The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-22 00:00:00

ROYAL DRAMATIC COLLEGE.

On Saturday a fancy fair and general fete in
aid of the funds of this institution was held at
the Crystal Palace. As heretofore, it proved one
of the most attractive gatherings that has taken
place at Norwood, and we can conscientiously
recommend the public in search of a few hours'
amusement to avail themselves of its continuance
throughout to-day. All the most popular actresses
are stallholders in the bazaar, and ply their trade
as fancy shopkeepers with a winning importunity
which admits of no denial on the part of purchasers.
Mrs. Stirling, Miss Amy Sedgwick, Miss Kelly,
Mrs. Mellon, Miss Josephs, Miss Baton, Mrs. Mat-
thews, and a score of others are enshrined in pretty
stalls of pink and white drapery,
and preside over
the rapid disposal of their wares as if "'to the man-
ner born." For once high prices seemed no check
on large consumption, and, if we may judge by the
progress made on Saturday the College is likely to
be a considerable gainer by the exertions of these
ladies in its behalf. The fancy fair, however, though
a most important item, is after all but an item in
the many attractions this fete offers. Mr. Toole has
a peep-show for the lovers of thrilling melodrama ;
there are Aunt Sally's, a Punch and Judy, and above
all, a Tent of Mystery, of which we shall say nothing
further here than that the public must visit it for
themselves to appreciate its absorbing attractions.
Miss Johnstone has also a Hermit's Cave, whence
she dispenses her hoard of fortunes on really liberal
terms. One of the most amusing of the entertain-
ments, however, is a theatre fitted up in the concert-
room, in exact imitation of the true old Richard-
sonian show, which has almost disappeared before
the march of improvement of late years. There was
the usual platform outside it, on which the traditional
clown and pantaloon, the beautiful ladies and' mag-
nificent gentlemen, the man with the gong and pipes,
and the rest of the fair-going accessories were all in
their fullest and most exhilarating vigour. Never
have such crowded houses been seen as thronged to
the constantly repeated performances of this little
theatre. The play stated to be "of the good old
Bartlemy fair times and of days long departed"
was entitled " The Midnight Spectre, or the Fatal
Secret." In order to enable this thrilling monseau
to be repeated as often as fresh audiences repeatedly
desired a double set of actors were necessary, and
the managers therefore announced in their bill that
they had secured the services of a double company
of,—

" The best actors in the world, either for tragedy, come-
dy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comic, historical-pastoral,
tragical-historical, tragical - historical- pastoral,
scene individablo, of poem unlimited."—" Hamlet,' act ii.,
scone 2.
That there might be no mistake about what was
to be looked forward to the plot of the piece was
amply foreshadowed in the bill as fellows
The Plot—The Meet Cin
SENA—PADUA.
lam, Mystery the ki7illain Foiled
—the Gurgle—t Gasp—th—'
Count Ristolaco (AcrVerrenumetat
Ruffianicbe: theT
TABLEAU OF EXCITEI?h°Tst •
)4nmnr.ob_loertNn in love with.d
poalyo and dthMa
Cr.oWunit -
Beppo Derkista (Aa
Mr. Romer and Mr. C. J. S ),
Ferdinand Bianchi (A young physician, otherwise____).
Mr. Lewis Ball and Mr.
Baron de Spattivonto (A Sicilian nobleman, full of unne-
cessaryre fears), Mr. Addison and
Mr. Barratt.
Gemma .. (His daughter, the Pearl of Padua,
and the cause of much misery);
Mr. Paul Bedford and Mr. J.
Robins.
Ghost .. • • • . (Accompanied by extraordin!try
scenic effects and diabolical music)
Mr. Phillips and Mr. G. Peel.
It is needless to say how this drew, and how in-
finitely comic was the expression given to the
Pearl of Padua, the fair Gemma, as personified by
Paul Bedford. There was a second piece, Valentine
and Orson, played later in the afternoon, by the
members of the Savage Club, which was admirably
I done, and to the full as successful as the first.