The Sun.
London, England, 1851-09-24 00:00:00

THE SUN,

ADELPHI THEATRE•

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Never have we witnessed a more complete, un-
equivocal, and dechive triumph than that last night
achieved by Mr. Josh Silsbee, " the celebrated
Yankee comedian," on his first appearance before an
European audience; and in truth the success was
fully merited in every particular. Although mani-
festly labouring under severe indisposition, the debu
tent exerted himself to the very utmost to realise the
expectations that had been entertained on his 'behalf.
If the audience had reason to be well satisfied with
the actor, the actor had no less cause to be pleased
with those who witnessed his earliest efforts on this
side of the Atlantic. He received a genuine, hearty
English welcome, which more than confirmed what
he had previously heard of the kindly hospitality of
" John Bull " to every stranger. On his entrance he
was greeted with enthusiastic cheers, that must have
removed any lingering doubts as to the tone and
manner of his reception, and inspired him with
abundant confidence to meet the ordeal through
which he was about to pass. His face, figure, and
make-up elicited this rapturous applause. The
mere look of Liston used to set the house in a roar ;
the same was last night accomplished by Silsbee ;
his rich oily countenance, gleaming with comicality,
showed the rich vein of humour that lay scarcely con-
cealed beneath the surface. Bu'.. "his face was not
his only fortune"—there was a figure to match, so
that it signified little in what direction he was
turned, any aspect was equally provocative of
mirth. He gave the pure unadulterated Yankee dialect,
and the broad caricature delineation of the Yankee cha-
racter; but it was an original picture, there was no
copying from any other artist. .lie had full reliance
on his awn powers; and it would have been a griev-
ous error if he bad entertained any undue doubts on
the subject. We cannot say much for the piece itself,
except the parts of it in which Mr. Silsbee was en-
gaged. All the performers laboured .zealously and
efficiently to give fair play to the new aspirant, but
despite the exertions of Miss Woolgar, as the Forest
Rose, in which she charmed the audience as she in-
variably does—despite the devotion of Miss .Ellen.
Chaplin, who assumed the queerest appearance in'
check pinafore and hair clubbed together, in 'a manner
that would have driven a French perruquier to the
verge of insanity—despite the efforts of G. Honey,'
and, it is but justice to add, the excellent make up of
Mr. Worrell, who made the most of his part as a New
York dandy—the piece would have had but little
chance of success but for Silsbee. The phases
of Yankee character displayed by him would have-
saved a much worse production. He must have had
ample license to fill up the meagre outlines at his'
pleasure. His courtship with Sal, extracting the
New York pillar shillings from Blandford, or telling
the tale of his courtship, interspersed with a variety
of genooine Yankee witticisms, kept the house in an
incessant roar, which reached a climax at the Cape
Cod reel, in which, with every nerve and muscle
in motion, he arrived at a degree of delirium which
was only abated by the discovery that the mischievous
Sal had substituted the hand of an ebony damsel—the
horror of a true Yankee—for her own. This dance was
rapturously encored, and was gone through with equal
spirit the' second time, notwithstanding the fatigue that
must have attended the original effort. It would
alone be sufficient to attract an audience and ensure
bumper houses. At the conclusion Mr. Silsbee
was loudly called for, and in a brief speech he re-
turned thanks for his reception, alluding slightly to
the severe cold under which he was suffering, and
promising to come out " stronger and slicker" before
the end of the week. We congratulate Mr. Webster
on his acquisition, which gave another real Adelphi
triumph, such as those for which " the little theatre in
the Strand" has long been celebrated.

KOSSUTH.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.