The Sun. — 1835-04-21 (London, England)

THE THEATRES.  COVENT-GARDEN.  The performances at this house last night were Pizarro and Carlmilhan, or the Drowned Crew. The first piece went off with more than ordinary spirit, in consequence of the very effective acting of Mr. Vandenhoff as Rolla. We have seen both Young and Kean in this part, yet we never saw it played more finely than it was played last night. It is just the sort of showy character—occupying a mean between tragedy and melodrame—to suit the abilities of Mr. Vandenhoff. This gentleman is the first of the secondrate order of actors. He cannot play Sbakspeare ;at least he cannot embody the more elevated and intellectual creations of the great dramatist ; but short of this, he is a judicious and efficient performer. In Rolla he is quite at home. He threw a redeeming grace over even the sorriestclap-traps of the part, and despite the monstrous violations of all nature in which it abounds, kept the interest of the audience alive to the last. Pizarro is one of those plays which delight the boy, as much as they disgust the man. Its sentiments bears the same proportion to real feeling that tinsel bears to gold. It substitutes rant for passion ; tawdry .imagery for fancy ; (Ind succeeds solely by virtue of its imposing stage effect. We are glad to see that the age is fast outgrowing this romantic puerility. After the play a new Easter Melodrama was produced for the first time.. It takes its name from a person who had been once commander of a piratical vessel, who had inand as a termination to his career of dulged in every crinlo, robbery and murder,, sunk tn..? vessel together with himself and the whole crew, at the Nikkui .Holl, on the coast of the Hebrides. A tradition prevails in ti:? neighbourhood that the treasure of the Carinzilhan was lying hire beneath the waves, and many of course sought to enrich themselves by the discovery, among the rest Magnus Spiel, a young fisherman (Mr. Cooper). Her former commander, being superhuman, still continues m command of. the wreck, with all her treasures, and has, moreover, the power of bestowing them on any person who might be bold enough to accompany him to the bottom of the deep. Magnus Spiel is that person, for, being in love, being poor, and willing to do anything that may enrich him and enable him to marry, he boldly determines to accompany Carlmilhan to the wreck. Down he goes accordingly, being protected by a spell against the danger of drowning. The wealth of the wreck is now opened to his view, and all is offered to him on the condition that the commander shall at a certain time take his place and semblance upon earth only for one hour. This is agreed upon, and Magnus Spiel emerges from the deep a man of boundless affluence. He marries his beloved Uda (Miss Taylor) : but just as the wedding banquet is in progress, the commander of the wreck appears to exact the fulfilment of the promise. He conveys Uda with him to the wreck, determined to enjoy for all time to come the felicity of her society. Her husband, however, remaining still in possession of the anti-suffocation spell, descends once more to the bottom to seek his spouse. The Commander seeing the unconquerable strength of their mutual love, and hoping by one act of goodness to atone for past crimes, agrees to the release of his captives, who return to earth and are made happy. Besides the characters already mentioned there is a brother of Magnus (Mr. Brindal) in love with Norna (Mrs. Fitzwilliam), a drunken landlord (Mr. Webster), and a son of his (Mr. Meadows), who is much of a simpleton and a coward. The scenery, the only thing worth notice in this piece, is very striking, particularly the rising of the waters, which discovers the wreck of the ancient ship, with all her crew and her cargo of wealth. The crew are seen strewed about the vessel, and by the superhuman power of her commander, being raised to an appearance of momentary life, they act over again the blasphemy and horrors of their profession. There is a splendid view of a bay and a fishing village, with various other scenes of high merit, both on and under the waters, a grand banquet hall, a watch tower, &c. &c. The whole is enlivened by dancing, and by appropriate music, composed by Mr. T. Cooke. The overture, in particular, has considerable merit in its way. The piece was decidedly successful ; and with a little judicious curtailment, may, we think, have a rdn. The House was well filled— but not till half-price.