The Sun.
London, England, 1833-10-31 00:00:00

DRURY-LAMI THEATRE.

This theatre was crowded to suffocation last night, in
consequence of a rumour having got abroad, thst Captain
Ross intended to witness the performances. Many an
anxious eye was, in consequence, turned to the Duke of
Gloucester's box—but in vain ; the celebrated arctic naviga-
tor was not forthcoming—he was non est inventus, like his
own papers, which be left in a cab the other day, much
to the disappointment of John Bull, who, having paid
to see a lion, felt himself an ill-used man on being, as it
were, done nut of the exhibition. The acting of
Mr. MACREADY, however, in Werner, might have
reconciled an audience to a much greater disappointment.
It was full of chastened feeling and manly simplicity.
especially in the closing scenes where the horror-struck
father discovers a murderer in the person of his own son.
Mr. KING, as Ulric, played better than we have yet seen
him. This strongly defined character—the merit of
whose conception, by the bye, lies not with 'Lord Byron,
but Miss LEE—came out with full effect in his hands.
Mr. Coorgra's Gabor was a bold, bluff piece of acting,
well suited to this actor's peculiar style. We were much
struck with a description of a sun-rise in this play, which
is full of true poetry,

" Dawn
Begins to grizzle the black hair of night."
___

After 11,erner a new roelodrame was brought forward
under the title of Prince Lee 800. During the first
act the scene is laid in the Island of Pelew, about the
period that the shipwrecked crew of the Antelope are
finishing the yawl in which they hope to reach their
native shores. Prince Lee 800 and Jack Blanchard,
the former represented by Mdlle. CELESTE, and the latter
by Mr. T. P. CoosE, form, as may be supposed, the prin-
cipal characters. The act is, seemingly with much
thfficulty, eked out by long yarns by T. P. Cooae,
and frequent skirmishes between the crew of
the Antelope and a parcel of Pelewese, in which the
former, headed by their boatswain, Jack Blanchard,
and assi'ted by the Prince, are the conquerors. In the
last scene of the act a most surprising effect was intended
to have been produced in the launch of the yawl. Un-
fortunately, however, for the intention, a sufficiency of sea
had not been provided, and in consequence the gallant
ves.el, after leaving its stocks, at one bound passed over
" its native element," and was left high and dry on the
bare boards of the stage, within a few feet of the foot-
lamps. Up to this period, if there was no applause there
was no disapprobation; but from the rising of the curtain
for the second act until the end of the piece symptoms of
the latter were repeatedly and loudly manifested. In the
second act the Pelewese Prince figures in England, having
been previously taught to speak English by his tutor
and valet, honest Jack Blanchard. He, of course, as
a foreigner, and a foreign Prince to boot, is much
thought of. An English Nobleman and his daughter
are introduced, and in the efforts to detach the Prince's
affections from his faithful Ulva (Miss H. CAwsE) lies the
main incident of the act, Ulva, however, has followed
him to England (in what manner she effected the voyage
is left to the imagination), and having accidentally met
him at Greenwich Hospital, after a variety of difficulties
and many hairbreadth 'scapes, is, through the instrumen-
tality of Jack Blanchard, united to him. Such is the
plot of the piece. T. P. CooKE occasionally says a good
thing, but it is quite evident theyare his own contributions.
There are some good scenes interspersed throughout. A
view of Greenwich Hospital, we should think by
STANFIELD, was particularly and deservedly applauded.
On the falling of the curtai❑ Mademoiselle CELESTE was
sent forth to announce the repetition of the piece; but,
after bearing the brunt of a mingled storm of hisses and
applause for nearly five minutes, during which all her
attempts to obtain a hearing proved ineffectual, she was
led off by Mr. T. P. CooKE, who, while retreating,
announced, in a stentorian voice, that the piece would be
repeated this evening.