The Sun.
London, England, 1849-11-01 00:00:00

LYCEUM THEATRE.

The boudoir theatre in Wellington-street has al-
ways been celebrated for the finished costliness of its
spectacles, and the novelties which have been pro-
duced at those specific periods of the year when we
habitually look for them have been master-pieces of
their class. The absence of a piece of this nature
from the bills seems to have been considered unwise
by the management, and, to supply the void, the
revival of Beauty and the Beast has been thought
of; the
,first performance of which took place last
night. This extravaganza was played at Covent-
garden Theatre in 1840 or 1841, during
the reign there of Madame Vestris ; and the
gorgeous munificence with which it was then
decorated has, of course, not been forgotten now. It
enjoys the extra advantage of the scenic embellish-
ments of Mr. W. Beverley, whose pencil is ;lever
better employed than when giving visibility to those
pictorial fancies which the Easter and Christn.as
dramatists have of late years so profusely suggested.
His: painting s uron the prt sent occasion, although not
so elaborately carried out as if he were providing for
a peifect novelty, give a new grace to the burlesque
in question ; while the dresses and appointments
exhibit the liberality and taste which have so often
been eulogised as the prevailing features of
this establishment. The " cast" of the ex-
travaganza would have experienced a change
in one material particular, had not certain
circumstances prevented Miss Kathleen Fitzwilltam
from appearing as Beauty, as originally intended.
Mr. Charles Mathews made an apology for this
alteration, but the announcement that Madame
Vestris would resume her original part was a
compensation that none could object to; and, conse-
quently, the applause which followed the appeal
was that of satisfaction, as well as of concession—
not always the case in dilemmas of this kind. Madame
Vestris shone amid the effulgence of the enchanted
gardens like a matured Queen of Hearts, and
sang her parodies with the excellence of former times.
The Sonnambula scene, the " Jim along Josey," and
other excerpts, made with true catholic variety, from
the modern operatic stage, warbled by her to merrily-
invented words, still wear all the charm that the
lovers of these burlesque lyrics can possibly desire ;
and from such lips are they alone endurable. Mr.
Harley, being a member of the company, fills his old
part of John Quill, the arithmetical clerk of the
City alderman, and sings the comic perversion of " I
know a bank" with his master, with the broad and
whimsical grimace of Covent-garden celebrity. The
remaining personages in the extravaganza, including
Mr. Rafter, who succeeds Mr. W. Harrison as the
Beast, are sufficiently skilled in the arts of caricature,
so that altogether this diverting afterpiece, one of the
best that has ever emanated from Mr. PlancLes ver-
satile brain, has in no wise lost its interest. At the
fall of the curtain Madame Vestris was called for, and
cheered vehemently.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
RICHMOND RACES.—TUESDAY.
The Duudas Stakes of 5 sous. each, and 20 added. One
mile and a quarter.
Mr. Wrather's gr fby Lanercost, 3 yrs (Coates) 1
Mr. Meiklam's Roland, 3 yrs 2

Won by a hbad.
The Gasby Stakes of 25 sovs. each, 15 ft, and 5 only if
declared, for two yrs and three yrs old. Grey:Stone- tu.
Lord Zetland's Cantab, 2 yrs
The Lord-Lieutenant's Plate of 50 soy& added to
Handicap of 10 aovs. each, p p, for three yrs old, the
second to save his stake. Once round and a dis.
Lord Zetland's Castanette
Mr. Campbell's Robert de Bruce

Won by half a length.
The Richmond Handicap of 25 sovs. each, 10 ft, and only
5 if declared, with 70 added, the second to save his
stake. 2 miles.
Mr. Dleiklam's Raby, 3 yrs ...(Arnold) 1
Mr. M.Alelam's Inheritress, aged
Mr. Cookson's Camphine, 4 yrs
Mr. S. L. Fox's Psalmsinger, aged
Mr. Jaques's Chantrey, 3 yrs
Won by a head.
The Richmond-hill Stakes of 25 soya. each, h ft. Once
round and a dis. (3 Subs.)
Mr. A. Campbell's Robert de Brus walked over
The Hat Handicap of 5 sovs. each, 3 ft, with 10 added.
To start behind the stand and run in.
Lord Zetland's Polonaise, 3 yrs (G. Oates) 1
Mr. Cookson's Camphine, 4 yrs ... 2
Mr. Shepherd's Troublesome Johnny, 5 yrs
The following also started :—Acomb, Railway King,
Reversion, Snuffbox, Melbourina, Billy Brown, Tity,
and Wensleydale.
NEWMARKET COURSING MEETING.
WEDNESDAY.
THE DERBY.
First Ties—Othello beat Seville; Merchant beat
Butcher; Damon beat Fabian.
THE CUP.
First Ties—Olinda, beat Deron ; Desperate beat
Moreen; Bessie Bell beat Orlando; Forerunner beat
Bruce.

THE OARS.
First Ties—Crenoline beat Fortune-teller; Ros( bud
beat S IL•worm; Manto beat Ready; Glasses, beat Fairy
Queen.

THE PORT STAKES.
First Ties—Diamond beat Formidable; Mary beat
Sheriff (late Alderman); Hebe beat Glentilt; Field-
Marshall beat Olivia.