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

SURREY.

Mr. Shepherd has begun his campaign with that
enerjy and spirit which, in nine cases out of ten, is
of itself sufficient to command success. He gave us
last evening a new drama (from the practised pen of
Fitzball), entitled Alhamar the Moor. Pell's Ethio-
pian Serenaders, with "Boz's" Juba; the admirable
comedy of COUBi7I Cherry, with Mrs. Stirling (who
is now engaged at the Surrey) as the heroine; and a
revival of the far-famed pantomime of Mother Goose,
which last will for some time be a 301.1TC:3 of attrac-

tion, as the whole of the present race of playgoers
will, no doubt, eagerly seize the opportunity
now offered them of seeing a production
of which every one has heard so much,
and which yet so few have seen. But we are
forgetting Alhamar the Moor. The scene of the
story is laid in Valencia. Ferdinand the Fourth
(Mr. Neville) has a favourite secretary, Don Cheru-
bino (Mr. Raymond), whose sister Leonora (Mrs.
Stirling) is beloved by Dorio Cavijal (Mr. Lyon), an
eminent noble, upon whose loyalty suspicions have
been breathed at court. Don Cherubino refuses his
assent to the union of his sister with Dorio, which,
conjoined with Leonora's advice to leave Valencia for
a short period as a prudential measure until his in-
nocence shall be made apparent, elicits from him vio-
lent language towards Cherubino in the moment of
excitement. He resolves however to leave Valencia
with his brother Garci (Miss Clara Tenet) and while on
his way is accosted by Masco, a mendicant (Mr. Eme-
ry) who solicits alms. Dorio is still smarting under the
pain of his refusal, and even entertains suspicions of
Leonora's lore. So that Alasco overhears threaten-
ing language towards Cherubino. Garci, however,
gives him alms, and a storm coming on, the mendi-
cant in the next scene takes shelter in the ruins of
an old moresco palace. While there, Alhamar (Mr.
T. Mead), accompanied by Don Sanchiano (Mr. H.
Widdicomb), who have both reasons for disliking
Cherubino, attack and slay him while on his
way. Alasco grapples with Alhamar, who escapes,
but drops a ring, which Alasco picks up, but loses
immediately afterwards. His suspicions, however,
point to Dorio as the murderer; and Leonora, in the
excitement caused by the assassination of her brother,
adds weight to his testimony by reference to his lan•
guage at their parting interview. The result is that
Alhamar is restored to his former position as Secre-
tary to the King. Dorio is arrested at Martos,
whitherhe has retired, and imprisoned as the assassin.
Sanchiano, whose complicity in the affair renders him
dangerous to Alhamar, is confined in his palace for
safe keeping, when the Moor enters, and believing
himself alone, exults over the success of his schemes
which have thus removed a rival favourite, and
doomed his rival for the hand of Leonora to the grave
at the same time. The suspected noble and his brother
are on the way to execution when the ring is dis-
covered, dropped by Alhamar on the night of the as-
sassination. It is recognised by the King as one pre-
sented by himself to the Moor, and his revenge and
ambition are at once disappointed, and the drama
closed by his own death. The curtain fell amidst
great applause, and the piece was decidedly successful.