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

THE STRAND THEATRE.

The " Country Squire," a comedy originally writti.et
for Mr. Farren and Mrs. Stirling, was revived at tuA"
bright little theatre last night, and was received
much favour. The squire was played by Mr. Eu3S4
and Fanny Markham, the hoydenish niece, by 2n.
Oliver. Without instituting comparisons with the !rbo
ginal representive of these parts, we may say that
bluff, hearty old squire of Mr. Emery was a most finiouby
piece cf acting. The make up was perfect. Excel:4
the voice, his most intimate friends would scarcely b
ind
known him ; and this is saying a good deal, consider
bow close the stage of this little theatre is to the ittiAto
once. Mr. Emery received the hearty welcome "of
to an old favourite, and at the close a perfect storm, •
applause testified to the merit of his impersonstf,o
of the " fiue old English gentleman, all of the °lno
time." We ought not to omit to mention that it f""
Mr. Emery to sing this old ballad during the coine,ia,r;
and that he rendered it (without any attempt at vocalle-;
tion) with great feeling and expression. The "itil
nephews were played with great ability by Mr. Be'„°,4o
and Mr. Charles. The London dandy.of the former "00
really a wonderful piece of acting, so consistent and by
well sustained, without any of that exaggeratiott,iy
which such parts are usually disfigured. The cooly-0
was beautifully put upon the stage, and as a whole
we,l carried out by all concerned. It we were to ps*Po.
larise ail who deserved praise we should have to wed
tion all the naaies in the cast, including even those
the squire's peasants; who performed a country daem,
with much spirit. The appearance of Mr. Emery OP4
no doubt, greatly add to the attraction of the Strolio
company. The house was filled by, we may isal,
fashionable audience.

MR. AND MRS. GERMAN REED'S

ENTER TA INMENT.

Last night the first part of this admirable entartails;
ment was altered to give place to a new series a B;°gt,
and character sketches, called "After the Ball," wt, iteof
by Mr. altnund Yates. The great and rare nletlVO
the new material is that it is drawn from society y
sre not presented, as is too often the case, with a nn-eil
her of portraits professing to reflect the refined rosp,:ieff,
of3the age, an i being nothing but Whitaehapel doo3'rbee.
bundled up in very ill-made and extravagant 01'
We are not presented with a fop, a Yorkshireraol3lo,
dowager, a belle, a lord, that require the aid ef titbef
tared programme to explain to the audience what to
are ; the characters that Mr. Yates has put iot°l,,eo,
able hands of Mr. and Mrs. Reed speak for theooe occi
and speak very well too. Tee most humorooo,
mime, lid impersonation was, perhaps, 07
Miss Virginia Rimer, a middle - aged, we her
formed lady, who was introduced to society bilassiC
mamma at the age of forty, and who, with strung tor
predilections and classic costume, discusses social clog
tions in a powertui-minded way,
while
stiffly thresoir
the mazes of a mild and dignified quadrille. Mr. Cr •eir
Icy and Maj it Malveeney, a Scotchman and an l
with
man, two eccentric eketchee, amused the audience pital
many rival schemes to engage the energies and c/cli loft
of joint-stec't companie,. Aunt Toodles, a tsf°
comedy sketch, carried the entertainment to t" ore
final characters Sir Henry and Lady Tiptoe, very odd,'
fully and delicately drawn, after the true Mayfair „„ pal
songs interspersed—dramatic, sentimental' pose'
comic,—were easy and clover, and the music, Cocti
by Mr. Reed, in all cases pleasing and appropriat eel with
amusing "patter song" might have been lengtbeo °gice:
a .Vati,age. The pee,onations of Mrs.Re,-d were sooga
with her usual dramatic tact and vigour ; the d Poi.
were artistically rendered, the dresses were g°°
characteristic, and the whole performance wept °0
great spirit and success.