The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-22 00:00:00

THE G.AIETY 711EAIRE.

Last night the promise of Mr. John Hollingsne"
was redeemed, and the new Gaiety Theatre, one
of the handsomest theatres in the metropolis, was
thrown open to the puhlic. The extraordinary r 3;
pidity with which the building has been converten
into a theatre hardly prepared the brilliant andi'
ence that assembled for such a magnificent interior
and loud was the applause the splendour of the
scene called forth. We have but so lately giyell -
full and detailed description of the new theatre'
that on the present occasion we have only te
deal with the performances. The company tb t
Mr. Hollingshed has secured for operetta an
burlesque is good and sufficient, but, excepting:
few well-known names, the dramatic corps is sve3l
The curtain rose precisely at seven o'clock, the firs
piece being a one act operetta, in the Watteau style,
called " Two Harlequins." The music is prettYd
and it was well sung by Miss C. Losbey, Mr' `/„.
Lyall, and chorus. The main incidents turn UP"
the discovery of a plot of Harlequin, after a sere
tion of six years, to return in disguise to Colurnb'ef
and test her fidelity; the lady being forewarned of
the fact welcomes her former lover in a very stoeg,
manner, and in revenge for his slight of her honoe'.'
imposes herself upon him in disguise as the gentliP
Harlequin, and excites his jealous and other pa:
sions. However, in the end a mutual reconciliatio,P
follows, but not until poor Harlequin has Paid
dearly for his frolic. The piece de resistance,"
the Cards," is an adaptation of a French drama,
not new to the metropolis, as it was perforrae'
some years ago, if we recollect rightly, under
the title of "Jocrisse the Conjuror," 11017'
ever, on the present occasion the adaptat
ion
has been so well done that it had all the cha{eat
novelty. The plot turns upon the constant
that takes possession of Sir Gilbert Ethelvval''
that his daughter, who is, in fact, only so by 0°13;
tion, will be claimed by her father. The near:
male relative of the baronet, a spendthrift and et
gambler named Guy Chilstone, discovers the soera,
and persuades a French conjuror named Cbaled
lard, to personate the father of the suPPles
daughter of the baronet, and he consenting) re3,bo
the demand for the girl at the moment, Arnold, the
son of a French nobleman, has solicited her Pot
in marriage. Florence leaves the house of uga
Gilbert with the conjuror, and we next find t'iot
in comparatively poor lodgings ; a part of the POO
of Guy being to appear to rescue Florence (bets
poverty. Florence thinks all have forgotten '1,,e0
but it is not so, as her lover sends her a small e3eil'ob
which belonged to her real mother, on opening W het
it is discovered that the conjuror is indeeclhalil•
father, and that he is in fact a gentleman. Copci
lard is in extacies at the discovery of his child' va,
through his instrumentality the villain is uninas,oo
and Florence marries her lover Arnold. Tbeitred
of Chavillard was of course sustained by Mr•.,110
Wigan ; and in one word we may truthfully saJsclo
acting was perfection. Miss Madge Robertson PI,
ed
a sweet and loveable Florence, Miss Farren the leo
beau ideal of a boy as Sprightly, and Mr. I‘l3craore
a very excellent father. We must See
,iOO,
of M. Stuart, who appeared as O,O
before we pronounce an opinion on his merits 11$
ado
actor ; but with respect to Mr. Teesdale, be 1330 of
but a. poor Guy Chilstone. The burlescliatic.
" Robert the Devil " was a very splendid Pr°4o'
tion, and altogether the entertainment may ero
nounced a great success. The leading Perf°r tocl
received the honour of a call, and the lessee 03
manager, Mr. Hellingshed, also had to appea Ted
acknowledge the applause of his patrons. 011hee etv
excellent arrangement in the new theatre IS tP
cloOt
tire abolition of fees—the payment at the oeh
covering all demands for hats, coats, program
booking, &c. &c. Another very agreeableised
tasteful arrangement was that Mr. Rimnael 13000
in the different lobbies some of his elegant Per ores'
fountains,which entirely overpowered the diS.3,Siag;
able odour arising from the newness of the 101 JO
and he also introduces a new programme, beati tla aie.4
perfumed, but mounted as a fan, a boon th°o6 o
will unanimously thank him for. The
its su
ee° 000/
this novelty will lead, no doubt, to g
adoption in all the metropolitan theatres. ftb
We have already said the Gaiety is one ?toot"
handsomest theatres in the metropolis, and rem
ing that opinion, we have no doubt of its Oliace,l
success, as the most implicit faith can be feil
upon the promises of its energetic and to
manager.

Major-General
a communication
cdaitnigo n atfr 0
till'::,4o°Bllll.ec.ii;,
garrisonrr h e
has received a
H. Brown, M.A., rector of St. Mary's, 1'
expressive of his gratitude and that of a edit'
Committee, of which the rev. gentlersal3l ;eiigevf
dent, for the liberal subscriptions they have ea
ii °Ol
from the officers of the garrison by the ni
Captain Hobart, Aide-de-Camp, for the -00ero
the men recently discharged from the Gclerietoho
establishments at Woolwich. The rev. gefiagtof
also refers to the readiness which the office—ori;',
garrison have always shown to aid his poer4rtic,:!l
ioners under urgent circumstances, and 15 F riOA,
larly thankful to them for the assistare` oriev.o
they have now rendered to the nurnerotio
ployed artisans and labourers in Woolwich t
neighbourhood. 4 01V,
Her Majesty's screw troopship g hegr-it'
ld
,
Commander Jabez Loane, arrived at SpeivAli
terday morning from Ascension, with nava' "itio).
and returned stores. The invalids wer
aft
0f
yesterday afternoon, and the Megwra 00,
sailed for Woolwich to discharge her call
turned stores.