The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-23 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

This theatre was crowded at an early hour last
night to witness the performance of Mr. Charles
Kean in Richard the Third—a character in which his
father, it may be remembered, achieved one of his
greatest triumphs. That the son equals him in this
part we will not say, but it is much to his credit that
tlis reading of the character is his own, and is but
seldom suggested by his recollection of his father's
Peculiarities. The elder Kean was a man of genius—
quality vouchsafed to few, and which redeems a
thousand mistakes and inconsistencies—the younger
Kean is a man of judgment, who, if not brilliant, is at
least forcible in his conception of character, and pro-
duces effect by earnestness of purpose and strength of
feeling, disciplined by common sense, and an evident
habit of careful observation and reflection. His
idea of Richard is sound in the main ; he brings
out all the strong, and many of the more latent,
points in his idiosyncrasy; does every justice to
his serious and impassioned, qualities; but fails, we
think, in giving adequate expression to those lightcr
touches of sarcasm which abound in the character in
the earlier stages of its development. He is, in fact,
somewhat too grim and sardonic in his notions of
Richard, apparently not taking into account that the
crook-backed tyrant" was a consummate man of
the world, with much of the cool, laughing, calcu-
lating devilryevilry of Ingo in his composition ; and
Worldly men know right well—as Shakspeare has
shown us in many a striking instance—that to wear
a Constant scowl on their brows, and to keep humanity,
as it were, at arms' length, by emphasising to the
Utmost degree every caustic idea that may happen
tO suggest itself to their imagination, is not the way
to make a strong impression on their adherents, but
tether to open their eyes, and teach them a
Wholesome lesson of distrust. Kean's Richard is too
frank and earnest in the exhibition of evil qualities,
and nowhere is this more remarkable than in the me-
raorable scene with Lady Anne, where we missed that
glozing, wheedling tongue--that crafty intellect
Which gave the idea that it was the slave of impas-
linned impulse rather than wedded to cool, delibe-
tate villainy, which almost reconciled us to Anne's
credulity, when the part was performed by the elder
'°•,,ean. Nothing was wanting to make the character
°' Richard, as represented last night, perfect, but
little more lightness and buoyancy of manner
14 the earlier scenes. The tyrant had not then
felt the weariness and satiety that comes of success ;
nls ambitious views had received no check ; his career
of triumph was yet to be run ; his vivid imagination.
Piercing into the future, beheld it star-crowned
and radiant with glory; and in all the varieties of
man life and human character, there is nothing so
sanguine—so buoyant—as ambition in the first stage
of its career, no matter how diabolical be the
ends which it proposes to accomplish. In the two
first acts Shakspeare's Richard, though caustic ard
Malignant in his nature, is by no means a grim and
saturnine person, but is evidently intended by his
reator to enunciate his most pungent sarcasms with a
laughing, careless air, that half redeems their malice ;
It is after he becomes the " Lord's anointed," and
ternwned King of England, that the tone of
4'is feelings deepens, and he has no longer in-
clination to indulge in sharp pointed sal-
lies. From this period up to his death,
nothing could be finer—more effective—or more
than Kean's Richard. The triumphant chuckle
ni s
ith which he lingered on tha words, " Off with
head—so much for Buckingham," produced
enthusiastic applause—and no wonder, for it was a
Masterly comment on the character. His death scene
Was not less impressive ; he fought like one literally
"runic with wounds; and never was there a more
striking exhibition of indomitable purpose and fierce
Passion for revenge vainly struggling with physical
Weakness. After all, good actors are by far the best
commentators on Shakspeare; and if to the last half
of Kean's Richard, we could add the first half of
his father's, we should have the character just as
the author intended it should be represented. The
Play was admirably got up, and the scenery through-
out was of the most splendid description. The tent
scene, in particular, was managed with consummate
skill; and the contrast between the pale, sickly light
of the lamps, and the deep, clear blue of the night
IskY, when the curtains were suddenly withdrawn, and
the ghosts of .Richard's murdered victims were seen
standing. Lri his couch in the moonlight, was of the
moststrkag and effective character. By the bye,
nr. Kean's acting throughout this trying scene was
earnest and impassioned to a degree which even his
father scarcely surpassed. He looked and spoke like
(Plc whose whole nature was for the time unhinged
by the terrible conjurings up of his suddenly
awakened conscience ; and recovered his self-posses-
-I,°ll by a desperate effort of the will, whose strug-
gles were successfully, because truthfully, pour-
tz:ayed. The closing scene of the battle was full of
,U,stle, and gorgeous brilliancy, produced by the corn-
'lied exertions of the mechanist and the scene-
!inter. We conclude by saying that we shall watch
Kean's progress with great interest, for, if we
"'stake not, he bids fair to become incomparably the
finest tragic actor of his age.

ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.
FRENCH PLAYS.
Mr. Mitchell commenced his season at this theatre
hat evening, with even a more powerful company
than he hhof the last season. Our old friend Lienard,
We are glad to see, is amongst them, and Mademoiselle
Eliza Poirot continues the directrice. The first
p.iece was La Famille Improvisee in which Monsieur
'a'iirqui, an actor new to the English public, sustains
five different characters with great humour and
!Ted. He is one of the most rapid talkers we ever
heard, and, as a chattering old woman, kept the house
In a roar. He is a member of the company, and will
certainly prove a great acquisition. The comedy of
Aumonier du Regiment followed, which introduced
ba US Monsieur Achard, from the Theatre du Palais
41,0ya1. From the high fame of Monsieur Achard
We were induced to expect great things from him, and
We were not disappointed. M. Achard is a most ac-
eotnplished artist. His Pascal is a chaste, quiet,
beautiful, yet most intense piece of acting. Ile is the
chaplain of a regiment, and has received a billet de
(ogernent at the house of Robert (Cartiemy), an old
moustache. He presents his billet to Marie' (Madlle.
eauchene), the daughter of Robert, and from her
'le learns that Robert hates priests, because his bro-
tber's confessor had so worked upon the mind of his
Penitent as to induce him to disinherit Robert in his
(tbe priest's) favour. Pascal asks the name of this
and discovers that it was his own brother.
; a
ut quits the cottage, and Robert, who has
asked to be sent upon a dangerous expedition, in
rger to secure a pension for his daughter, enters. He
furious at hearing that a priest is quartered on him,
ts,
,t his fury gives way to Joy when Pascal enters in
thei uniform of a common soldier and presents his
otlletj they soon become the best friends in the world,
" t Robert offers his daughter to the young soldier,
c the great dismay of Christian (Lienard), an honest
blacksmith, who has for some time been betrothed to
er. Robert retires for a moment, and during his ab-
-Bejlee orders arrive for him to deliver certain dispatches
at
a neighbouring fortress, the service of danger for
hieh he had volunteered. Pascal takes the dis-
patches, performs the service in the name of Robert
and
~ returns wounded. Robert is outrageous at being
deprived of the glory of this action, but his compa-
bi
the
ns enter to congratulate him. He goes to seek
ir Young soldier and finds the chaplain. He em-
braces him with gratitude, and is stating the facts
Which had occasioned his hatred of priests, when he
1s stopped by Pascal with the words " That man was
TY brother," and the curtain falls. Not only is
lehard a first-rate actor but he is also an excellent
14:oger. He was called for at the conclusion of the
race, and loudly applauded. In the last piece, Bruno
?ileur, he appeared in a character of quite
differentr nature. In l'Aumonier he was all
Coutourier and Bruno he was all
rnuatle ; in l'Aumonier he was the quiet gentle-
Coutourier he was the quintescence of
rsterous vulgarity. Bruno is already familiar
I,v Most of our readers as the Spitalfields'
eaver ; and Achard's character is identical
with that of Symonds. He was as excellent in Cou-
TUrier as he was in Pascal, and is certainly one of
.the first of French actors. The house was well and
most fashionably attended. The National Anthem
aa as sung during the evening by the whole company
'slated by Mr. and Mrs. W. Seguin.

WILSON'S SCOTTISH ENTER-
TAINMEN T S.
MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS.
The entertainment given last evening at the Music
hall,l, Store-street, by Mr. Wilson, had, at least, this
,°veltY, that it was not exclusively Scottish. In sketch-
ing the chequered and disastrous life of the only British
Queen who was also Queen of France, and illustrating his
111.7te1l 1337 the many and beautiful songs to which her.
te.issitudes and the poetical temper of her era gave. in-
tlAraticn, he introduced a specimen of French mins-
trelsy in her time—the " Last Lay of Chatelard." That
hatelard was the secretary of Mary, and her lover—
(`` for which he suffered death")—is, unhappily for the
Queen's reputation, as a faithful, just, or merciful woman,
b°l3 Well known. But the last lay of the martyred trou-
ttdcall', as sung by Mr. Wilson, is instructive in this
;Peet that it proves there remained to his time a
to
d_llein of that Celtic feeling, the want of which, in later
va-
pidity given to French music its characteristic
The Biscayans still preserve in their music, as
in their language, strongly marked traces of their kin-
dred to those sons of song who carried to the far west
that inexhaustible fund of melody which Scotland pos-
,_irs, and which no one can draw upon with greeter
with the d
effect
than r. Wilson. Whilst we sympathised
delight of his audience, we were compelled to
11M their want of eonsideration for their entertainer

convenience. The task which he had undertaken—to
sing fourteen songs without relief—was in itself severe
enough. It was cruelly selfish to encore him seven times.

NATIONAL MUSIC OF IRELAND.
CROSBY HALL.

The second lecture of Mr. F. H. Iforncastlo, on the
National Music of Ireland, was last night delivered to
a numerous and decidedly scientific audience a: Crosby
Bishopsgate-street. The didactic portion of the
lecture was profoundly learned) but the clear intelli-
gence of the lecturer, the simplicity of his eloquence,
and the force, impressiveness, and dignity of his
manner, induced his hearers to believe that they
all came away possessed with the knowledge with
which his discourse was enriched. The illus-
trations were not only apposite, but conclusive in
their proof of the theory which he propounded, The
Bardic Caoine (or Funeral Chaunt of the Bards)—the
thrilling " Fairy Chaunt," which the author of the
" Zauberfloete" ought to have learned before he set
about a composition in which the magic, of music was to
be expressed—and even that sweet air of Lover's, " The
Four-leaved Shamrock"—were received with a rapture
which was not more creditable to the Professor and his
fair assistants, than to the company that could so
deeply appreciate their merits.