The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-14 00:00:00

SURREY THEATRE,

For the first time for many years Shakespear's
tragedy of King John" was performed at this
theatre last night, and met with an enthusiastic
reception. Mr. Vezin's King John is as fine a per-
formance as all his previous efforts; his e locution
was perfect, and his acting nature itself. :Mx. Leigh
Murray, who is fulfilling a short engagement here,
sustained the part of Falconbridge ; b e,t, as we
expected, he was very much overweighte‘i, and the
result was not one of this gentleman's happiest
efforts. Mrs. Vezin's Lady Constance 'was very
good, and won great applause. With a co mpliment
to Mr. Basil Potter and pretty little M. iss Yokes,
who respectively sustained the parts of kl iubert and
Prince Arthur, our praises must end ; the other
characters were very indifferently supported.
We cannot omit to notice the great ability with
which Mr. Vezin performed the part of Othello on
Monday last. It is evident he has studied. the part
with the greatest care and attention ; that he has
well weighed every syllable and sentence;, and, as a
natural consequence, his Othello is quite worthy to
take its place in the foremost ranks of 1114 Shakes-
pearian representations. The speech I!.'sefore the
senate was admirably delivered; there was a man-
liness about the manner, with an occasional touch
of tenderness when alluding to Desdemola a, which
rendered it one of the most effective piece; of decla-
mation ever listened to. The great scene with lago
was admirably played ; the different phases of pas-
sion were given with a consummate knowledge of
art, and the climax was perfectly worked up. His
burst of pent-up fury, as he accuses Desdemona
to her face with infidelity, was terrific, and the last
scenes were given with the most pathetic tenderness
and heart-rending remorse. Mr. Basil Potter, as
lago, enacted that difficult part with praiseworthy
ability ; and Mrs. Vezin, as Desdemona, was truly
" the gentle lady married to the Moor."

Notwithstanding the intense heat of the weather
the house has been very well attended.

STRAND THEATRE.

Mr. Byron's last novelty at this theatre is a new
burlesque on the " Lady of Lyons," which, though
scarcely equal to his famous " Maid and the Mag-
pie," has all those elements of attraction in the
shape of pun, song, and grotesque dancing that
have served so well on former occasions. The plot
of Sir E. B. Lytton's play is closely followed, and
a comical effect is produced by the likeness which
Mr. J. Clarke, as Beauseant, is made to bear to a
living Emperor, while Miss Charlotte Saunders as
Melnotte, returned from the wars, is exactly like
the founder of the Imperial dynasty. When the
baffled Beauseant, conspicuous with his pointed
moustache, starts on beholding the stout figure of
the intruder, and exclaims, " Oh, my prophetic
soul, my uncle," the roar is immense. Miss Saun-
ders, it should be observed, is a very clever and
original actress, who thoroughly understands every
resource of the grotesque school of art, and who,
though she has been many years on the stage, has
first found at the Strand Theatre an appreciation
of her talents. Miss Oliver as Pauline Deschap-
peles, Mr. J. Clarke as Beauseant, Mr. Poynter as
General Damas, and Mr. J. Rogers as old Mother
Melnotte, one of the best characters in the piece,
put forth their energies in capital style, and the
mirth never flags for an instant.