The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-25 00:00:00

ROYAL OLYMPIC.

Perhaps there has boon no theatre which has passed
through ,more vicissitudes of fortune than the Olympic.
Once the favourite arena of Elliston, it sunk into the
lowest depths of histrionic degradation, until it became,
under Vestris, the resort of fashion and the chosen &bole
of English vaudeville. Vaulted ambition threw our fa-
vourite actress and her talented husband upon a more ex-
tended field of operation, whilst the Olympic once again
sunk into the "Slough of Daspond," until Farren, aud,
more recently, Wigan, has placed, it in a position sec nd
to none of the minor, and, we may say, of the major,
theatres. Easter, therefore, needed no novelties to attract
a crowded audience, " Still -Waters Run Deep," with tilt-,
assistance of the lessee and his talented cars sposa, and
the " Discreet Princess," introducing as it does the pecu-
liar comicalities of Robson, bidding fair to carry the.sea-
son triumphantly over to Whitsuntide, and we know not
bow far beyond. Indeed, we do not look for any material
alteration in the bill of fair until next Christmas. Happy
must be the manager with such prospects, and happy the
audience who, the oftener they are present the more they
are pleased.

S ADLER'S WELLS. ,
This theatre was opened yesterday evening, under new
management, that of Mr. G. A. Webster, and with the by WOODIN'S ENTERTAINMENT.
no means insignificant advantage of the temporary acces- Mr. Woodin was the first gentleman to revive the
lion of that talented artiste Mr. Leigh Murray, whose ser- Mathews! style of entertainment, which was so much ad-
vices have been secured for a dozen nights. Nothing new mired by the playgoers of the last half-century. Some
in authorship was produced on the occasion, but the pieces three years ago Mr. Woodin made his debut at the Ade-
presented were Judiciously selected and most favourably re- laide Gallery, and, although previously entirely unknown
ceived. The performances opened with "The Marble to the public, yet he evinced so much versatile talent in a
Heart, or the Sculptor's Dream," which afforded Mr. Leigh dramatic Who've, which ho called the " Carpet Bag and
Murray an opportunity of displaying his fine histrionic Sketch-Book," that he soon became a general favourite in
talents in a character in which he had previously gained the metropolis, and afterwards achieved an equal success
great celebrity. Peculiarly French in construction, there in a lengthened provincial tour. Returning again to Len-
in much in this drama to excite the sympathy of an Eng- don, ho re-opened his " Sketch-Book," with some
adai-
lish audience ; and, in the hands of Mr. Murray, a pain- tions collected during his country rambles, and the lovers
ful and growing interest was manifested by an audience of drawing-room entertainments became, if possible, more
which appeared thoroughly to appreciate all the snore liberal in their support than they had been on his first ap-
striking situations. The acting generally was satisfactory pearance. Mr. Woodin's histrionic ability enables him to
and well sustained, especially tint of Miss Jenny Marston, grasp a wide range of character, while his accuracy in cos-
as Mdlle. Marco ;of Miss M. Oliver, as Marie ; and of Mr. tume, and facility of transformation, almost lead the spec-
Edgar, as Ferdinand Volage. The second and concluding tater to the conviction that ho is being deceived, and that
portion of the evening's entertainments was Mr. Planche's the different characters are represented by different indivi-
" Invisible Prince," which was first brought out, if we duals. It is not so, however, for the whole of the impersc-
mistake not, about ten years ago, at the Haymarket, and nations, extending from youth to old age, " from grave to
which is not likely to suffer in reputation, as it certainly 'gay," are entirely and solely sustained by this veritable
does not fail in interest, as presented last night on the nar- artist himself. No wonder, then, that after keeping the
rower boards of the Wells. The part of Don Leander was town for months "on the broad grin" alone and unaided
admirably taken by Miss liarriet Gordon, who exhibited I he should need some relaxstion ; and accordingly he sought
all iha esprit sad abandon, requisite to do justice to one-of_ repose in the xcquantic gamy whioliaboutixis in the neigh-