The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-10 00:00:00

STRAND.

We are gratified at having to announce the revival
of the legitimate drama—and that4oo, in one of its
most respectable-phases—at this interesting little
theatre. The event, destined, no doubt; to form a
prominent feature in the history of this too-long ne-
glected establishment, has originated in the destruction
of the ill-fated Olympic, which, as is
generally
known, was to have been opened yesterday for the
summer season, under the management of Mr.
Henry Farren ; the new direction perforce transferred
their company to these boards. The pieces selected
for the opening night were the standard drama of The
Farmers Story, the farce of Founded on Facts, and
Mr. Selby's popular play of Robert Ilfacaire. Among
the characters we were • glad to see nearly
all the leading favourites of the Olympic.
Our old friend Compton appeared as Bristles in
the first piece, and as Mr. Skeptic in the interlude,
and was inimitable in both. His fair spouse,
too, so favourably known to the public by the name
which he has induced her to relinquish (Miss Emme-
line Montague), made her first appearance in the part
of Mary Lockwood in the Farmer's Story, and drew
down repeated bursts of applause by her delineation
of the mild and gentle wife. Mrs. B. Bartlett, a
lady who has acquired some celebrity in the pro-
vinces, made her first appearance before a London
audience, and Mr. Edwin Harvey, of the Glasgow
Theatre, also made his debut in the metropolis on this
occasion, and promises to be a valuable acquisition to
the company. His Jacques Strop, in Robert Illacaire,
could not, we think, have been excelled even by
Wright. Mr. H. Farren was a capital Robert
Macaire, and Mr. Leigh Murray deserves equal praise
as Stephen Lockwood. The house, we were sorry
to perceive, was by no means as well filled as the
character of the performance merited.

SADLER'S WELLS.
crowdedy
favourite and de itghheteetdr e audience. Little
wasl,anstttr
attracted
ding
to
thais ver
was it ever dreamt of, when Mr. Sadler first built an
orchestra, in l 683, for the entertainment of the crowds
of invalids who were attracted by the many super-
stitious notions attached to the waters of the " Wells,"
before the Reformation, that ono day it would be the
only place in London where the works of the immor-
tal Will Shakspere would be completely represented ;
yet so it is. The entertainments commenced last
night with Richard 111., from the text of Shakspere
i
—not the improved version that has so long maintained
ground on the British stage, to the entire exclu-
sion of the original creation of the bard of Avon. To
the meritorious exertions of Mr. Phelps, in the
successful production of the plays of Shaks-
pere, in their original state, this production
of Richard 111. will add fresh lustre. This
gentleman's conception of the character of the hump-
backed Duke was excellent, although in parts he gave
us quite a new reading. The Richard of Mr. Phelps
does not hate his victims, but they stand in his way,
ada e m
and, as he doesl not love them, they perish; and,
when jesting , at
my his
heLove,
charity,
bays n
thee,z
obedience.
Due a nd
nt
d tr eue
e k n
d eusts ien e thy
mother'sotr,ldo perr3a,yyeorus,mheirscyd,
I did not see your grille. Humbly on my kyn l
eli very of
the followicg passages was admirable:—
mm
s
/ess Ic(' r—Geov ydu
hh e
r2lesi
ts av
breast,
Lo
Gloster—Amen;—Anien; and make me die a good old man!
, aum
That is the but-end of a mother's blessing;
I marvel that her grace did leave it out.
Nothing could exceed the exquisite finish with which
these lines were given. Mr. Phelps was ably sup-
ported by Mr. G. Bennett, who sustained the character
of the Duke of Buckingham, and whose excellent
reading of the part deserves our highest commenda-
tion. There was no point-making, no clap-trap de-
clamation, but an evenness and finish in his acting
which at once proved him to be a true Shaksperian
artiste. Mr. H. Marston sustained the part of the
Duke of Richmond excellently well. Miss Cooper,
as Queen Elizabeth, Miss Huddart, as Lady
Anne, and Mrs. Brougham, as Queen Margaret,
each acquitted themselves with exquisite grace and
delicacy. Of the remaining characters we have only
space to say that they was each and all excellently
sustained. A word ortwo with respect to the "getting
up " of the tragedy—the dresses were magnificent in
the extreme, and showed that great attention had been
paid to the correctness of the style and manner of the
period. The scenery was truly beautiful, and special
mention must be made of it, especially in the last act
—the encampment of the contending armies of the
roses—the dioramic effects produced in this scene
were really beautiful. When Richmond first enters
on the field it is sunset, night gradually appears and
here moonlight effects are produced, and then succeeds
the grey of the dawning day ; these effects were so
beautifully managed that loud applause succeeded
each change. The last scene—the battle-field of
B lsworth was exceedingly grand—we never Lary/. a
inec y
pe-
thing to equal it on the stage—it was amtase
tragedy
se
Mr. Phelps was called for, and received
•
he so richly merited. Previous commencement
to the
of the after-piece, The Minister of Finance, the excel-
lent band of the establishment.
was honoured with performed Jullien's
Drum Polka so effectively that t
an encore. Altogether, we think that the audience
at Sadler's Wells last evening was as well entertained
as at any theatre in London.