The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-25 00:00:00

THE THEATRES.

DRURY-LANE.
B ileConsequence of the illness of Miss Romer,
foar s opera of the Bohemian Girl was substituted
Robert the Devil, which had been announced as
the
first piece to be performed last evening. After
the opera, we had a new comic ballet, entitled Robert
eLl3ertrand. This ballet is another version of Robert
Fcaire, and we had no idea that the story of our
°id friend Robert could have been made into such an
excellent plot for a ballet. It is true that various
_Zisodes were introduced in order to give an oppor-
nitY for the production of various pas de caractere,
thwhich Mademoiselle Polin and M. Gasparini, from
lie; Royal Opera, Berlin, made their first appearance
*e an English audience. Mademoiselle Polin is
decidedly the most accomplished danseuse who has
e roared at Drury-lane during the present season.
is very young, very pretty, and very ani-
kiatc4; there is a jlyousness about her style of
41cing which reminds one strongly of Lerito,
Fanny Ile for neatness of execution she rivals even
Ellsler herself. She appears first of
th; a grand pos de deux with Gasparini. In
1320. she was exceedingly graceful, and her tours
si7resse were neat and beautiful in the extreme.
e was rapturously applauded, and from that mo-
;lent took her station as one of the first danseuses of
day—as La Deesse of the theatre. She next ap-
pred in a new Polka with Gasparini. This Polka,
eguldtely superior to the original Polka—superior
tvtea to the Redowa—is certainly the most charac-
teristic and spirited that we have yet seen in England.
2111 entered thoroughly into its spirit, and not only
7emed it exquisitely, but acted it with the most
),be-
witching coquetry. It is needless to say that she
as rapturously applauded, and that the dance was
enthusiastically encored. Her last pas was a pas seul,
tambourine dance, La Esmeralda. It was a per-
i,e
lect triumph, and Mademoiselle Polin may consider
public,
as firmly fixed in the favour of the British
1,-01,utic- She was excellently supported by Gasparini,
° is a clever and accomplished dancer. 'Mesde-
moiselles Adele and Louise also made their first ap-
tes,rance before a Drury-lane audience in this ballet,
72 danced a pas de deux and a bolero very
sracefully and cleverly—they are accomplished
Zeittes and will be an acquisition to the corps of
Wtheatre. Payne, the prince of buffo dancers,
lit! Robert Alacaire, and T. Mathews was Bertrand.
We,ir pantomime was first-rate, and their burlesque
" Cachouca" was one of the, most humorous
things we have seen for many a long day. The au-
kence were in a roar the whole time of its perform-
:cc, and at the conclusion, it was rapturously
encored. The ballet ends with a fete a la Vaux-
it in which a balancer exhibits some very won-
Cic'on, and thus escape from their pursuers. The
al feats, and Robert and Bertrand ascend in a
L
mitise was very well attended.

HAY MABKET.
The performances at the Haymarket, last night,
ffor asned with the Sheriff of the County, which band
f for as great a run of popularity as Old Heads
(lung Hearts, its predecessor. The rural simplicity
the Sheriff (Mr. W. Farren), the tawdry pride of
the Sheriff's wife, the gaucherie of the servants, and
historical blunders of Pansy, the gardener (Buck-
iZ'lle) continue to amuse as much as ever. As for
ze episodical story of the soldier, who is sentenced
be shot for knocking down his superior officer, it
L
" dull, heavy, and tiresome, and quite out of keeping
With the lively characters of the play. Webster 's
ing as Lord Mayor's footman, a sort of culinary
e'll-sergeant, was admirable, and Mr. Strickland
:amplified the craft and selfishness of Smirker, the
4orney, in a manner which was loudly applauded.
A new grand, classical, extravaganza," as the bill
terms it, called the Golden Fleece, was brought out
last night, for the first time. It is in two
Ports, and Mr. Planche is the author. Every
thool-boy knows the history of Jason and
ye Golden Fleece. Eetes, King of Colchis (Mr.
Attrues Bland) promises to restore the golden
Zece, provided Jason tamed bulls which breathed
'es to conquer a multitude of armed men
bo would spring from a field, which Jason was
ftged to sow with serpents' teeth, and to kill a dra-
pl which incessantly watched at the foot of a tree
Zro which the Golden Fleece was suspended. Medea,
bath
King's daughter (Madame Vestris), falls in love
4th Jason (Miss P. Horton), and in return for vows
da eternal fidelity, promises to deliver him from all
egers. The stage, after the fashion of the ruined
leek Theatre, was partially raised, and the rising
etothe curtain discloses the Palace of the King of
rd English
on the front of which is written in Greek
re English characters, " All in my eye and Betty
hartin.' There is a mock throne, and the chorus is
,presented by Mr. Charles Mathews, dressed in the
ro St approved classical costume, who, as the bill in-
US, "renders at least 59 male voices perfectly
ress.' To sustain a performance like this, where
plot has little interest, an almost uninter-
7,epted flow of humour is necessary a succession
itsl ridiculous incidents, humorous expressions,
Which
witty hrases • ulness in a composition,
"i h
e as neither solidity or refinement to re-
etnlinend it, is intolerable. Mr. Planche seems
'l3' alive to this, and the Golden Fleece contains a
jreat deal of broad farcical humour, and of a vein of
eIY ridicule. 2Eetes is attired much in the same
antier as Creon in Antigone, and Bland mimics,
With rauch;truth and effect, the pomp and dignity of
"Itadenhoff. Jason sings a moat unclassical song,
lan a sprightly, lively lad." Zetes leaves the stage,
,h
-"d Jason,

Pursues the King,
To the grind-stone his nose to bring,
then Medea is about to charm the dragon, she ob-
serves, that
The dragon is a very artful dodger,
And sleeps with one eye open—the dry old codger.
And Jason fears he will be,
Like the Lord Chancellor who got the pack,
"Re has lost the wool and only got the sack.
hen Medea inquires, in what manner,
YEetes' spirit fled,
430 n replies
By a punch on the head.
rld iEetes says
That fatal puneh, I feel it in my noddle,
e, And down to Pluto's realms I must toddle.
much for the first part. The foundation of the
4eeond is—Creon, King of Corinth, promises his
d Medea,
(Glauces) to Jason, who repudiates Medea.
"led fr ea, in revenge, sends her a poisoned garment,
,411 which she dies, and Creon, with hii family,
1;0'e a similar fate, the palace being burnt, with
Jason's
the piece concludes. Medea complains of
4son's conduct, and says that—
How mad it will drive her ;
A I'll be thrown on the parish without a single sliver.
11d pathetically exclaims—
fle (Jason) lives in a fine palace over there,
While I and my two babbies are coop'd in a two-pair !
''11(1 when the chorus remonstrate she, after some
mile reasoning, classically exclaims—
A, lid, therefore, most inveterate haters,
-;lose up the trap in which you put your taters
reon interferes, upon which Medea says—
None of your soft sawder,
Your downy words don't weigh with me a feather 1
When Medea says—
Tl, A bridal gift for Glauces I'm preparing.
4'ie Chorus answers—
which, I have no doubt, she'll be the worse for
wearing
The Chorus, speaking of Jason, says—
If I Were hia father I'd break all his bones,
\And send him to sea like that other boy Jones.
e cannot notice this piece at greater length, and
41
ill pst conclude by remarking, that it was loudly ap-
Oncled, and that at the fall of the curtain Mr,
lathews came forward, amid the cheers of the nu-
llet!ce, and announced its continuance until further
ottee.

ADELPIII.
Even if those " sweet recorders," the play-bills,
tilere more modest and less lavish of their promises
t an they generally are, one would have many reasons
A°: expecting a treat on Easter Monday. In the
,i3t place, after the rigours of Lent, during which,
th course, as good Christians, we have observed all
Aat the rubric and the most precise and normal
t, ne doctor would enjoin, we are anxious, and na-
ogrally so, for a little relief, and betake ourselves to
pliir ordinary mundane amusements ; and, in the next
vv!•ee, considering how we have been lately kept
within doors, muffled to the mouth, and as near as
Nye could well sit to as large a fire as we could
ell have, it is not to be wondered at if we
ere
ready to enjoy the first day of spring,
and
willing to find good in everything. But that is
N,7angerous state of feeling for one to enter a theatrese ,
who is supposed to be as rigid at Themis her-
r, so we allowed ourselves to cool down as much as
rnosßible before witnessing St. George and the Dra-
thl'it_he Easter-piece at this theatre, the plot of
'en is as simple as can well be, and simplicity is a
charm whenever it does not run into—and the parti-
oll is very easily overstepped—silliness. St. George
out 83 Woolgar), and the other six Champions set
Eupon their adventures. St. George arrives in
gypt, where he falls into the very best so-
th tY--that of King Ptolemy (Mr. Selby), and into
Yer.y
to
best love—that of the King's daugh-
/31;. the Princess Sabra (Miss Chaplin).
t'the Princess is too pretty not to have more corn-
etitors for her hand than St. George. Almidor,
.-.l\ll,lperor of Morocco (Mr. Wright), and the Dragon
ih_tr. Paul Bedford), are his rivals. The scenery is,
tirieifore, principally Egyptian, and it is really beau-
"lY executed. The Egyptians had a taste for the
L and
ett„, and beautiful, and any one who reads Lu-
" s description of Caesar by Cleopatra will be of
,bolotpirion ; and though we cannot boast of having
he l
old Viceroy, or the Pyramids, or the three
deuern„iii lred-szated Memphis, or the Nile, we had a good
1;i realised for us last night, and saw living
moving representations of what we be-