The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-06 00:00:00

SURREY.

Instead of the usual pantomime the entertainments
at this theatre yesterday evening consisted of three
new pieces, together with the performances of the
Bedouin rabs. We think this judicious, for this age
does not possess the pantomimic skill which is
asserted to have existed in the days of Cicero,
when jesture was a more efficient exponent
of thought and feeling than language. Tee
performances commenced with a drama, in two
acts, entitled The Discarded Daughter, the plot of
which is as follows :—Count Carlsdorf (Mr. T. Fre-
dericks) believes that Julia (Mrs. Ware), who has
passed for his daughter, is in reality the offspring of
a criminal connexion between a quondam friend
(Count Ravensburg) and his wife, and treats her
accordingly. Albert (Mr. Tindell) the nephew of
the Count Carlsdorf, loves Julia, who returns his
passion, and a denouement takes place, by which it
appears that the Count Carlsdorf has been deceived,
and that his wife has not been faithless. The lovers
are then, of course, made happy. There was little of
incident in the piece, the interest of which
depended entirely upon the expression of
deep feeling on the part of the father
and daughter—the former struggling with the
sense of degradation to which the supposed infidelity
of his wife would naturally give rise, and a strong
iffection for his daughter whom he loves, notwith
standing the supposed criminality of the mother, and
a yearning for paternal affection on the part of the
latter who is ignorant of the cause of her father's
conduct for paternal affection. The piece is by no
means destitute of merit, and derived considerable
assistance from the able acting of Mr. Fredericks and
Mrs. Ware (a recent acquisition to the London stage),
who depicted their respective characters with great
fidelity. Messrs. Tindell and J. T. Johnson, and Miss
E. Terry, also contributed by their admirable acting
to the success of the piece, which was warmly ap-
plauded throughout. "An Oriental Festival" fol-
lowed, in which the twelve Bedouin Arabs performed
their almost incredible feats of activity. It would be
impossible to do justice to the performances of these
extraordinary artists, who appear to have an anatomy
quite different from that of ordinary mortals, for their
saltations, contortions, &c., appear to belong to more
flexible muscles, and a physical configuration, altogther
opposed to the genus homo. In illustration of what
we stated, we need only mention that they perform
somersets without any assistance from their hands,
whether in the space that the proscenium affords,
or within the circumference of some twelve feet of
a cheveaux de freise of bayonets. To appreciate
the performances of these agile beings they must be
seen. A new farce, entitled Kissing goes by Favour,
by Mr. Stirling, succeeded. This, as well as the
other productions of the same author, abounded
with the vis comica, and was greeted with hearty
applause. The entertainments concluded with a new
drama, in three acts, entitled The Two Brothers of
Pisa. The plot of this piece is simply this :—Pietro
(Mr. T. Johnson), and- Lorenzo (Mrs. Ware), the
brothers of Pisa, actuated by a desire to rescue
their mother from the severe privations which she is
enduring through the persecutions of a Count Mont-
mero who has just been murdered, agree, the one to plead
guilty to the murder, and the other to inform upon
him, with the view of obtaining a large reward that
has been offered for the detection of the murderer.
They accordingly repair to the Count de Outien, the go-
vernor of the district in which they reside, and Pietro
makes a statement which leads to the apprehension of
the brother, and hastens to the abode of his mother;
but stung with remorse, and the feelings that would
naturally affect one in his situation, he leaves the
house. A very affecting scene ensues. The mother
Theodora Bemanati (Mrs. H. Vining) is arrested, at
the suit of the executors of the Count de Montemorin,
but is rescued by the Count de Outien, who is re-
presented as an amiable functionary, and whose feel.
ings have been deeply interested in the fate of the
two brothers. It turns out that a prisoner, named
Tristram, is the real culprit, and the Count de
Outien adopts the two brothers. This is a piece of
by no means ordinary merit, and the favourable
manner in which it was received, shows that a drama
which appeals to feelings other than those connected
with " the universal passion," while, in skilful
hands, will always be successful, for the heart has
many strings. Mrs. H. Vining performed the part
of Theodora Bemanati as she always does her charac-
ters, most creditably, and the minor characters were
admirably sustained. Too much pra'se cannot be
accorded to the spirited proprietress of this popular
place of amusement for her indefatigable, and, we
are happy to learn, successful efforts to cater to the
public taste.