The Sun. — 1865-11-11 (London, England)

AMBIGU.—TIII3 theatre has brought out a drama in five acts with a prologue entitled " La Meuniere.” The scene is laid in Normandy in the time of the Regency, when plots were the order of the day. The hero of M. Anicet Burgeois' drama was deeply engaged in a movement which was to introduce the King of Spain into France. Captured and on the point of being condemned; he is saved by a miller's daughter, who swears to an alibi of a compromising character for her honour. The count rewards the miller's daughter by marrying her first and neglecting her afterwards in favor of a governess whose brother is the villain of the tale, and tries to murder the countess that his sister may reign in her stead. In the .end the count repents, the countess recovers her supremacy, the governess is discharged, and the wicked brother is shot as a caution. We cannot say much in favour of this lengthy production; we are familiar with all the characters, and instead of meeting in the depths of Normandy with the Norman nobleman we encounter the French gentleman of the Regent school with his fine Versailles manners and red-heeled shoes. GAlTE.—After having produced several pieces in quick succession, this theatre has now fallen back on the celebrated old drama of M.M. Dennery and Bresil, entitled " l'Escamoteur." The success of this piece when first played, about six years ago, was in a great measure owing to the manner in which the principal role was filled by M. Paulin Menier, " whose Escamoteur" was justly considered as a triumph of art. The Gaite has done well again to secure the services of this talented actor, who  appears to have lost none of his prestige vigour, and who retains the power of making the audience roar with laughter or sob with emotion. M. Menier, or rather Beaujolais, appears in the second act as a conjuror at a country fair, cracking jokes, playing tricks, and telling fortunes ; a well-bred villain then catches hold of him and persuades him to claim as his daughter a young lady who had been adopted, when an infant, by Comte de Varennes. Furnished with forged papers Beaujolais presents himself to the Count, and after several pathetic scenes carries off Helene, whom the Count had made his heiress. Just as he was about to hand her over to the tender mercies of the villain d'Armentiere the conjuror discovers that the girl is really his daughter, and the whole nature of the man becomes changed at once, and he sets to work to repair the wrong he has committed, and even goes to the length of disowning his child in order that she may regain her previous position. The way in which M. Paulin Menier goes through the transitions of his role (which we have briefly sketched) is perfectly marvellous : the light-hearted conjuror, the ready knave, the impatient dupe, the man in a false position, his anger, his love, and resignation, are phases of character all played with equal facility and power; and, besides this, M. Menier has the nack of never losing sight of his original Character, and no matter under what feeling he is labouring, the shuffler and passer of cards is constantly peeping out. M. Menier was ably seconded by MM. Latouche, Manuel, and Alexandre, and Mdmcs. Lacroix and Clarence. M. Lacroix as jeune-prenier was simply absurd. BouFFEs-PAnislENs.--Awaiting the appearance of "Le Berger," the Buffes gives us " Jeanne qui rit and Jean qui pleure," by MM. Nuiter and Treffen, music by Offenbach, and " Les Douze Innocentes," by M. de Najac, music by M. Albert Grisar. The first-named operetta gives Mlle. Bouffar the opportunity of playing a double role, for Jean is merely Jeanne in disguise. The music is.now melancholy, now living, suiting the action of the piece, and amongst other charming morceaux we may mention the couplets "Jeanne pleure ! ah! ah ! C'est Jean qui rit !" and " Je Buis llpaietatglseeanfntat. inlle meuniere." Desird is capital as a Norman t a s"yLsesu n Domegby th eltnwneolcveent niecess' ' of m i s a pleasant and their intended husbands. Some couplets by Mdlle.Garait and a military song by Berthelier were much admired.