The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-18 00:00:00

ADEL PHI.

The performance at this theatre opened with the repe-
tition, for the nineteenth time, of The Two Loves and a
,wife, which is still running a successful career, and was
probably never better received than last night. This was
succeeded by a new entertainment, prepared for the holi-
day season, under the title of The Overland Journey to Con-
stantinople as undertaken by Lord Bateman, with interest-
ing Particul sof the Fair Sophia. The scones of this'ex-
travaganza. Re a motley compound of the incidents of the
celebrated Bateman ballad, and some of the principal fea-
tures of the expedition to the east, its causes and accom-
paniments. Each verse is introduced with an "explanatory
lecture" from Mr. James Rogers, in the most approved style
of modern entertainments; meant to be an amusing satire on
the familiar expositions of Piccadilly and Waterloo-place,
but deficient in piquancy. The adventures commence with
the fairy camp by moonlight, in which the corps de ballet
representing the allied troops, after going through a most
satisfactory course of military evolutions, embark for Con-
stantinople to assist the noble lord. The next scene is in
Proud Turkee, wtiere it is found This Turk (Mr. Paul
Bedford) is thrown into a state of alarm by the arrival of
Caesar de Byzantium (Mr. Selby), who is, however, paci-
fied by This Turk consenting to give him in marriage the
fair Sophia (Miss Keeley). At this juncture Lord Bate-
man (Miss Woolgar), and John Thomas, the Proud Young
Porter (Mrs. Keeley), having been caught prying into This
Turk's harem, are brought on, avhen the fair Sophia's at-
tachment to the noble lord is discovered. After under-
going the miseries and delights of a Turkish " quod," the
noble lord and his attendant, John Thomas, after an af-
fecting parting with the fair Sophia and her maid Fattyma,
are, by the aid of the allied Powers, shipped for England.
Part the second of the adventures is occupied by the perils
and escape of the fair Sophia from Caesar de Byzantium,
and her marriage with the noble lord. The piece was
exeedingly well got up, and the acting throughout was
excellent; and the audience testified their approbation in
a manner that left no doubt as to its success.

SADLER'S WELLS.

The entertainments provided at this theatre last night
commenced with the drama, by Mr. Daly, entitled The
Times, which was originally brought out some time since
at the Olympic Theatre. The plot, though somewhat
complicated, afforded an opportunity for excellent acting
by the corps drainatigne of this theatre. The entertain-
ment specially provided for the amusement of the holiday
folks was an original extravaganza, by Mr. F. Talfourd,
called The Mandarin's Daughter, founded on the simple
story of the " Willow Pattern." It is full of fun and
humour, and the innumerable puns and play upon words
with which the dialogue was interspersed, were duly ap-
preciated by the audience. The appointments, as well as
the scenery, were excellent. The performance concluded
with The Ran, away Match. The house, perhaps in con-
sequence of the facilities afforded by excursion trains and
the present fine weather, was not so crowded as is usual on
Easter Monday, but the audience were evidently thoroughly
satisfied with the bill of fare provided for their entertain-
ment.

AS T LE Y'S.

This popular place of amusement was re-opened last nigh

4 A.
for the summer, season, under the management of Dir. Wm.
Cooke, the lessee, in the presence of thousands, who availed
themselves of these holiday times to witness, amongst other
entertainments, a new grand nautical equestrian spectacle,
embodying novel and extraordinary effects, which had been
weeks in preparation, and was produced on a scale of un-
usual magnitude, with entirely new and most extensive
scenery, costumes, &c. It is entitled A Tale of the Spanish
War; or, the horse of the lVreck, being the old story of
the utter discomfiture of the villanous attempt of a rejected
suitor to compel a fair lady to become his bride, and the
bestowal of her hand and heart upon her gallant deliverer.

The piece opens with a view of the ramparts and guard.
house of Bilboa, and in this scene appear Don Guzman, the
governor, attended by his suite, among whom is Gomez,
the rejected suitor of the Lady Juliana, the daughter of the
governor. A British ship, conveying a cartel of authority
for an exchange of prisoners, suddenly appears in the offing,
and a gun being fired, the English officer (Captain Pennant)
lands, attended by a party of seamen, one of whom bears a
white flag. The gallant officer recognises in Lady Juliana
the features of one whom he had some years before rescued
from the burning wreck of a Spanish vessel which had been
opposed to an English man-of-war. He relates his story ;
the facts are proved, the governor is delighted at meeting
the man who had saved his daughter's life, and the British
officer is feted and entertained with great hospitality.
Gomez, however, who is in league with a party of guerillas,
carries off the Lady Juliana, and detains her a prisoner in
a " lonely mansion," but in the meantime he has had con •
veyed to the governor an anonymous communication charg-
ing the British officer with having carried off his daughter.
The horse Belvador, which has been presented by the Lady
Juliana to Captain Pennant on his intended departure, in '
the first instance, is a most important character in the
plot, for the animal contrives to reach the lone house,
ak
and
by a letter ho carries apprises Juliana of the attempts m-
ing to discover her place of retreat. A notification is by
the same .messenger sent to the governor, and tho favoured
horse is, indeed, the means of the restoration of the Lady
Juliana to her father. The lady has, of courser, many
hair-breadth escapes ; but at the moment of appaent vic•
tory she is released from the hated power of Gomez, and
is united to Captain Pennant. Among the party of British
seamen is Jack Marline (Mr. Harry Rignold), who performs
marvellous feats of gallantry and courage, and ultimately
kills Gomez in the closing scene of the attack upon the
citadel by the rebel's party. The character of the dialogue
among the British tars is well suited to the present crisis,
and each performer did his utmost to do justice to the
piece.
During the progress of the drama, there are exhibited a
wreck in the Bay of Biscay', and an attack on the citadel.
The animaticrn imparted to both of these scones, by artistic,
skill and excellent acting, is truly surprising. The whole
of the piece, in fact; went oft most admirably,. and the
chief actors in it were rewarded with peat applause at its
clooo, Zqueotria sow ill the circle heat feasted the