The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-08 00:00:00

NEW HOLBORN THEATRE.

-
The inauguration of a new theatre in the metro-
polis is a rarity, and to this circumstance is to be
attributed the great interest that attached to the
opening of the doors of the New Holborn Theatre
on Saturday for the admiration of the public to the
splendid edifice that has been erected by Mr. Sefton
Parry in Holborn. For a considerable period prior
to the time fixed for the opening of the doors the
approaches to the theatre were besieged, and hund-
reds left the scene ere half-past six arrived, unwill-
ing to' encounter the pressure from without.
Punctually at the time announced the doors were
thrown open ; in a very few minutes the house was
crammed from floor to ceiling, and then another ex-
traordinary scene wa.3 enacted, viz., the house-warm-
ing. The audience were enthusiastic in their applause,
the brilliant and beautiful appearance of the new
house gave much satisfaction, and the general
desire seemed to be success to the spirited and
energetic gentleman who had provided so splendid
an addition to the amusements of the metropolis.
IVe nead not here repeat the general description
of the interior of the theatre—that has already been
made widely public, but we proceed at once to
notice the performance. The first piece was a new
farce by Mr. Williams, entitled " Larkin's Love
Letter," but the great interest appeared to centre in
" Flying Scud," and therefore the farce was endured
with the same patience that the piece preceding the
pantomime on Boxing-night usually secures.
The descent of the green curtain was the sig-
nal for a renewal of applause, in the
midst of which Mr. Sefton Parry made his
appearance to deliver his managerial address. For
some time he stood bowing his thanks for the flat-
tering reception given him, and when silence was
obtained he proceeded as follows .
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,—

" I come to bid you welcome to my house—the welcomeis warm, but I hope you wilt find the house cool, and al-
though I have endeavoured to make it roomy, I trust I
shall never see any room in it. I have spared nothing to
will a
make it convenient and comfortable ; and I honestly think
I have succeeded indifferently well.
If you feel a little
closely packed in some parts now—if, in fact, you feel like
figs in a box, it is not the fault of the box,itisthefuailt.
of the figs. Some cheerful friendsLofondytheatre too far
east. g encouragedo to
mine
emaesl
with
replied,
ireedm:t
thatt.lc , thatte p I
people
el oodfgea my
good entertainment wherever it is—and I mean to viva
the best. With this resolve I addressed myself to the
dramatist who really seems to. wield a charmed pen, and
gratified of my professional life,
newhe
drama.
g aye
me his
Tho cordial
company , adhesion,
containsand,
the very best artists
what was better, a
that I could J. procure, and believe I have left no en-
deavours untried to win that public support on which my
fortune now depends. Ladies and Gentlemen,—ln this
and
I r enterpriseegairsde tv
fbf ahr ke
thed
savingspride my
ship, the only one
that has been launched in London for upwards of a quarter
of a century. Hero I stand alone at the tiller looking out
for the breeze of public favour. I am engaged in a more
perilous voyage than the Red, White, and Blue. That
little wonder put to sea with two men and a dog; I am
alone in my venture ; will you please to take me in tow ?
—(Prompter's bell.) Eli, what, oh! it is the prompter !
He is in a hurry to begin the drama. I told him 1 would
allow no long waits between the acts, and he is trying the
guillotine on the inventor. I was about to add—(Promp-
ter's ball again.) It is no use ; ho won't lot mo add more
than this hereby declare and pronounce that on this
the 6th day of October, 1866, and in the 30th year of the
reign of Victoria the Good, there is opened for public en-
tertainment and recreation a new theatre, to be called the
Holborn Theatre Royal. Clod save the Queen."
The National Anthem was then performed, and
when the excitement of the audience was at its
highest pitch up went the curtain on the
new and original racing drama by Dion
Boucicault, entitled " Flying Scud, or a Four
Legged Fortune," a piece showing the ups
and downs, crosses, double crosses, events
and vicissitudes of life on the turf. Mr. Boucicault
has in this drama achieved another of those won-
derful successes for which he is so remarkable, and
"Flying Scud" will, doubtless, prove one of his
greatest, if not the very greatest of his triumphs.
The plot of " Flying Scud" is as follows:
Four worthies known as the Quadruped, because of
being four " legs," Captain Grindly Goodge, Col.
Mulligan, Mo Davis, and Chouser, are allied toge-
ther for the purposes of winning, by whatever means
they have within their reach, at all games of chance
and skill, and particularly on the turf. Their chief
source of income is Lord Woodbie, a young and not
very wise nobleman, in love with Julia Lattimer, a
young lady who, unconsciously to herself, is used
as a decoy duck by her uncle, Colonel Mulligan.
Honest of purpose, and sensible that she is an ad-
venturess, Julia refuses the proffered hand of Lord
Woodbie, with whom, however, she is hopelessly in
love. Meantime the Squire of Nobbley Hall, who
is the uncle of Goodge, has died, and the latter, who
is next of kin to the dead, and believes himself heir
to the estate, invites his associates to the hall to hear
the reading of the will. Waiting till all prepara-
rations are ready, Goodge amuses himself by falling
in love with Katey Hideout, the pretty grand-
daughter of Nat Gosling, an old ex-jockey, looked
upon with the highest respect by all members of
the ring. Finding in Tom Meredith, a young far-
mer and trainer on his estate, a rival whose suit is
accepted, Goodge turns him off the farm he occu-
pies, of which he has no lease. This is ruin to
the prospects of the lovers, and Katey, know-
ing the influence of her charms, ventures to
Nobbley Hall to ask for a lease for her intended
husband. This is refused by Goodge, who insults
Katey by unmanly violence. Trying to escape, she