The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-27 00:00:00

ASTLEYS THEATRE.

According to public expectation, this popular
place of entertainment was unusually attractive for
the merry season. The new grand equestrian chi-
valric spectacle, entitled The Knight of the Eagle
Crest; or, the Tourney of Lore, was the first piece, and
at the very commencement the curtain rose upon a
crowded house, the " gods" fairly reaching to
the skies. The stirring scenes of the
sportive tournament, and the deadly combat,
the flashing of bright weapons, and the prancing of
the fierce war-horses—the career of a guilty
usurper (Mr. Crowther), unscrupulous as to the
means, where the desired end could be obtained,
contrasted with that of the true Knight de Courcy
(Mr. N. T. Hicks), real heir; the constancy of the
betrothed of the De Courcy (Miss E. Loveday), and
the fidelity and ingenuity of her attendant (Mrs.
Beacham), elicited expressions of approbation, which
promised liberal indulgence for the pantomime, which
followed the incomparable routine of Batty's fearless
scenes of the circle, in which, for the first time,
Mdlle. Angele, from the Hippodrome, Paris, made
her appearance, iutroduci►.g her highly• trained steed
" Senora," with tie management of which she ap-
peared both to surprise and delight every one. e
pantomime is entitled Harlequin Yanhee _Doodle,
who came to town upon his little Pony," being " the
perfectly new and entirely original Transatlantic
and Britannic Libretto, by Nelson Lee." It opened
with a splendid scene portraying the " Bowers of
Peace," the fairy inhabitant being Peac© herself,
in the person of Mrs. Beacham, attended by the
sprites Mirth and Sport. Peace soon discovers Plenty
(Miss E. Loveday), said to be a special and favourite
attendant of Britannia, and in the " Halls of Plenty,"
a most pleasing illusion, in which the real elfin steeds
are introduced, the fairy Hopa (Mrs. Jackson)
anchors, and a full ship's company of fairy
attendants appear to greet Britannia (Miss Moreton
Brooks) ae she descends from her car on the waves

and takes the command-in-chief. Young England
(Mr. W. H. Harvey), " a pert young man, and a
regular brick," becomes acquainted with the goddess,
who promises to promote his interest with a certain
nigger lady, Miss Dinah, a sister of Lucy Long, after
which she retires for a time, assuring her subjects
that

" If England and America keep friend, 'tis clear,
There will be peace and plenty all the year."
Another wooer of Miss Dinah then turns up, who
is no other than Yankee Doodle (Barry), who has
come to London town for the purpose of settling
the business of Miss Dinah, but on his
arrival, with his famous servant Sam Slick,
he finds all his plans thwarted by Young Eng-
land. Although " tarnation cute," Brother Jona-
than somehow finds the Britishers of London too
much for him, and at last he " calkilates " that he
is only getting robbed, cheated, swindled, and de•
ceived on all sides. Britannia, however, resolved
to give the disconsolate son of Columbia another
chance, and the usual transformation having been
effected, the chase begins. The following are the
characters of the harlequinade :—Harlequin, Mr. W.
11. Harvey; Columbine, Miss Louise Davidson ;
Clown, Mr. Jackson ; Pantaloon, Mr. Craddock.
The usual tricks and jokes form the staple of the fun,
which was kept up with unflagging spirit and viva-
city. The new art of graphiology, or discerning
characters from handwriting, the cheap excursion
scheme on the Continent, the early-closing movement,
the opening of the Coal Exchange, the Row Polka,
and other follies of the day were successively brought
iorward, and excited considerable merriment. Some
negro melodies were introduced, and a nigger dance
was executed with some spirit, and a couple of comic
songs from a special favourite at Astley's was impe-
ratively demanded and obtained. The machinery all
worked most smoothlyfor a first night, and everything
went off well.