The Sun.
London, England, 1851-06-10 00:00:00

ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.

completely full, the gallery, we should opine, incon-
veniently so, judging from the turmoil and stentorian
cries which occasionally resounded from aloft. From
such capital entertainment and attendance on Whit-
Monday we augur, with cordial wishes for a success-
ful issue, a flourishing after•season for the elegant
little Olympic.

STRAND THEATRE.
The novelty provided last night for the Whitsun-
tide holiday folk at Punch's Playhouse—the alias
which the Strand Theatre has lately assumed under
the management of its present spirited lessee, Mr. W.
R. Copeland—was Morton's farce of The Eton Boy,
in which Mr. Leigh Murray (his first appearance this
season) played Captain Popham in a style more than
usually effective. He was greeted with all the
genuine enthusiasm which an old favourite never
fails to elicit from an audience who have heretofore
been charmed by his skill. The fun he made of the
poor dupe, Dabster—excellently well personated, by
the way, by Mr. J. Rogers—kept the company in
an almost continuous fit of laughter; whilst the hoax
was admirably sustained by Miss Marshall, who was
equally felicitous in the double character of Fanny
Currey and the Eton Boy. The three were loudly
called on the fall of the curtain, and returned to-
gether to bow their acknowledgments. The acting
of Mrs. Leigh Murray, who played Mrs. Scrop Turn-
bull, in the comedy of Kensington Gardens, being
her first appearance also this season, lent additional
interest to the evening. Nor can we omit to men-
tion Mr. Tilbury, whose personation of Doctor Botts
in the comic drama of Poor Relation, was a treat of
no ordinary kind. The evening's entertainments
appropriately concluded with Air. Shirley Brooke's
clever burlesque of The Exposition, which sent the
audience to their homes in a pleasant humour.

At the second performance of Adrienne Lecouvreur
last night, there was a brilliant and crowded audience.
Her Majesty was present, with the Duke and Duchess
of Saxe Coburg Gotha, the Duke of Wurtemberg,
&c. This was the first time her Majesty had assisted
at a representation of the drama of MM. Scribe and
Legouve, and, so great was the effect produced by
Mademoiselle Rachel's powerful acting. that at the
end of the play her Majesty sent for Mr. Mitchell and
directed him to express to the great tragedian the
gratification she bad received from her performance.

OLYMPIC THEATRE.
After the favourite comedy of My Wife's Daughter,
in which Mrs. Stirling, Compton, and W. Farren,
elicited their wonted tribute of applause, a new farce
was produced, last night, entitled The Fast Coach,
which achieved an uproarious triumph. There is
nothing very intricate in the plot, and so much the
better for a broad, rattling farce, the aim of which is
to keep the audience in.a continuous peal of laughter.
Mr. Whifflebinks (Mr. G. Cooke), a comfortable old
gentleman, wishes his nephew, Mr. Phelix Phastley
(Mr. Kinloch), to marry his ward, Laura (Miss
Adams), both of whom believe they have never seen
the other, although they had casually met and fallen
mutually in love, and are therefore dutifully bent on
frustrating the intentions of the match-making senior.
Young Phastley, who has been summoned to town from
Oxford by his uncle on this matrimonial business, by
a happy accident encounters in the street a quondam
servant of his at the University, Jeremiah Boldt
(Mr. Compton), who had suddenly decamped from
his service, and was eking out a vagabond livelihood
in the metropolis by his wits. He engages this worthy
to enact the part of his tutor, a learned professor, in
which capacity he introduces him into hii uncle's
house, in order that, whilst the learned pundit keeps
the old gentleman in conversation, he may have time
to effect his escape and marry the young lady, who
turns out, after all, to be the identical ward of his
uncle whom be was so bent on avoiding. Thd
quaintness of Compton 's cominalities, his extraordi-

nary profusion of puns and queer sayings, and his to control and guide the motion and the course of his
grotesque appearance were irresistibly ludicrous, and I extraordinary aerial machine—which, unlike the bal-
kept the house in an uninterrupted explosion loons hitherto is use, is of an oblong cylindrical
of mirth. Indeed, a more jovial, care-killing, shape, and has its car furnished with an apparatus
farce we have never enjoyed, and never has a suited to act on the air, somewhat in the
more decided hit been accomplished. Compton, capacity of a rudder. Mr. Bail. we understand,
whose Jerry Boldt would kindle exhiliration in the undertakes to rise in his aerostatic locorno-
breast of a misanthrope, was called before the curtain tive from the gardens, direct his course across
on its descending amidst a tornado of cheers; and the the Thames, wheel about in mid-air, and return to
joint authors, Mr. R. Soutar, jun., and Mr. C. J. the gardens, in sight of the gay throng below, the
Claridge, had to crass the stage to receive the bois- only condition of the atmosphere required being a
terous graiulations of the delighted multitude. Leman certain degree of calmness, so that the current of the
Rcde's drama of The Devil and Dr. Faustus, played air may not be too strong to overcome his leverage
here for the first time, concluded the evening's enter- of guidance. Last evening was most unpropitious
tainments, the student of Mentz being personated by for the experiment, but he is to make another trial
Mr. H. Farrell. The handsome figure of Miss on Friday, when it is to be hoped the weather may
Fielding, who made her first appearance at the Olym- he more favourable. The other entertainments corn-
pie on this occasion, was very advantageously dis- prised concerts, vocal
and instrumental, dancing,
played in the role of the unhallowed mortgagee, Which equestrian feats in the circus and the various other
she sustained " devilish" well, and proved herself a de- standard recreations of theßoyal property. The
tided acquisition to the efficient corps dramatique crowded assemblage was gay, cheerful, and animated,
of this excellently managed house. Mr. Diddear notwithstanding the lowering sky and menacing
played the part of Isfark Meadows with excellent aspect of the weather—a result, no doubt, attri-
feeling in both its phases. The piece is got up in butablo to the excellent arrangements of Mr. War-
very good style, the scenery especially, reflecting dell, who is usually so successful as a caterer for the
much credit on Mr. W. Shulders. The house was public.

SURREY ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.
Notwithstanding the attraction of the Great Ex-
hibition, and the uncertain weather, the concert
monstre at the above place of amusement attracted a
numerous audience yesterday evening. Jullien was
in great force, having four military bands, in addition
to his regular orchestra, and 'gave a selection from
the Prophae andi also his " Exhibition Quadrille,"
with unusual brilliancy and effect. The finale of the
latter, " God save the Queen, was enthusiastically
encored. The entertainment concluded with the
usual display of fireworks.

CREMORNE GARDENS.
This place of amusement had its share of holiday
patronage. The Bosjesmans of South Africa—the
astonishing feats of the Brothers Elliot and the
" terrific Globe ascent"—the ballet entitled the Star
of Beauty"—the panorama of Nineveh, showing the
city in its glory and in ruin—the Ethiopian
Serenaders, with all their humourous originality—
the concerts, vocal and instrumental—and the other
amusements of the place afforded evident satisfaction
to the company
assembled, It appears that Franconi
is to be here with his Parisian troupe in a few days.

ARGYLL ROOMS.
The Great Exhibition has had no effect in reducing
the number of visitors to these popular rooms. On the
contrary, it has wonderfully increased them, and
night after night they are besieged with a multitude
of gay Terpsichorean votaries, who:pride themselves
upon being the glass of fashion and the mould of
form. Our facetious friend Mr. Punch inquired the
other day, in a tone of disappointment, " Where are
the foreigners ?" He had looked for them in every
part of the metropolis, but none could he find, and
began to fear that the World's Fair would have no
attraction for them. Judging, however, from the
display of beards and the Babel of tongues that ge-
nerally prevail at the Argyll Rooms, it is more than
probable that he omitted them from his tra-
vels in search of our continental visitors.
At least two-thirds of the company last night
were foreigners, who polked or waltzed to the
brilliant strains of M. Laurent's orchestra with
astonishing energy and perseverance, and then betook
ice
creams, with equal zest to sherry cobbler,
creams, or mint juleps. The music appeared to afford
them immense delight, and well it might, for the
labours of M. Laurent's able band extended over
nearly all the best compositions of the season. An
original polka brilliant, composed by Mr. Beresford,
jun., and performed on the cornet-a-piston by M.
Boulcourt, in his best style, excited considerable ap-
plause, while Henri Laurent's " La Mandoline" waltz
also came in for its share of the encomiums bestowed
upon the exertions of the orchestra and character of
the music. Mr. Beresford's polka does great credit
to the taste and ability of the youthful composer, and
since it is full of originality and admirably adapted
for the piano, it will no doubt become a great favourite
in the drawing-room. The ceremonies, it is almost
needless to add, were conducted with strict decorum
and propriety.