The Sun.
London, England, 1851-06-24 00:00:00

•
H AYMARKET TREAT

Mr. Leigh Murray last night made hi
iiEen Tgii-fre Mr:lli*Tircli.zon-116. a popular
farce of. John Dobbs. Mr. Murray was very cordially
received by one of the best houses of the season, and
played with his usual spirit and gentlemanly ease. The
farce was intensely relished, and Backstonn and Mr.
Rogers, together with Mrs. L. S. Buckingham and Mr.
Vining in the other characte?rs, kept the house in a
high state of &light from the rising to the falling of the
curtain; and Mr. Murray was called for, that the house
might testify their approbation of the manager's latest
addition to the company.

FRENCH. PLAYS.
ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.
Soumet's ponderous tragedy of Jeanne d'Arc was
performed for the first time this season last evening,
Mademoiselle Rachel appearing as the heroine. That
she should have sum:ceded in acquiring for Soumet's
play a place in the tragic repertoire, and have even ac-
quired for it a certain degree of popularity, is ono of the
most marvellous feats that even her genius has been
able to accomplish. The play was orignally written in
1825 for Mdlle. Georges, but even her energies
were insufficient to bear up against the weight
of the five dreary acts into which M. " Soumet,
servilely following classical (so called) models, thought
it necessary to expand a play commencing with Jeanne
in her dungeon, and ending with her execution. Mdlle.
Rachel, however, saw that the play gave her an oppDr-
Welty of introducing effects unimagined by the author,
and accordingly she adopted it, and, by the mere force
of her genius, made even Soumet popular. She makes
of Jeanne a conscientious enthusiast, and something
more
—an extatic, in fact—who has the firmest faith in her
own inspiration. The scene before the tribunal was
acted with, immense power; and the scene in which she
converts the Duke of Burgundy is one of the finest dis-
plays of religious enthusiasm, founded on undoubtild
faith, that has ever been portrayed. Her rendering of
the passsge—
" Je triomphe, et le ciel 4 mon saint devoftment
Reservait tout I'honneur de ce grand changement :
Je ramene nn heros a la France, a la gloire I
Que sont tons mes combats pres de cette victoire?"
was magnificent. She seemed an inspired prophetess as
°
she uttered the words. In the last
dsteaaetth, she
act,
inwhiwalla s pain-
fullyhe is
represented as under sentence.
whining,of
resignation
no repining,in:
no e
atzebtuot nature: there
uthearnedw was
melancholy n o c
o
finitely more heart-rending. The house was crowded.

M
eri.threarrreetillinide
OLYMPIC THEATRE.
ae°rdnostranntloyvepaeriesse.nting plays to the pub.
Last night, after the
drama entitled Past and Present, the burlesque entitled
Diogenes and his Lantern, which was produced two years
ago by Mr. Farren, and which then met with the greatest
success, was revived, and the applause which it obtained
promises fcr it a long and profitgble lease of its new
life. The author, Mr. Taylor, has introduced into it
many new hits relative to the Crystal Palace and other
remarkable features of the present exhibition time.
The various performers exerted themselves most satis-
factorily, and the audience appreciated the admirable
tout ensemble with which the extravaganza was pre-
sented. The scenery is very beautiful. The costumes
are excellent and quaint, and the entertainment itself so
piquant and droll, that we cannot but recommend stran-
gers in London to visit this elegant theatre, where they
will find the genuine spirit of comedy represented under
various phases. No one who loves dramatic art should
miss seeing some of Mr. William Farm's wonderfully
artistic and beautiful impersonations.

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