The Sun.
London, England, 1860-04-05 00:00:00

THE CITY OF LONDON IHEATRE.

This theatre can now boast of having secured
the services of one of the best actors in Europe. He
appears at the above theatre shortly after Easter
in a round of his favourite characters, in which he
will be well supported by the admirable stock com-
pany. We extract the following from the Dublin
Gazette:—

" Queen's Royal Theatre.—During the past few weeks
theffaoonrrdmel ebd, sirasl
ainemt edy
aota;
inhetdehrj i
has
slghi
public
ha
cenr
caet
es. hee
da
At
do
tw
diaenil
vl
seasonecsroutl sltethca
tiewni
mnehtsdeenl, hishue
olsaureputation
suffi-
ciently
large as to prove remunerative to himself and his
company. This success is, of course, attributable to the care
which Mr. Webb has taken to gratify the popular taste.
The engagements which have terminated during the period
have been more than usually successful. It is a strange
fact that, unlike most favourite actors, Mr. T. C. King ap-
pears to have a life interest in the respect and good will of
those who have once seen his acting. This is a result which
cannot be obtained by those stars' which flash brightly
enough for a while and then disappear in somewhat igno-
minious fashion, but must be obtained by that intrinsic
merit and genuine ability which alone can raise an artiste
to a high place in hie profession. During the long period
of years which Mr. King has almost entirely spent on the
Dublin stage, those who frequent the theatre have been
brought by degrees to appreciate his talents ; but their
familiarity with his style of acting, his manner and his ap-
pearance, has in no instance weakened his popularity. No
member of his profession has appeared in a greater diversity
of character ; and yet this very fact, which would seem to
be an obstacle in the way of careful study, has not retarded
his success. His splendid appearance on the stage, his mag-
nificent voice and graceful manner, are natural gifts which
few are so largely endowed with; but to these qualifications
he adds those which can be acquired by the exercise of care
and judgment, and are only improved by experience. While
he undertakes a great number of characters, there are of
course a few in which he specially distinguishes himself, and
which seem best suited to his abilities. In the long list of
Shaksperiandram theas Othello" is
an
perhapsdthe
unfortunate
that in which he is seen
gallant but moMoor,
otragedyr,the
as f
best
advantage;
he
depicts him, seems to
.But perhaps "Richelieu" is the part
the hero of his
pleasing resemble closely the ideal which the dramatist embodied in
in which he is most • and when it is remembered
acknowledged that to achieve a success it it is no mean
that this is a character pre-eminently difficult, it :will be
proof of talent. The difficulty arises from the fact that the
famous Cardinal, as Bulwer Lytton represents him, is one
whose intellectual and moral nature is go made up of con-
tradiction, as to render his conduct puzzling and mysterious.
He is crafty but honourable, a patriot, and always parti-
sophistical, and yet in the main actuated by pure and lofty
motives—a statesman not very particular as to the agents
he employed, but setting all these agencies in motion for
a worthy purpose. Mr. King is one of the best repre-
sentatives of this extraordinary personage, and it is there-
fore evident that he must possess more than ordinary
appreciation of those nice points in which the author
of the play brings the true feature of his hero into distinct
light. But his acting also exhibits a vigorous grasp of
thought and much originality of conception. In the ViTgi-
nius of Sheridan Knowles and the Gisippus of GeraldGnffin
he has displayed these qualities of mind to
.the beat
advan-
tage. These are only a few of the dramas Mas just termi-
nated he has
lately appeared. Mr. King's engagements h
owing to his acceptance of a lucrative London engage-
ment.
Mr. Webb has re-engaged his brother for a few
Miss Annie Parker
melodrama, is performed every fiening•
and receive the nightly,nights, and " The Courier of Lyons," a cleverly-written
Mr. Ellerton, who is rapidly increasing
ap-
plause which they
company, including
so weltlainmeedrit.heir. Thepartoths
deruraient:theofwteeilte
in the way of praise, sus.
in popularity, and Mr. Vivash, of whom much may be said
most creditably and efficiently.