The Sun.
London, England, 1850-07-06 00:00:00

THEATRE.

Mademoiselle Rachel gave the third of her series
of representations here last evening. The scruples of the
Lord Chamberlain, or rather of the Licenser of Plays,
against the production of a martyr play having been
overcome, the Polyeucte of Corneille was produced.
Mademoiselle Rachel sustained the character of Pauline,
and by a single scene, or rather, we might say, by a
single word in that scene Mademoiselle Rachel
achieved a triumph even surpassing those she had al-
ready achieved in her Pte Ire and Roxane. The Polyeucte
of Pierre Corneille, written in 1640, is termed a
" Christian tragedy," and is founded on the martyrdom
of a young Armenian noble in the persecution of the
Emperor Decius. During previous engagements of
Mademoiselle Rachel Mr. Mitchell has attempted to
produce this celebrated work, but has been unable to
do so on account of objections made by authorities to the
nature of the subject. These objections have been over-
ruled, and the result was the performance of last night.
Into the question whether or Rot the tragedy is fitted
for representation on a London stage we shall not enter
under this head. Considered as a literary work, its plot
end its tone are not only completely unobjectionable,
but the whole is animated by such a spirit of exalted
piety that as a work to be perused in the closet it will
probably find favour with many persons to whcm produce
ins in a dramatic form are generally repugr antlOn the
other hand, with those who lay it down as a principle that
allusio3s to sacred sunjects should not be made in a
theatre, it is impossible to justify the performance of
Polyeucte. for with such allusions the piece abounds.
Waving the broad question as to the propriety of pro-
ducing Polyeucte, we confine ourselves to the acting of
Mdlle. Rachel. Pauline, whom she represents, is the
daughter of Felix, the Roman governor of Armenia, in
obedience to whom she has married Polyeacte, though
her heart was previously engaged to Severus, a Roman
knight. Her ruling characteristic is a strong sense of
duty; and though she has been united to Polyeucte
without love, she firmly resists every temptation that is
offered when Severus reappears in Armenia. Polyeucte
becomes a Christian, and incurs the extreme penalty of
the law by insulting the Pagan gods, while Severus has
risen in worldly sank, and, cons, quently, Felix would he
but t to glad to dispatch his son-in-law, in order to make
way for a more advantageous successor. Pauline abhors
Christianity, but still her sense of duty prompts her to
use every exertion to save her husband. His life is
offered to him if he will recant, and Pauline employs
all her powers of persuasion. Her cfrorts are in
vain; he is put to death, bet the sight of his con-
stancy causes her to adopt the Christian faith, and with
the conversion of her and her father the piece termi-
nates. The aspect and manner which Mdlle. Rachel
assumes in this character are precisely the reverse of
those which she assumes in Roxane. There we bed a
restless, impassioned nature, regulated by no principle,
and ready to commit any act which inclination might
prompt. He re every feeling is controlled by the sense
of duty, and Pauline eppears as a tranquil being, in-
capshie of wrong—mild, but firm in pursuing the course
she has fixed upon as right. Her air is calm, and the
simplicity of her costume is in keeping with the nature
of her character. Through the earlier part of the piece
scarcely anything occurs that may be called a " point."
She has an interview with Severus in which she avows
her former love, she has to employ her powers of per-
suasion with her father and her husband, she has to
exhibit intense suffering and even aversion, bat every
feeltng is under control, and all is expressed by a re-
fined declamation with that unity of colouring which
Mdlle. Rachel alone can give. By a performance so
exquisitely delicate and truthful the audience are
charmed, but they are not electrified till the fifth act,
when Madame Rachel makes one of the most brilliant
displays of histrionic power ever seen on any stage. She
has seen the martyrdom of her husband, and at once
she is transformed from a quiet sufferer to a sublime
enthusiast. Her first impulse is that of grief for her
loss and indignation against her father, but the sense
of her conversion rushes upon her to the exclusion of
every feeling but that of faith and hope, and in the
short avowal " .Ie croiv" she becomes fir the moment a
being raised beyond the possibility of earthly conflict.
The pallid face, the flashiug eyes, the uplifted arms give
the most perfect notion of actual inspiration that can
be conceived. A thrill of admiration passed through
the audience at this marvellous point, and then
came a long steady roll of applause. We do not re-
colltct an instance of a strong impression being so
suddenly and so universally made. A word of praise
should he given to M. Raphael, who played the part of
Po)eucte, and showed much feeling and judgment in
giving it a sole of superietur,.l elevation. A loch speech,
writt,n in sterns, anil in itself a fine specimen e7f Fre..eh
I) rice' peetiy, was delivered in a solemn impressive
style that predate d considerable effect. A classical trills
t nutted Le Mein eau de Leslie followed Polyeucte. It is
found, d, ar 'rely be suppoecd, on the chat inlet; little ode
by Catullus on the death of Leshia's sparrow, but the
grief of Lt sbia is occasioned less by the loss of'the bird
ttete the inconstancy of the lovt r. The character of the
faseineting beauty is charmingly- played by Mcille.
Ra-
chel, who teila the story of the sparrow's fate with the
nicest pathos. but nevertheless the little drama, which is
not very pointed, comes in as an anti-climax after the
absorbing grandeur of Pauline