The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-28 00:00:00

OLYMPIC.

This little theatre, which has been untenanted for
some time past, was re-opened last night under the
management of Mr. Davidson. The new lessee has
made great alterations in the internal arrangements ;
and the present condition of the house will almost
bear comparison, for comfort and elegance, with its
state under the tasteful management of Madame Ves-
tris. The interior has been entirely re-painted, and
the decorations, which are altogether new, are ex-
tremely neat and elegant. The public boxes have
been re-lined, and chairs have been substituted for
benches in the two front rows. The private boxes
have also been re-fitted ; a row of stalls has been
formed immediately behind the orchestra ; the pit
seats have been covered, and—to add to the comfort
of the visitants of this part of the theatre—back
rails have been fixed on each alternate bench.
The house is illuminated by a brilliant Bude-light,
placed in the centre of the dome, and by a number
of small gas chandeliers depending from the
front of the gallery. Indeed, a complete trans-
formation has been effected in the internal appear-
ance of the edifice. The performances commenced
with Sheridan's comedy of The Rivals, the " Na-
tional Anthem" having previously been sung by the
company. The cast included several names familiar
to the playgoers of the metropolis, and some which
are altogether new in connexion with the London
stage. It would be ungracious, on the first evening
of the commencement of a theatrical campaign by a
new company, and especially on "Boxing night," to
subject them to the ordeal of criticism ; but it is only
just to say that the play was, on the whole, very
evenly and effectively performed. Mr. W. Davidge,
of the Manchester theatre, who made his debut as Sir
Anthony Absolute, was very favourable received.
Mrs. Malaprop found an amusing representative in
Mrs. Brougham ; the parts of Captain Absolute and
Faulkland were efficiently supported by Mr. H. 801 l
and Mr. Stuart (both from the Haymarket); and Mr.
Conquest's Acres was a quiet ant easy performance.
The scenery was almost entirely new, and great
attention had evidently been paid to the dresses
and appointments. The pantomime, which is an-
nounced as by Mr. Horace Mayhew, is called the
Plum Pudding Pantomime • or, Harlequin and the
British Lion. We must plead guilty to utter ina-
bility to unravel the mysteries-of the "introduction,"
which was of somewhat tedious length. All we can
say is, that it consisted of a succession of scenes, in
which " John Bull" and the " British Lion" are per-
secuted by a mischievous demon "Panic," and that,
after varied adventures by flood and field, the
British Lion triumphs, Panic is overthrown by fairy
intervention, and the usual pantomimic transforma-
tions take place. Mr. Montgomery was an active
harlequin, Miss Laidlaw a pretty and graceful
columbine, and the clown (Jefferini) won the good
graces of the pit and gallery by the readiness with
which he responded to their call for " Hot codlings,"
of which, by the way, he gives a new version. The
tricks and transformations were of the ordinary cha-
racter, and there were as few failures as could be
expected on a first night. The scenery was good ;
and the curtain fell amid general applause.