The Sun. — 1850-04-09 (London, England)

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.  An original play of powerful interest (so described in the bills), from the pen of Mr. Bayle Bernard, entitled The Passing Cloud, was produced here last evening with complete success. The scene of the play is laid in Bremen, and it is in two acts, each act consisting of a single scene. At the opening of the play we find that Mr. Hartzmann (Mr. Vandenhoff), a rich and prosperous merchant of Bremen, beloved and respected by all the citizens, has been unanimously elected burgomaster. A beggar is brought before him for judgment, and in the beggar he recognises his own brother Moritz (Mr. James Anderson), who seventeen years before had been condemned to the gallies at Leghorn fcr swindling, and who, having effected his escape, had come to Bremen for the purpose of seeing his daughter Linda (Miss Vandenhoff), whom the brother had adopted and had brought up as his own child. He sees her, but she knows not he is her father, and he then intends to leave Bremen for ever. In the meantime, one of his former companions in crime, Waldeck (Mr. Cooper), has, after a long swindling career, established himself at Bremen as Colonel Rheinberg, a gentleman whom he had robbed and murdered, and whose papers he had stolen. He seeks to force Linda into alliance with him by threatening to expose Hartzman, and to deceive her produces the record of the conviction of Moritz, having previously altered the name from Moritz to Albert. To save her father, as she thinks, she reluctantly consents to this alliance at the very time she is about to be wedded to another whom she loves, and, in order that her father may not imagine that she knows his guilt, she actually pretends love for the miscreant Waldeck, and is on the point of consummating the sacrifice, when Moritz enters, denounces Waldeck, exposes his machinations, and then, overcome by his emotions, falls dead at the feet of his daughter, who knows not that it is her father to whom she has shown charity and kindness. The piece was strongly cast : the acting of Mr. James Anderson as Moritz was full of power. The scenes with his brother and with his daughter were beautifully given, and his making up was admirable. He was called on at the conclusion of the first act, and again at the close of the play. Miss Vandenhoff was excellent as Linda. Her scene with Waldeck was full of that intensity of feeling which is so characteristic of the performances of this talented young lady. Mr. Vandenhoff's Hartzmann was a fine artistical piece of acting, powerful and pathetic, without being violent, and Mr. Cooper's Waldeck was a very careful and efiective performance. It would be unjust to close this notice without mentioning in terms of high praise the acting of Mr. Emery in the very subordinate part of Raub, a pirate captain. It was a perfect piece of acting, and elevated the part of Raub to the dignity of a character. Mr. and Miss Vandenboff, Mr. James Anderson, and Mr. Cooper were called'on at the fall of the curtain, and if the piece is judiciously curtailed (it at present acts for three hours, and is only in two acts) it will no doubt have a sun, as it is just adapted for the holiday folks. The Devil's Ring, that most magnificent of spectacles, followed, and drew a crowd at half Trice.