The Sun.
London, England, 1828-12-13 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

(Omitted y,sterday for want of room.)
The management of this establishment appear to be re-
solved upon attaining a popularity that is without any
former parallel, by the successive, and rapid production of
dramatic novelty. It is pleasurable, therefore, to be en-
abled to record, that the new historical drama, entitled
Charles the Twelfth, or the ' Siege of Stralsund, was
pre-eminently successful yestern4ht. Our' readers war
pereeive by-the following east of charautart, how admir-
ably it was sustained
Charles XII. King. of Sweden Mr. W. FARREN.
Colonel Iteichel Mr. Len.
Gustavus 'de More, It Vrtow.
Major Vanborg (w.der the namesufFirmann) Mr: Coopurt,
Adam Brock Mr.' LISTON.
. Triptolomens Mudd,ewerk Mr. MAIILOY.
tni ica (Daughter GI Vanberg) Mi:s E. 'faun.
(1 laughter of Adam Brock):.. Miss Lore. •
The plot is founded upon one of those singular stories
supposed to have occurred during the siege of. Stralsund.
Major Yeitaberg, having incurred the resentment of some
of Charles's courtiers, is condemned in a sunimat:y..gay
to perpetual banishment. Instead, however, of complying
with this harsh decree, the conviction of his own inno-
cence of the crime he is accused of determines him to
take refuge in the isle of Rugen, where in the • incognita
of an innkeeper, in the immediate vicinity of a foster bro-
ther, Adam Brock, be eludes for a time all observation.
Charles the Twelfth is induced to visit the island for mili-
tary purposes (incog. also), and takes up his temporary resi-
dence in this very inn. .Hiesecretary, Gustavus de MerUelt,.
is the attached lover of Vanliery's daughter, but in ignorance
of her place of.exile. The king converses with Ulrica, as
one of his own officers, and obtains from her the secret of
her attachment, and supposing her to be the daughter of a
poor innkeeper only, is highly enraged with Gustavus for
the attempt Io seduce the of of a young female,
whose disparity of rank precludes the possibility of an
union with him. IVhilst interrogating his secretary, who
has discovered that Mica is the innkeeper's daughter, he
receives despatches announcing the intelligence of Van-
berg's being in the island of Rugen, and instantly desires
his secretary to write the order for his immediate arrest,
and a reward for his apprehension. Vanbery and fits
daughter are apprised of this, awl seek refuge in the house
of his foster-brother, Adam Brock, to whom the King
pays au immediate visit, passing for an officer of his Ma-
jeety. He informs Brock that he is deputed by the King
to repay hint a sum of money, which Broch had patrioti-
cally sent in some time of need -intO:the Royal Treasury,
making his son, the bearer, a present to his Majesty
to serve in his army. - Muddlewerk, the Burgomas-
ter, having obtained the proclamation. for Vanbery's
arrest, comes to acquaint Brock, and fixes
.upon
Charles himself, as answering the description- of Van-
,bery. The King, however, discovers himself. A noee-I.
sage is brought to him,. that a sudden attack has com-
menced upon the island by the .Danes, and he flies to
repel it, accompanied by Vu»bery in disguise),.
Brock, and the villagers. The enemy is beat off;
and his Majesty's life preserved, by the intrepid exer-
tions of .Variberg, who saves the life of the King by
the interposition of his own person. The King sees and ac-
knowledges the act, by throWing his last pistol to Vanberg,
after -tiring at a Dane, who had nearly mastered his per-
son. This event, combined to the discovery of the vil-
linuous motives that had brought on Youbery's disgrace,
are explained to the King, who, notonly rescinds the un-
just sentence, but promotes Ilfafor. Vanbery to the rank of
General7--raisee Gustavus to the dignity of Count, and gives
his nuptial benediction to him with Ulrica, and also to
Colonel "Wayland .Eudi9n, who have also been attached..
Upon- this theme a most interesting little drama has
been formed, rendered still more so by the perfect efforts
of Mr. W. FARREN, as the splenetic and quaint fire-brand
Charles the Twelfth. Hie apppearance reminded •sv matt
forcibly of one of Sir Godfrey Kneller's stiff and formal
portraits ; but that FARREN occasionally walked and
talked, the illusion might have remained uudisturbed to
the present moment. Lisrorr, surprised us exceedingly,
by embodying the portraiture of a heetty, honest, alio
veey merry Farmer. I. the scene where Charles calls
to pay noun that 13i-Uck had lent him in a time of supposed
need, his rich effusions of blunt allusion to the King's 'rack
of punctuality in pecuniary reimbursements, and his own
contempt of worldly lucre,- contrasted iu the most effective
mauler possible with FARREN'S sententious manner and
immovable physiognomy. The conclusion of this, by far
the most-effective scene in the drama, was rewarded with.
unanimous " shouts of approbation"—real, not theatrical.
HARLEY was amusing, too, in an addle-beaded Magis-
trate, addicted to the utterance of snatches of classic lore,
as well as the perpetration of—" good bad" puns, one of
which, neither bad nor good, we will convey to our
readers. The busy and raeddliug propensities of the
Burgomaster- leads hint into a sad scrape by mistaking
the disguised King for the-supposed traitor, Major' Vein
-
berg. The Magistrate a takes to his heels, to save his
head," and whilst deploring, his fall from greatness,
"I shall be confined, like Uyolloo, in the dark towtro
when, instead of V-gqino, it will he .1.--go-leei-oh
Netwithstqodin,g this oetrageons ettenkpt to be f.intoy, Ana
a sckinewhat critical scene between the Kies acrd his se'
eretaty, iiieNtillg to Whom, a, shell falls into the
anti-vetoes and explode*, the ternduation of the piece was
unanimously hailed with actianiations of applause. Mr.
encored),
ohcoeorr
aditt),e g
E.
song,
.l:aEr, and fili.s Love
a la Waltzer, loudly
severally acquitted themselves well in their re-
spective characters.

CLEARS') OUTWARDS.-The Rose, Still, fur Havre-
de-Grace; L'Ainiable, Ray, kir R,rtleaux; Kingston,
Wood, for Savannah ; Carnation, Suitor, for St. Do.-
mingo ; Lora Nelson, Lutkerburton, for Charente ;
Swallow, Carden, for Leghorn ; Pheaunt, Al‘Doiwal,
for St. Thomas's and St. Domingo ; Susan, Waters, for
St. Ander°.