The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-28 00:00:00

ADELPHL

The clever directress of this favourite theatre has, at
the present festive season, indulged her friends and ad-
mirers with a new three act drama, entitled Colomba ; or,
the Corsican Sister. The state of society in the island
of Corsica—the national irritability of its people—the
partiality for feuds and litigation which prevails—vices
transmitted as so many sacred heir-looms from father to
son—have furnished Prosper Merimoe, Inspector-Gene-
ral'hf the Historical Monuments of France, with the ma-
terials for a story of thrilling interest ; and the present
drama, which is adapted from it, contains, in prodigal
profusion, the varied incident, the pathos, wit, and
humour, which distinguishes the original. The story,
as given at the Adelphi, is one not easily described
within our brief limits. The incidents result from a long
standing feud between the Robbias and the Barricinis ;
and the principal of the one family having been
slain by the members of the rival house, his
daughter Colomba (Madame Celeste) burns to revenge
his death upon the Barricini. With this sole object in
view, she impatiently expects the return of her brother
Antonio, an officer in the French army, and great,
therefore, is her disappointment when she finds that the
influence pf Lydia Neville (Mrs. Yates), daughter of an
eccentric English Colonel, whom he has met, and with
whom, as a matter of course, he falls in love, has _half
turned him from his purpose. What the persuasions of
Colomba could not do, the treachery of the Barricini
themselves effected, and having, in the first and second
acts, seen their attempts on the life of Antonio (Mr.
Howe) defeated, through the vigilance of C010.121)3, the
third act closes with the disgrace and punishment of the
guilty Barricini, and we are left to infer that Antonio
and Miss Neville married, and reared a family, that
they lived long, and died happily. There is an under
current of comedy running throughout the piece The
broad farce of Mr. Wright, as Barnaby Puffball, the
Celonel's man, the exquisite archness of Miss Woolgar,
as Chilina, a peasant girl, contrasting admirably with the
grave comicality of 0. Smith and Paul Bedford, who per-
sonate two social bandits. Mr. Selby, as Mons. Dude-
vant, the French Prefect, afforded great amusement by
his forcible delineation of the fastidiously polite gentil-
homme of a certain age, condemned to live among bar-
barians, and at a distance from the gilded salons of Paris,
and the endearments of his own loved France. Madame
Celeste, as Colomba, was all fire and passion. When
the curtain fell Madame was loudly called for, and on
her appearance, and while announcing the piece for re-
petition, she was loudly and enthusiastically cheered. A
similar honour was conferred on Miss Woolgar, Mr.
Wright, and Mr. Howe. The scenery was admirably
painted, and the costumes well got up. This was fol-
lowed by the gymnastic exhibition of Mr. John Lees
and his three pupils, the§M asters Hanlon's ; and when
we say, that in grace of posture, and ease of effort, they
equalled, if they did not exceed, Professor Risley and
his son, we convey the highest praise that it is possible
for us to do. The evening's entertainments were wound
up by the spectacle of the Phantom Dancers. The
theatre was well crowded in every part, and the audi-
ence seemed highly delighted with the intellectual feast
which had been provided for them.