The Sun.
London, England, 1844-11-12 00:00:00

STRAND.

After Don Cesar de Bazan, who, in the person of
Mr. Roberts, still continues to draw crowded houses,
a new romantic, aquatic burlesque, entitled the Knight
and the Sprite ; or, the Cold Water Cure, was pro-
duced at this theatre last evening, introducing Mrs.
Walter Lacy for the first time to a Strand audience.
She had the honour to make her bow in the character
of Sir Hildebrand, a gentleman engaged in knightly
pursuits, who is the rival of Sir Florian, " a very hot
knight, but a very cool fellow" (Mrs. Montgomerie),
for the love of Bertelda (Mrs. Coleman Pope), " a
Bohemian Lady Macbeth slightly compressed," but
sallying forth in quest of adventures, she meets with
Ondine (Miss Bromley), a water nymph, supposed to
be the daughter of Jan Tickletroutz (Mr. R. Romer), a
fisherman, and falling violently in love with her, marries
her, the marriage being duly registered by Ondine's
uncle, Dabblehorn (Mr. H. Hall), " half demon, half
Dutchman, Registrar-General of the Eel-pie and other
Islands." Bertelda turns out to be the real daughter
of the fisherman, whereupon Sir Florian at once re-
jects her, and sprinkles his handkerchief with lavender
to get rid of the ancient and most fish-like smell
emanating from her ancestry. Sir Hildebrand, how-
ever, makes love to her, invites her to a water-
party on board the Lily steamer, which is
sunk by Ondine, and in the well-known caves at
the bottom of the sea all is explained, and Sir Hilde-
brand having called " peccavi, ' is made happy with
Ondine, while Sir Florian takes Bertelda for better
or worse. This burlesque, which is from the pens of
G. A. A'Beckett and Mark Lemon, is the very best which
has been produced of late years. Every couplet is an
epigram, and even Aladdin must yield the palm to
the Knight and the Sprite. The artistes exerted them-
selves to the very utmost. Mrs. Walter Lacy was the
very pink of knight-errants as Sir Hildebrand, and
Mrs. Montgomerie, as Sir Florian, was the beau
ideal of knightly exquisites. The curl of her mous-
tache was magnificent, and the cool contempt with
which she turned away from Bertelda, on discovering
that she was the fishmonger's daughter, at the same
time with the most affected nonchalance sniffing at
her perfumed handkerchief, was superb. During the
course of the evening she danced the Polka in the
most elegant manner. Her costume was beautiful and
appropriate, and this rising actress has added much to
her well-earned fame by her personation of Sir Florian.
Hall, as Dabblehorn, was the funniest of devils, and
was deservedly encored in a nigger song. Romer and
Mrs. Melville, as the fisherman and his wife, were
most laughter-moving. Romer's melodramatic act-
ing was an admirable travestie of the " interesting"
line of business, and elicited roars of laughter. Our
little favourite, Miss Bromley, was most happy as
Ondine, and sang several ballads with exquisite taste
and effect. She is a great acquisition to the Strand
company. The mounting of the piece is beyond all
praise. As a spectacle alone it would have a long run.
Hildebrand's banquet-hall is a miracle in the way of
scenery. It is like one of Martin's pictures ; and
how, on such a small stage, the painter has been en-
abled to convey the idea of such immense space, is an
incomprehensible mystery to the uninitiated. The
grand scene, however, is the opening scene of the
second act, in which,' on the borders of a lake, by
moonlight, is introduced a grandpas del' Ombre, which
certainly throws all previous shadows into the shade.
We have a shadow dance of three, and, instead of one
shadow, which at the Italian Opera was thought a
most marvellous effort, we have three shadows—three
Ondine's dancing to their own shadows, each
kept perfectly distinct from the other. This is cer-
tainly the most wonderful scenic effect ever exhibited
upon any stage, and was rapturously applauded. The
sinking of the ship, too, was admirably managed, and
the last scene is a chef d'a•uvre of splendour. This
piece is a decided hit—the greatest hit of the season.
the expense incurred in the getting up of this piece
must have been enormous, but it is money well laid
out, for the Knight and the Sprite will draw crowded
houses for months to come. The principal actors
were called for at the conclusion, and Hall announced
the piece for repetition every evening, amidst a per-
fect hurricane of applause.