The Sun.
London, England, 1850-03-05 00:00:00

STRAND THEATRE.

A new three act drama, founded on and entitled
the Vicar of Wakefield, was produced here last even-
ing. Concerning the production of this drama there
has been some stir in the theatrical world in conse-
quence of the claim of proprietorship, in the idea
of adapting Goldsmith's chef dceuvre to the stage
put in by Mr. Stirling Coyne, who in a letter re-
cently published states that he sent in a drama founded
on this subject, some two years since, to the Hay
market, at the time that Mr. W. Farren was stage.
manager at that theatre ; that the drama was ac-
cepted by Mr. Webster; that Mr. W. Farren recently
requested him (Mr. Stirling Coyne) to send him the
drama ; that Mr. Webster, on being applied to by
Mr. Stirling Coyne on the subject, declared his in.
tention of producing it himself, whereupon au.
Tom Taylor, the dramatist to the Strand, pro.
duced the present adap talon without consulting Mr.
Stirling Coyne on the subject. The drama, which
consists of detached scenes from Goldsmith cone
nected together by a slender thread of original
dialogue, was strongly cast, excellently acted, and
admirably put on the stage, but it is far too long. A
three act piece which is not over until half after tea
o'clock must necessarily drag. In same portions if the
scissors were freely used, more especially in the second
act, so as to make the drama act within two
hours and a half, it would be an immense improvement
and secure for it a run. The scenes presented on the
stage are the introduction of Mr. Burchell and of
Squire Thornhill, which affords to Mrs. Stirling, who
performs Olivia, an opportunity of describing the
rescue of Sophia from drowning by Burchell, and
the stag hunt, which introduces the squire, an oppor.
tunity of which she was not slow to avail herself ; the
introduction of Lady Blarney and Miss Amelia Caro-
lina Wilbelmina Skeggs to the,Vicar's family, in which
scene the " fudge " of Mr. Burchell, which is such
point in a novel, told but ineffectively ; the dance ;
the fitting out Moses for the fair, a ta-
bleau vivant from Maclise, the destruction
of the pipkin of cosmetics by the Vicar ; the fair, and
the adventures of Moses, and the gross of green spec-
tacles, and of the Vicar and Ephraim Jenkinson ; the
abduction of Olivia ; the agony of the Vicar's family.;
her rescue by Burchell ; the scene of the Vicar in
gaol, and the concluding scene and denouement. The
cast was exceedingly strong. Mr. W. Farren and
Mrs. Glover as the Vicar and Mrs. Primrose stood
out as the prominent characters of the group. The
Vicar of Mr. W. Farren were the very perfection of
good-natured, learned simplicity, the bonhommie and
naivete of the Vicar were admirably rendered,
and yet there was not the slightest touch
of vulgarity about the impersonation, nei!her was
there any attempt to place the eccentricities of
the worthy Vicar in too broad a light. Mr. Farren
had thoroughly imbued himself with the spirit of
Goldsmith, and gave such a representation of the
Vicar as no other artist on the stage, except himself,
could have given. In the scene in which he hears
of the flight of Olivia, his acting was exquisitely
pathetic. It was tragedy—pure tragedy—and that
of the very highest order. Mrs. Glover as Mrs.
Primrose was the very beau ideal of the warm-hearted,
vain, fond, simple-minded wife of the Vicar, proud
of her daughters, and of her gooseberry wine, and of
her Padusoy and amber satin. There is a genial
warmth about Mrs. Glover's Mrs. Primrose that
cannot fail to win all heart.. Mrs. Stirling
acted Olivia delightfully—she made her the very
creature of impulse, full of spirit, full of affection,
full of earnestness ; as warm-hearted as guileless—
her scenes with her father more especially were beau-
tifully pathetic. Mr. Leigh Murray made a most
effective Burchell, and Mr. W. Farren, jun , a deli-
ciously awkwart, argumentative, and most green
Moses, while the Ephraim Jenkinson of Mr. H.
Farren is by far the best thing that he has yet done,
and shows the versatility of his talent to great advan-
tage—his quack doctor, his country bumpkin (the
seller of the spectacles to Moses), and his old philo-
sopher, the cosmogonist who does the Vicar, are all
essentially different, and all Equally good. The piece
was much applauded throughout, and at the conclu-
sion all the principal artistes were called for. The
house was crowded to excess in every part, and
the success of the Vicar of Wakefield was complete.