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

PRINCESS'S THEATRE.

Never, since spectacular burlesque first became a
popular species of dramatic entertainment, has a more
attractive piece of the sort been brought forward on
the metropolitan boards than that produced last even-
ing at this theatre, under the title of The Alhambra ;
or the Three Beautiful Princesses. Not only is the
subject (partly founded on one of Washington Irving's
delightful tales) felicitously chosen, but handled and
illustrated with admirable skill ; as might fairly be ex-
pected, where the pen of a shrewd and sparkling hu-
morist is enlisted in the service of a management of
consummate taste and liberality. The opening scene
displays an encampment of fairies by moonlight in
Brompton-square, whose revels are invaded by Mrs.
Keeley, distracted by managerial anxiety to light upon
an eligible subject for a new burlesque. After dis-
consolately rejecting several " used up " subjects of
Fairydom, suggested by the leader of the spritely
band, she evokes Asmodeus, who is dispatched to,
the realm' of " tawney Spain" to supply the deside-
ratum. The journey is made by le diable boiteux
(Mr. Flexmore) in a balloon, which affords an oppor-
tunity for a succession of delightful views—the
Crystal Palace, Dover, the Channel, Calais, Paris,
the Pyrenees, and, finally, a beautiful prospect of the
royal city of the Moors, with its towering Alhambra,
the 'Vega, and the gleaming range of the Sierra
Nevada—which brought down, and most meritedly,
continuous peals of applause ; Asmodeus meantime
solacing himself with a copious supply of creature-
comforts in the aerial elevation of his car. Then come
mence the adventures of the three lovely daughters of
the white-bearded Moorish King Mohamed (capitally
personated by that very clever actor, Mr. Wynn),
and who are represented by Mdlles. Murray, Car-
lotta Leclercq, and Mary Keeley. Three Christian
Knights (Mr. and Mrs. Keeley and Mr.
Wigan) are taken captive, and fall in
love with the fair Princesses, whose charms both of
person and costume would, certes, excite the admira-
tion of the most ascetic anchorites. All manner of
hairbreadth escapes, and the broadest and richest co-
micalities, with a rattling fire of puns, old and new,'
ensue, and keep the audience in a perpetual roar, till
—by the aid of a magic carpet presented by
the gratitude of a wizard, disenchanted, although
unwittingly, by one of the doughty warriors
—all the happy lovers escape the ferocity of
the wrathful Monarch of Granada, and, as
the curtain falls, are seen departing for Christendom
in a gorgeous galley from the port of Cadiz. This
last scene, together with those we have mentioned,
was perfectly beautiful. The brilliant and artistic
gorgeousness of the costumes has never been sure
passed, if ever equalled, on the stage, and certainly a
better acted burlesque it would be impossible to wit-
ness. Flexmore, as a pet monkey, performed such
a succession of antics as convulsed the spectators, and
make it evident that this unrivalled buffo must have
taken out letters of naturalization among the claim:-
panzees of Borneo. In the dancing department, the
arrangement of which is extremely creditable to him,
he gave a comic dance, which, needless to say, was
encored. Mdlle. Auriol, who was very warmly re-
ceived, executed a pas mauresque in her wonted
elegant and accomplished style, and Mrs. Keeley and
Miss Leclercq gave the new dance La Gorlitza,
with excellent effect. A comic song by Harley,
who most comically sustains the part of a vile-renea
gado, and Miss Robertson, a very pleasinF, and pretty
ectress, who is " the discreet liadiga, the lady'si
maid, was encored. Perhaps the most glorious bit
of fun in the entire .piece is contributed by the feat
of Wigan and Keeley, who, as upair of um-