The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-31 00:00:00

LYCEUM THEATRE.

The winter season at this theatre, under the ma-
nagement of Mr. E. T. Smith, commenced on Sa-
turday evening, and introduced to a London
audience an American actor, Mr. Fairclough. The
new actor comes to us in the most unobtrusive
manner, unhearlded either by gigantic posters or
inflated announcements, he being desirous to " stand
on his own merits," and in this determination he
has shown a wisdom rarely to be found in actors
coming from the other side of the Atlantic. The
part selected for his first appearance was Hamlet,
and if we cannot congratulate him upon being the
best exponent of the much-criticised character
which we have ever seen, we can honestly
bid him welcome, as a careful, judicious,
and clever actor. In person Mr. Fairclough is
about the middle height. He has dark but expres-
sive features, piercing eyes, a good figure, and a
gentlemanly deportment. In addition to all these
it is evident he has deeply studied the great author,
and if he did not reach the highest point of dra-
matic excellence on Saturday night, he never de-
scended to absolute mediocrity. In the develop-
ment of the character there was an utter absence of
all that blustering and rant which usually so greatly
mars, in the estimation of Londoners, the perform-
ances of " great American tragedians ;" on the
contrary, we had a subdued and unexagge-
rated embodiment of the great character, but
founded on the old conventional model,
that won for the actor well-deserved applause. His
elocution throughout was that of a scholar and a
gentleman, and not once did it degenerate into
coarseness. The delivery of the soliloquies were
generally marked with great taste, but some of
them suffered very much from a want of force, but
this more than likely was due to a desire on the
part of the new actor to avoid the accusation
of over-acting. The general impression of the audi-
ence was highly favourable to Mr. Fairclough, and
doubtless a further acquaintance with the London
stage will enable him to surmount that feeling of
nervousness under which it was evident he laboured
on Saturday. At the conclusion of the tragedy he
received the warmest congratulations—a reward he
had most decidedly well earned. Mr. Lawler, also
a first appearance, acted the part of Claudius so
excellently that he will prove a useful addition to
the company of any of our beet theatres ; and with
respect to the embodiment of the parts of Polouius
and the Ghost of Hamlet's Father by Mr. Addison
and Mr. Henry Marston, we briefly say each gen-
tleman acted with his usual excellence. Miss Fanny
Addison made a sweet Ophelia, and Mrs. 11. Van-
derh off a stately Gertrude. The tragedy was mounted
in the best style, a fact which speaks well for the
management. One of the great features of the
season will be the production of a new romantic
play in five acts, by the author of the " Lady of
Lyons," an announcement to that effect being
already in the bill.
The house was crowded in every part.

THE AMERICAN SCHOONER SAPPHO.—It is re-
ported at Cowes that the commander of this yacht intends
to challenge the schooner Aline to another race. This
would, no doubt, extend to the Cambria, which schooner
won the recent match round the island, but that sho has
gone into Cowes harbour to refit, her owner intending to
,ail for Spain in a few days.
ATTACK- OF PRISONERS ON THEIR WARDERS.
NINE PERSONS KILLED.—The prisoners confined in the
gall of Carthagena, i❑ Spain, hare 111 A.) an attompt to
Lill the warders. It was found ueee,ssacy to use force
against th^ a. Nine prisoners ware killed, and sovera'
wounded.

FIRST ALL-ENGLAND PLOUGHING MATCH.—The
first match of this season came off on Friday, under the
patronage of the Kingscote Agricultural Association. The
match was held on Colonel Kingscoto's farm, at Latter
wood, and the day being fine a large company assembled
to witness the proceedings, including many of the aristo-
cracy of the neighbourhood. The champion prize was
won by Messrs. Ramsome's man Barker, with one of their
celebrated ploughs, against seven competitors; whilst the
first prize in the boys' class was taken by one of Colonel
Kingsoote's own servants, with one of the same imple-
ments.