The Sun.
London, England, 1851-04-22 00:00:00

LYCEUM THEATRE.

If the Lyceum do not make a hit at the approach-
ing " Congress of all Nations"—if its treasury do not
receive substantial, sterling proofs of public approba-
tion, we can only say that the failure cannot fairly be
ascribed to manager, author, actors, property-men,
nor, though last not least, to the parties engaged in
getting up the really magnificent and gorgeous
scenery. All persons concerned, from the highest to
the lowest, faithfully and efficiently performed their
respective tasks, and were entitled to fair portions of
credit for the unequivocal and striking triumph that
was achieved. They had unquestionably every en-
couragement. The house was crowded to excess in
every part. Boxes, pit, and gallery exhibited the
symptoms—so delightful to managerial eyes—
that indicate what is technically termed " a
bumper," end never, perhaps, did " his Majesty
the People," exhibit more perfect and unchanging
good humour. The delays (inseparable from a first
night) were borne with the greatest equanimity.
Every point and hit in the course of the burlesque
(and "their name was legion") were seized with a
happy appreciation that must have rejoiced the
" noble soul " of the veteran author, and it would be
a task of no ordinary difficulty to decide whether
Planche should have been most delighted with
the cordial reception of the latest offspring of his fertile
imagination, or the public with the rich treat that
was provided for its amusement. It is rather
unusual to noticelthe "stock pieces" produced with an
Easter or Christmas spectacle. They are, perhaps,
resorted to as a mode of exercising the patience
of the audience, and serving as " foils" to the
real " gem " of the evening, than as increasing
the actual entertainment. Thus it was that the
dreary scenes of George Barnwell, the yielding of
the unfortunate apprentice to the seductions of the
treacherous Milwood, the murder of the good uncle,
and final expiation of the offence, were so long tole-
rated. Indeed the scenes generally passed in dumb
show, and the vociferous deities were so far ex-
hausted by their previous exertions as to be unable to
continue their exertions in the event of the new pro-
duction disappointing their expectations. The custom
is, however, regarded as " more honoured in the
breach than in the observance," and when we say that
at the Lyceum the entertainments commenced with
Blanchard Jerrold's Cool as a Cucumber, and termi-
nated with Box and Cox, and that Charles Mathews
performed the imperturbable Mr. Plumper in the
former, and the worthy compositor Box in the latter,
in which he was ably seconded by Robert Roxby
as the dignified Cox, we have said sufficient to prove
that the "wonderful woman" who wields the Ly-
ceum sceptre provided " metal more attractive" for
her friends and patrons, and that no moment while
the curtain was up, could have hung heavily on
the hands of the audience. For the great at-
traction of the evening Planche is once more in-
debted to the Countess D'Aulnoy and although "La
Grenouille Bienfaisante" has not hitherto been as fami-
liar to English children of all growths as the tales
from which the former extravaganzas were taken, it
will henceforward, doubtless, become one of the
standard works of nursery literature. The materials
were certainly of an unpromising character. It
must have been a task of no ordinary difficulty
to have treated it in such a manner as to invest
the tale with deep interest, without travelling
out of the original story, which Planche followed with
the strict fidelity for which he is so eminently dis-
tinguished. But where is the subject which he can-
not dispose of with a master hand, and where he
cannot find some incidents with which "to point a
moral or adorn a tale?" We should really like to see
the matter fairiy tested, to find some sceptic who
would endeavour to puzzle our old friend. It would
require no extraordinary power of vaticination to
foretel the result. To use the sporting dialect, it
would be "Lombard-street to a China orange" in
favour of the veteran. The task would be accom-
plished, the difficulties overcome, even before the
doubter could suppose that it had been commenced.
Tne fairy laureate must unquestionably have fairy
aid, to enable him to bring all his undertakings to such
successful terminations. We need scarcely
enter into the details of the plot, nor
trace the proceedings of "Fulminoso, the Pugnacious
(Mr. C. Mathews), from the moment of his first ap-
pearance at the head of his troops, when disturbed by
the too anxious solicitude of his beloved wife and his
idolized daughter, he is induced to send them to a
place of greater safety, a matter: which, of course,
involves them in the most formidable dangers. Their
guards are dispersed in the wild (beast) wood, and
they fall into the hands of the fairy Leona, who
carries them to her brazen lair in the centre of the
earth. The Queen (Dulcibella) is, however, suffi-
ciently fortunate to rescue the Queen of the Frogs (a
half fairy) from the clutches of a raven, by which
she would otherwise have been destroyed, and thus
obtains the assistance which enables her to com-
municate and situation to the valiant Ful-
minoso, but procures him the assistance neces-
sary to protect him against the stratagems
of Leona, and eventually to destroy the malignant
fairy, while her mantle descends with twofold power
on the shoulders of her benevolent opponent, who is
thus enabled to assist Prince N onpareil to rescue his
charmer, "the one fair daughter," from the clutches
of the Dragon of the Lake, who eventually turns out
to be the lover of Grenouilletta herself, the mighty
Emperor of all the Rushes. The curtain drops on
the nuptial bower, a scene of transcendent splendour,
surpassing even the almost magical effects produced
in the Island of Jewels and King Charming. Indeed,
we may fairly consider it the ne plus ultra of scenic
representation. As we have already stated, all did
their devoir ably and efficiently. Mr. Charles Ma-
thews, Mrs. F. Matthews, and Miss Julia St. George
were enthusiastically called before the curtain, an
honour which was subsequently most properly ex-
tended to Misses Martindale and M. Oliver. It re-
quires no assumption of preternatural power to pre-
dict a long and uninterrupted success for the Queen
of the Frogs—a success that will impose heavy labour
on the treasurer, and convince our continental
visitors of English superiority in the time-honoured
burlesque.