The Sun.
London, England, 1858-04-27 00:00:00

THE STRAND THEATRE.

The " Country Squire," a comely originally written
for Mr. Farren and Mrs. Stirling, was revived at this
bright little theatre last night, and was received with
much favour. The squire was played by Mr. Emery,
and Fanny Markham, the hoydenish niece, by Miss
Oliver. Without ins.ituting comparisons with the ori•
ginal reprosentive of these parts, we may say that the
bluff, hearty old squire of Mr. Emery was a most finished
piece f acting. The make up was perfec'. Except by
the voice, his most intimate friends would scarcely base
known him ; and this is saying a good deal, considering
how close the stage of this little theatre is‘to the audi-
ence. Mr. Emery received the hearty welcome dee
to an old favourite, and at the close a perfect Etorra of
applause testified to the merit of his impersonation
of the " fine old English gentleman, all of the olden
time." We ought not to omit to mention that it fell t 0
Mr. Emery to sing this old ballad during the comedy, ,
and that he rendered it (without any attempt at vocalisa-
tion) with great feeling and expression. The two
nephews were played with great ability by Mr. Belford
and Mr. Charles. The London dandy of the former was
really a wonderful piece of acting, so consistent and so
well sustained, without any of that exaggeration by
which such parts are usually disfigured. The comedy
was beautifully put upon the stage, and as a whole wog
wed carried out by all concerned. It we were to para..
!arise all who deserved praise we should have to mar
tion a-11 the na nes in the case, including even those of
the squire's peaeante, who performed a country dance
with much spirit. The appearance of Mr. Emery will,
no doubt, greatly add to the attraction of the Strand
company. The house was filled by, we may say, a '
fashionable audience.

MR. AND MRS. GERMAN REED'S
ENThR TAINMENT.

Last night the first part of this admirable entertain-
ment was altered to give place to a new series of songs
and character sketches, called " After the Ball," written
by Mr. Edmund Yates. The great and rare merit of
the new material is that i is drawn from society. We
are not presented, as is too often the case, with a num-
ber of por raits professing to latest the refined manners
ofithe age, ani being nothing but Whitechapel dummies,
bund,ed up in very ill-made and extravagant clothe-
We are nut presented with a fop, a Yorkshirentan, a
dowager, a belle, a lord, that require the aid of a de-
tai'ei programme to explain to the audience what they
are ; the characters that Mr. Yates has put into the
able hands of Mr. and Mrs. Reed speak for themselvet
and speak very well toe. Teo most humorous and
Buccal, ful impersonation was, perhaps, that 01
Miss Virginia Rimer, a middle - aged, well - in-
formed lady, who was introduced to society by bet
mamma at the age of forty, and who, with strung classics
predilections and classic costume, discusses social
ques-
tions in a powerful-minded way, while Atifily threading
the maz,s of a mild and dignified quadrille. Mr. Crank-
' ley mid Major Malveeney, a Scotchinan and an Irish-
man, two eccentric ~ketches, amused the audience with
many rival :schemes to engage the energies and capital
of joint-stook companies. Aunt Toodles, a eafined IoA
comedy sketch, carried the entertainment to the ttso
final charetetere Sir Henry and Lady Tiptoe, very carl"
fully and delicately drawn, after the true Mayfair moat
Tue songs interspersed—dramatic, sentimental, and
comic,—were easy and clever, and the music, composed
by Mr. Reed, in all cases pleasing and appropriate. .1
amusing "patter song" might have been lengthened %vita
advantage. The personations of Mrs. Reed were give,
with her usual dramatic tact and vigour; the songi
were artistically rend,i-ed, the dresses were good 5.0
characteristic, and the whole performance went off Tilv,b
great spirit and EUCCe2B•