The Express. — 1868-10-19 (London, England)

ADELI'II I.  Ft..ine years ligo—it may lw nearly twoaty— M. Aky.at.tlte Litan:a;a lung and intete,torf tir.tta t of Jich:e (flelo tva. tortsdnetil at lir.Try-lane rfo tuts 'tog .t!.e I'r,ll.•!t .1, .o.ny w:o o ty .1 %a l'arh. tauter 11., tiVe of the Th‘: ot!r o te, ani I( !format!, e. owing to the inwol•to‘te I,mt r.tt ~1 •:.:411 a, two `11'1..4-. 1 al: It 11:!ill Of .•:(1! 10. MA the pr.tk (1., .1. t of the wtlra tl la a .• It at Ott at . ti..•  • ta: I: - a to 1::: : •: ; I. I. A bud). of I.taie.c.stant head 11.iy .• • Li.t, r ei.Sesl. who :411 nit don g ti•l r',.?•. • .• t !iir. 50:1 a body l'. Alf I. • !:•I I 1.1 by a I..te 11r. Albeit Smith. (Vl ail they eoul,l t t 'WE sin 1 ia :;•u intisti•s. I makoutents, however, aid.• I ty ugth of the d:auni, bue,ceded its driving t..e riecn..tie runguny fr. eu the boit tits of the so-called n itioatal and Prieto rend' its few 'emaining appear:in:to. at tl.cSt. James's Tlicatte. -a house that, Lke Leicester-s ire and Sao. has always been considered more Freneh than English. Since that eventful period of theatrical history an English of _Weak Cristo, having alt sat the 5313:1 literary value as the existing " acting" versions of the 21,,r dr Nest( and Lt mum, has been played at many provincial and suburban theatres; but on Saturday night a new, and elaborate adaptation of the story was produced at the Adelphi with results that might have been antisainted by any one who remembered the effect of the former experiment. The new version iu • 'eulogise and four acts, by a nameless adapter, cousumed five full hours in representation, and as the curtain did sot rise until a smarter to eight on Saturday night, it only fell at a quarter to one on Sunday morning. Since the ever-memorable production of Wash at Her Majesty's Theatre, no similar scone has been witnessed within the walls of a London Theatre, the audience beginning to hiss in anger, and then ending in derisive dies rs. long before the termination of the third act the house gradually thinned, and of those who remained, a large number were bound to their seats by a sewn of duty. The fascination of M. Dumas's story is known to mast rewlers of fietion, soul the acting of the Adelphi version, with a fins ex,:.•ptions, is admirable, and pi these atlanntiges wore thriavn away on the flr.t nir,lat for the want of VI it little managerial determination which wauild have broaght the likes within reasenahle meting limits. Dm Adalphi adapter of Moak ti's rife has m.klitia 1 the slimy, the mincipal change being to make Mont.' Ude bud a ton in the plan: of the son of one of leis tlirao pleat uruuies. 110 story is a story, and littio 11010. I hap!, ter end m °liability ate both de fled for mho sake of effi et. and the dramatic version increases the effect by tires. agile the Probability. The adaptation is overloaded iihilnrtmtivo-1007. scenes iu which there is much talkitig sod little action, but the interest of the drains sustaius itiitlf in spite of the h ugt It :mud e3tUirleN.lty of the plot and the number of eh:, ruetern. If the nuinagement will re:miss,1.-sly cut suit about nue•third of the dialogue. the dra•rrt yet live and 'itemise isomilar. l lee Main feature. at the story are sa generally kuown that ail dctni4d nesannit of Ow piot is slillte:a4 y. play elan. with the mairia:ie of the Soil eq li lit :al 14.1.1.-. at La:•,illy. and Ins :Wrest ;01 a p 'ell %1. t in ; titan me i to the cell.: of tli., Chal...tu I)' It, wia •:•‘• he Lin leen :'or )cars, and after his we hint, •• !Sionto Cristo, iiain.taio i• s ie mi.-, ono by osi••, in bi.VlO:l tti If 1.1 V.. tLe ailscilf age f beito vu soh. The irt.:ei is W. 41 pat I hug tLc rt.,..., the tier) hein:7 11 Vr. tr,lsS : I lir :;:t of !!•• co, well itrealigel;lut a Of Sy of tieo sets w.ur.l lite tliatel:l 1:00 the of Ifonte Cei•to. wood Luse 111 LIS The.o effoi live if it e,eilil have Leen brought al eel w ithout an hour's preliminary senden by a ilyiekt puieel in a gl.untly eon, and withotit'a rook /being thrown a tutu Use :1:4, el.kls was • very ridiculous parody of a dead  body. A powerful scene after this in the Inn of the Pont du Gard, where a murder is attempted and a suicide is committed, was spoiled by its great length, and great pains More been taken to finish the play with an anti-climas, apparently for the rake of re-introducing the opening scene. Monte Cristo—a most staqey but effective character —with his numerous changes of costumo and manner, is • Food Fart for Mr. Pechter, who is another adept in the stage trick of supernatural composure. Mr. Benjamin 'Webeter, who represents Noirtier, a part also with four changes of costume, is not behind Mr. Ferhter ; and the two actors play into each other's Mewls admirably. Mr. Ashley as Villefort, Mr. Arthur Stirling Si Fernand, and Mr. It. Phillips as . Manglers —the throe enemies of Monte Cristo add to the general elfacf ; while Mercedes—the betrothed of Monti Cristo— Albert do Moreerf, a young soldier, and Carcoute, the reckless wife of Caderousee, could not be better performed than they were by MUM Carlotta cj, Mrs. Alfred Mellon, and Mrs. Leigh Murray. Cade-oLes s, the drunken innkeeper, is played with groat force and humour by Mr. G. Belmore ; and the acting, scenery, firemen, and story will probably make the drama sun-es,ful, if the ad•ptsr will only reduce the great length of hi, work. The house was ern:S.44d} in every part, end Mr. Webster and Mr. Pechter were must enthusiastically received—at the ecniniencement.