The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-08 00:00:00

.DELPHI THEATRE.

Madame Celeste's benefit, which was honoured by the
attendance of a crowded audience, liberal in their bou-
quets at the end of the first piece, was also signalised by
the production of a new farce by Mr. Mark Lemon,
entitled A Moving Tale. The " moving tale" is neither
more nor less than a " tale of moving," setting forth all
those inconveniences and injuries which caused "Poor
Richard" to declare that " three removes are as bad as a
fire." the action takes place in two scenes, one representing
the old house, nearly empty, because the goods and chattels
have been for the most part taken away ; the other re-
presenting the new house, likewise nearly empty, be-
cause the same goods and chattels have not yet arrived.
The birds of passage are a fond couple, acte I by Mr.
and Mrs. Keeley, who appear somewhat sentimental
in the opening of the piece, uttering pathetically their
regrets at leaving a home in which they have so
long been happy. But the sentiment is soon stopped
by the arrival of a letter from one of Mr. Grandi-
son's (that is Mr. Keeley's) fellow-clerks, inviting
him to partake of a splendid lunch at the office
during the absence of the " Governor." Owing to
the unsettled state of the furniture at the Gran-
dison establishment, the family dinner is to be provided
from the cook's shop, and Mr. Grandison, allowing his
epicurean propensities to get the better of his domestic
virtue, cannot help fancying that he would prefer
the boiled chicken and champagne to boiled beef
and mustard. Hence, although he has asked for
a holiday, on purpose to assist in the "moving," he
begins to find that he is of little use, and, feigning
urgent business, hurries back to his office. Of course
the letter falls into the hands of his wife, and
of course she is enraged at his conduct. She
has him at once fetched back on a sham pre-
text, and then ensues one of those domestic " rows"
which Mr. and Mrs. Keeley can so admirably represent,
the gentleman swelling with marital dignity, and the
lady manifesting every variety of spite and rage, giving
additional poignancy to her attacks by the affecting
benevolence with which she treats the slatternly maid-
of-all-work. In the meanwhile, during the short ab-
sence of Grandison, everything has gone wrong. The
careful lady has paid too little for a cab and thereby in-
curred a summons, and the van of goods has been left
in the streets in a deserted condition, because the only
sober porter has been sent to look after the gormandising
Grandison. At last the sudden entrance of the little
Grandisons, who have left their " Aunt Jane," to whom
they were sent to be out of the way, and now bring
grievous complaints of ill usage, awaken in their parents
such a torrent of indignation against the offending aunt
that all lesser animosities are forgotten, and the faithful pair
areas fond as ever. Themerit of this piece consists chiefly
in the ingenuity with which all the details of "moving" are
worked into dramatib shape, so as to make a complete
series of minor miseries, rising in awful gradation from the
mislaying of some useful implement to the non-appear-
ance of an entire van. The acting is perfect ; for not
only are Mr. and Mrs. Keeley most admirable in their
representation of the affectionate though irascible
couple, but Miss Mary Keeley as the scrubby servant
shows a talent for " character" not previously displayed.
Whether or not an English audience desires more plot
than is to be found in A loving Tale we cannot say,
but certainly as a little picture of actual life, not much
over-coloured, it merited applause far more hearty than
t received last night.