in manliness—but, on the whole, it was a
very able and a very gratifying performance,
which must attach considerable interest to all his
future efforts. The Countess, which Mrs. Charles
Keen made so attractive on the play's produc-
tion, is, perhaps, one of the most arduous charac-
ters in the whale round of the modern drama, owing
to the singular boldness, as well as beauty, with
which the authnr has painted the struggle of her
pride and love—demanding in its actress the utmost
passion, as well as the most perfect mastery of her
art to render its sudden transitions not only natural,
but pleasing. It is, in fact, a character which can
only be treated by a thoroughly accomplished
artist, who knows the secret of uniting the highly
vigorous and graceful. It will be seen, therefore, that
its selection was most inappropriate for Miss
Florence Aylmer—the young lady who made her
debut in it—and who, it is evident, has only very
recently adopted the stage as her pursuit. The
difficulties of the character overwhelmed her at
every point, and left the audience no course but to
suspend their judgment altogether till they saw
ner in something mere adapted to her, and cer-
tainly less arduous. The Duke was ably embodied
by Mr. Henry Marston, and the sprightly Cathe-
rine not less so by Mrs. Buckingham White.
The farce of " Perfection" concluded the evening,
and elicited a continuous roar of laughter at the
hands of Mr. Roxby, Mr. Belmore, and Miss
Oliver. The house was tolerably full.