The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-08 00:00:00

FEIN C ISS'S THEATRE.

Sir E. B. Lytton's admirable play of "Money" is an
especial favourite with the playgoers of the metropolis, and
on its representation last evening at this theatre it attracted
a very 1 trge and fashionable audience. This circumstance,
no doubt, was owing to the fact that the cast of characters
in all the most important parts was entirely new, and from
the success that attended the performance, Mr. Harris may
fairly congratulate himself, as it has proved this time most
decidedly, that he has a double company in hia theatre.
The knowledge that such is the case will most assuredly
afford him considerable relief, and, at the same time, enable
Mr. Fechter to take that rest which he so much requires.
The part of Alfred Evelyn was confided to Mr. Hermann
Vezin, a gentleman who made his first bow
this season in the role of Laertes, and who on that occasion
created a very deep impression en the audience. His de-
lineation of Evelyn has further added to his fame, as it has
proved that he is equ.aVy at home in the portrayal of
highly polished and educated English gent'emen, as he is
in the chivalric Laertes, which is by no means a common oc-
currence. Many actors may shine in one particular " line,"
as it is professionally termed ; but the English stage is by no
means prolific in the number of those who possess the double
qualification. Inthe opening scenes of the play Mr. Vezin
gave the biting sarcasms of the author in a most telling
manner, his avowal of love to Clara Douglas was one of
those admirable bits of pathetic acting now very rarely met
with. The alteration from the poor dependent scholar to
the man of immense wealth was also finely portrayed, and
at the termination of the fourth act he so carried his audi-
ene3 with him, that at the fall of the curtain he received
an enthusiastic "call." Without going at greater length
into the merits of the performance, we may honestly say
it was a thoroughly artistic and natural embodiment of the
idea of the brilliant author of the play. Mr. Ryder's Graves
was also a performance that calls for very high praise, espe-
cially as it has shown him in a comparatively new line of
business. We, like most people, imagined that Mr. Ryder
was so identified with tragedy that comedy was entirely
out of his elems nt ; but it is no more than truth to say that
his admirable version of the part convulsed the house with
laughter. The Sir John Vesey of Mr. Frank Mathews
was a very careful and successful study, and
Mr. Shore as Sir Frederic Blunt, the fashionable
fop, was highly effective. We cannot say we
were at all pleased with the Benjamin Stout of Mr. Wid-
dicombe. It was funny, of that there cannot be a doubt;
but then it was not the hard calculating political economist
intended by the author. Moreover, it was here and there
interlarded with vulgar "gag," which detracted materially
from the performance. We are simple enough to believe
that Mr. Widdicombe cannot improve upon Sir Edward
Bulwer Lytton; when Mr. Widdicombe will slight his
author, he must be prepared to take the consequences.
We cannot do better than remind him of the words of the
great master of his art, the in-molt-a Shakespere, who says
—" Let those who play your clowns speak no more than is
on some barren spectators to laughter
too; though• in
to be considered ateautime some necessary question of
ss tdeosw laugh,
au for them;
toset for there be of them that will them-
selves
the play be then : that's villainous; and
shows a most pitiful ambition." Mr. Widdicombe is a
very good actor, and if ho would but depend more on his
author, ho would be a great deal better. Amongst the
smaller parts, by far the best done was that of M‘Finch,
by Mr. R. Cathcart. Miss Heath's Clara Douglas was a
very chaste and exquisite performance, marked by all those
sweet womanly feelings she can so admirably depict. Miss
Leclercq's Lady Franklin was a very sprightly and ro.
freshing performance. At the fall of the curtain the whole
of the principal performers were called to receive the loud
applause they had so richly earned.
The play was put upon the stage with all that correct-
ness of detail that so marks' the management a air. A.
Harris.

It is stated from Paris that in the course of a
month theremjll be an issue of £lo,ooo,ooo'or £12,000,000
9f AM railwaY t9aCl5l