The Sun. — 1837-11-07 (London, England)

THEATRES.  DRURY-LANE. Under the auspices of Mr. Manche and the manager. neammont and Fletcher, -strange to say, incurred a failure at this house last night. This happened from their play cf Bonduca ,baving been made, under the title of Carartacia the vehicle of the grand spectacle which has for some time been premised from hencc to the excited anticipations of tla public. The plot of Caractacus is brief. The action openswith the preparations of that chieftain for an encounter with the Romans, under the propra3tor. Ostorius Scapula (Mr. King.) He takes part in a grand D.uidie ceremonial preparatory to battle-7fights—is defeated—loses his chief stronghold, and with it his wife and daughter—hcromcs fugitive with his son Hengo,--is betrayed to the Romans by a barbaric retainer a.-Qtreen Carthismandria—brought to Rome—paraded in a triumphal procession ; and, l'y, for his magnanimity-, is pardoned by Claudius Cmsar. Two episodes figure in the action—first a young Ro:nan 'Tribune, Junius (Mr. Brindal), having fallen in love with the (laughter of Caractacus, and not thriving in his passion, tries in vain to accomplish a fall of another kind—v.z., in battle ; hut, as usual, cannot possibly succeed in so desira'de a nurpose—L commits his loyalty by saving his mistress and Caractacus from the swords of his -soldiers—is punished by being treated as a British slave, and finally shares the good fortune of the hero, and has every prospect of marriage with his &mica. The second episode is of a veteran general in Britain, Penius Posthumus (Mr. Cooper) who having been superseded in his command by his junior, Ostorius Scapula, is exceedingly wroth, and refuses to obey orders to join in the battle, which ultimately decides the fortunes of Caractacus. He prognosticates that the young commander will be defeated, but when victory declares for lim, mortification and the indignatien of his own troops drive him to commit suicide, which he effects after the old Ro:nan manner, of perforating his thorax with his own sword. Some few passages in the part of Caractacus, which was sustained by Mr. Butler, were -listened to and applauded, especially the scenes with his stripling son (a part well played by a young gentleman who never trod the boards in London before) : but the rest was, as we have stated, utter failure. The house at first took the matter in angry dulness, and then in angry mirth, insomuch that the prolix heroics of old Posthumus, and the melting pathos of Junius, were either enlivened by an epidemic accompaniment of coughing or laughter, both, however, greatly alloyed with the less agreeable" !sounds of disapprobation. Delays between the acts kept these feelings in full vivacity. The scenery and music of the piece were its best recommendation. The former did great credit, in sonic instances, to the Messrs. Grieve, and the latter, to Mr. Balfe. An entrenched camp of the Romans, " a British Dracontium, or .temple of the sun and serpent, designed foom a ground plan of the celebrated remains at Abhry and a Mountain scene, the retreat of Caractatus, were each admirable specimens of the scenic art—more esnecially the Dracontium, in which a number of' figures, drawn with great freedom of design, and coloured with equal power, were, peculiarly striking. This, with its druidical procession its inspired songs of the Druids, and the choruses of a large body of dtamatis perecmcc, was by far the best part of the whole piece. One chorus, " Ilark to his wheels,'.' was warmly encored—it was a broad, bold, spirited comirosition. It was succeeded by another snore and less effective. The final scene of the whole, and the intended coup de vicloire was, we should say, but an indifferent pageant, crowded enough with glittering soldiers, horses, two or three chariots, a couple of small Brahmin bulls, a camel, and two elephants, almost as good as if alive. The scene was not felicitous, and the general effect of the pageant unreal, incomplete, and common-place. Several times during the evening, a summary verdict appeared about to be passed off-this production, and at the conclusion, things looked so inauspicious and menacing, that no attempt was made to announce its repetition.  OLYMPIC; - • A new burletta was projuced here last night with the grand and imposing title Of .4 Dream of the Future ; but the sublimity ceases trial the title, for " the future" here alluded to merely unfolds some of the peculiar miseries as well of "single blessedness" as of holy wedlock, and the dreamers of the dream are only two young ladies (sisters) Just returned from a ball. The two young ladies, of course, ere provided with a lover each, but the two specimens of the genus belong to very different classes—the one is a captain, impudent, coxcombical, conceited, and in love rather with his mistress's fortune than with herself; the other is a young surgeon, but no fit representative of the fraternity ; for he is modest, diffident, bashful, and absolutely in love. We deem it essential, in order to enlist any portion of the interest of our readers in a narrative so bare of incidents, that we should state • that Madame Vestris represented the dreamer, Miss Lee the sister, Mr. C. Mathews the doctor, and Mr. J. Yining the captain. We have little positive fault to find with this new production from the pen of Mr. Dance, but we can also afford it but little commendation. The acting is so excellent that the piece could not fail to please for a time ; but that time will, in all probability, be short.