The Sun. — 1845-02-04 (London, England)

THE THEATRES. LYCEUM.  A new comic drama in two sets, entitled Taking Possession, was produced at this theatre last night. Mr. Beatus Boodle (Mr. Keeley), a traveller for a fish sauce and pickle warehouse, goes to Germany in the way of his vocation, and falls in with a band of gipsies, one of whom is in possession of a lottery ticket, which he offers to sell to the retailer of sauce samples for 100 florins. Mr. Boodle offers ten, expecting that it will be refused; but he is mistaken. The ten florins are paid, and No. 1,688 is Boodle's. Well, the numbers are drawn for, and 1,688 is a prize, the holder being declared the winner of Ratenhole Castle ; whereupon the Englishman is all joy, shouting, " at the top of his bent," " Rule Britannia." But the ticket, of right, belonged to Carl, the nephew of the seneschal of the castle, and the leader of the gipsy band (Mr. Wigan) undertakes to get the title deeds from Boodle. Of course Ore latter makes all diligent haste to see his noble castle and demesnes on the banks of the Danube, and the gipsy leader has everything prepared to give him a warm reception. In the first place, as lie is leaving the steamer in the small-boat, he gets a ducking; then, wishing to make a speech to his tenantry on the subject of allotments, the corn-laws, and wash-hooves for the poor, he is well pelted by the tenantry. Ile is next shown into a cold, unfurnished room, where he is to spend the night. The gipsy leader comes in disguise, and you know, of course, that poor Boodle cannot sleep. What between the howling of the wolves and the ghost st"ries with which his companion entertains him, ho confesses he is the most miserable of men. Bat that is not all. lie is told that the gipsies aro bent on murdering him. One of them, who took some of his soy, supposing it to be a very rare beverage, declaring that he has a particular and especial cause of complaint against him on that account. The good angel who brings this information to the disconsolate Boodle you may guess is a gipeey herself ; and in order to evade their wicked designs, by her advice, he alters his appearance, and pretends that he is a foreign gipsey himself. Of course he is received with acclamation, and, that he may not be idle,.he is desired to kill the leader of the band, Balthazar. There is much humour in his going to act his first murder ; but Balthazar, who knows he is disguised, says he will tell who he is, and our poor Boodle is terrified out of being a murderer nialgrc lui. The gipsies all vow the most horrid treatment against the new landlord of the castle, who trembles all over in his disguise, and he is but too happy to resign the title deeds of the castle, having got as much money as will bring him back to England. Carl and his betrothed, Corra (Mrs. A. Wigan), are thus made happy, and Boodle vows never to go beyond call of the new police. The idea of the traveller for sauce samples is evidently taken from "Our Own Correspondent" of the " Scourge," and like all imitations, it falls deeply below the original. It would be difficult to say what is the aim of the piece, except that it serves as a vehicle for some halting witticisms, which, however, like lame Vulcan performing the office of cup•bearer, raised roars of laughter amongst the blessed " gods." The piece was announced for repetition,