The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-24 00:00:00

TILEAT.RICALS IN DITBLIN.

(From Franzen's Journal.)
Mr. John Drow made his first appearance last night at
the Theatre Royal, Dublin, as a delineator of Irish
character, and achieved a decided success. As a debut is
always a matter of great interest, and as the delineator of
Irish character is especially popular with the lovers of the
drama in this city, a numerous audience assembled to
welcome the new candidate for public favour. They
gave Mr. Drew a most cordial reception, and
and as he proceeded with his performances loud and
hearty applause from all parts of the house testified
that he Was recognised as an actor of sterling merit, and
had won a genuine success. The piece selected for his
debut was the " Irish Ambassador," in which he sustained
the part of Si: Patrick O'Plenipo. Perhaps there is ao
Irish character on stage which requires greater tact
and ability for its adequ..:te pourtrayal than that of the
blundering, off-handed, roLieking, and gentlemanly
Irishman, who innocently acquires fame of an astute
diplomatist, by the simple but unusual p:ocess of telling
the truth. The dashing style, the impulsiYeness, the
lively assurance of Sir Patrick, aro combined with aL easy
and polished address, and the tone and manner of refineg
society. The slightest extravagance of gesture or exag-
geration of the Irish brogue is therefore to be carefully
avoided in the successful representation of this character.
Considering the difficulty of the part, we can congratu-
late Mr. Drew on the ability with which he acquitted
himself. Ho displayed, in a high degree, the best quali-
ties of Irish humour, and created great laughter by the
vivacious, pointed, and racy style in which he developed
tho salient characteristics of the Irish Ambassador. The
curtain fell amidst loud applause and calls for Mr. Drew,
who, on appearing before the audience, thanked them
in a few apposite words for the kind reception which
they had given him. It was, he said, an event in a
man's life, after a long absence from his native land,
to find so many warm friends to greet him on his re-
turn. He would wish to say more to express his deep
appreciation of their kindness, but it often happened
that when a man wished to say most his feelings over-
came him, and compelled him to say least. That was his
position on the present occasion, and he could there-
fore only once more return them his heartfelt thanks. Mr.
Drew subsequently appeared in another character, in whioh
he made a still more favourable impression on the house.
This was the part of Handy Andy in a anima adapted from
Mr. Lover's well-known work of that name. Handy Andy
is an Irish peasant, with much of the humour of his class,
and an amount of stupidity and capacity for blundering
peculiar to himself. The laughable mistakes and absurd
misadventures which form so prominent a feature of
the novel, constitute the entire fun of the adapta-
tion. The only character of merit is that of the blun-
dering hero Andy; and we think that if one or two of the
scenes which interpose their dullness between his droll
performances were compressed or cut out altogether, the
piece would bo much improved. Mr. Drew dressed and
acted the part to perfection. The quaint stupidity, the
awkward manners, the laughable distresses, and the broad
humour of the character—verging at times on extravagance
—was enacted by Mr. Drew with a rich and racy drollery
which kept the house in roars of laughter during the entire
time he was upon the stage. His performance of this
character is completely original, and is alone sufficient to
stamp him as an Irish comedian of the highest order.

A fall of 1 per cent. took place yesterday in the
stock of the Grand Trunk Railway Company of Canada,
owing to a statement that a clistringas had been obtained
by some creditors of the company in the law courts of the
province. This step appears to have been adopted, how-
ever, for the protection of the shareholders, in order that no
priority of claim or inconvenient interference with the
traffic might be established. We have reason to believe
that a clear statement of the position of the undertaking
will be issued in a few days by the board. The sooner this
is done the better. Meanwhile, it is remarked with some
satisfaction that the traffic exhibits a certain response to
the improvement in the condition of the province, the last
weekly return presenting a total of upwards of £i6,600.