The Sun.
London, England, 1842-10-03 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

This -theatre re-opened for the season on Saturday
evening, with Shakspeare's comedy of As You Like
It; previously to which the company sang the "Na-
tional Anthem." The appearance of Rosalind, in the
second scene, introduced the heroine in the person of
Mrs. Nisbett, after an absence from this stage of six
years. Warmly greeted at her entree, the audience,
no less brilliant than-full, was soon attuned to a plea-
surable humour. To .fall in love, but neither in
earnest, nor too much in.sport, is the delightful tiason
formed between herself and Celia (Mrs. Stirling).
But this harmless mean . soon finds itself vain of ob-
servance; and when the wrestling-ring is pitched,
and the match at the Duke's Court ensues, Orlando
(Mr. Anderson), who conquers, enlists both the
sympathies and love of Rosalind wholly in his behalf.
His manliness and nobility of manner at once win
her, and love is lit up in her bosom, not like a slow
taper, but like the sudden lightning. Of the banish-
ment of both from Frederick's, the Usurper's Court,
it is unnecessary to relate ; or of the diverse routes
by which they reciprocally arrive in the broad
woods of Arden. But no longer in her flowing satin,
Rosalind, compatibly with the projects of her heart.
and the roughness of her future life and journey, ha,
assumed the habiliments of a man. She adopts a
" swashing and martial outside ;" the curtle-axe sets
trimly to her thigh, and the ine symmetry of the
woman shows handsomely in hose and tunic. Her(
the play widens. The entire scenes now range in the
forest of Flanders. The Ducal outlaws from the
Court there uphold, with their retainers, a serene and
unehartered liberty—the greenwood and its caves
their homes, and the sides of the deer their food for
banquet. But the salt of wisdom also seasons their
society, and the melancholy Jaques makes his ab-
stract comments on the world and its weary ways. Mr.
Macready personated this difficult character—difli-
cult, because there exists a depth of thought in it.
which only the penetration of the scholar and the refined
judgment of the gentleman can enter into or perceive;
and he has lavished study on it in its nicest points, as
we saw in his preservation of one of Sir Thomas
Hamner's most minute readings, and other passages.
Luxuriously laid at length in the forest, we first be-
hold him "sucking melanchOly out of a song," and
feeding his museful disposition on a sylvan warble ;
next he flung out his spleen against the world in a
verse of his own sarcasm, and then quitted company-
to rail against "all the first-born of Egypt." Merrily,
but yet shaded with sadness, he recounted his meeting
with the " fool i' the forest;" averred that motley was
the only wear ; waxed impatient to assume the suit ;
and then relapsed into that tine soliloquy cxpatiative
on the world, its stage, and players. Grave and de-
corous in its delivery, the dignity of the sentiments-
liser never descended to mimickry in this piece of
oratory, though the whistle of the "childish treble"
was distinctly enough heard, and appropriative action
and enunciation characterised it throughout. But
Orlando and Rosalind—the representatives of hive—
one, in its manly and impassioned form —the other,
deep as woman's soul, but gushing forth in all the
exuberant vivacities of a spring-like, dulcified exist-
ence. Mrs. Nisbett sparkled with spirit from the first
act to the final fifth. A glistening liveliness was
perpetually in her eye and movement. Strategist as
she shows herself to be in the management of her
disguised love, the delusive dazzle she throws about
Orlando is nevertheless marked by sincerity and deep
affection. Meanwhile, Orlando hangs upon tree and
brake his rhymed praises of her beauty, and in court-
ing her under the assumed soubriquet of Ganyinede,
unconsciously woocs his real mistress, every moment
drinking light from her eyes and passion from her lip.
Then ensues the clever denouement, which unravels
the plot. Men and maidens come in with profuse
rose-garlands : a bowery temple is constructed of
their wreaths ; and in the presence of all, I lyinen, in
his saffron vest, and with his consecrative torch, knits
the long-parted lovers together, Rosalind having re-
sumed the becoming attire of her virtue, modesty,
and beauty. Among the episodes which occur, the
dry and caustic humour of Mr. and Mrs. Keeley as
Touchstone and Audrey created much laughter, and
the enactment was • felicitous. Mr. Anderson's Or-
lando, marked by masterly •bearing throughout,
showed to much advantage in that scene wherein he
demands food for his dying servant, Adam (Mr.
Phelps); and Mr. Hudson as Le Beau, the exquisite,
was brisk, spirited, and clever. The sceneries were
of a superior cast ; and the last, representing a stately
forest arcade, brilliantly effective. The songs were
ordinarily good ; the best executed being " It was a
lover and his lass," in which Miss P. Horton joined.
The house testified its pleasure rather by attentive-
ness than vehement applause, in accordance with the
thoughtful and sententious nature of the play. Mrs.
Nisbett delivered the epilogue in her most fisscinating
manner, and was loudly called for at the 'fall of the
curtain, re-appearing with Mr. Macready. The en-
tertainments closed with the humorous farce of the
last season, entitled The Attie Story, which, with the
comicalities of Gabriel Paddy (Keeley), and the in-
trigues arising out of the masquerading propensities
of half a dozen fashionables, produces many amusing
points, and provokes considerable mirth. The house
was excessively full.