The Express. — 1858-03-11 (London, England)

LYCEUM.  Mr. J. L. Toole's benefit took place here last night, when the antertainmente comprised four pieces, in each of which he sustained a prominent part. We have from time to time recorded the progress of this clever and painstaking actor since ha' comparatively recent deidt on the London stage, and are glad to god that his merits have so speedily secured him the position of an " established favourite." If any doubts had existed on this point, they must have been dispelled by the manner in which Mr. Toole was greeted last night, on his first entrance, by an audience which crowded every portion of the house immediately after the opening of the doors. No one of our most favourite comedians could have met a warmer welcome.  The evening commenced with a drama called The Artist of Ploresoo, founded on the same French original which tarnished the materials for a piece under a similar title produced some years since. In the version of last night Clermont, an artist (Mr. Chem Dillon), in reliance on his inoreasing fame, has been exceeding his 1:111161B, in order to live In a style befitting his young and well-born wife (Mrs. Mellon), whose beauty attracts the visite of a sai-dieaysl friend and patron of the artist, the Viscount de Soreuil (Mr. J .G. Shore). A discovery of them motives rouses the husband's jealousy, but theViaoount retaliates nobly by canoe ling a bond for a large amount in which Clermont is indebted to him. Commissions crowd on the artist, and wealth appears . . .  to be within hie reach, whin be Is eaddenly struck with blindness. In this state his wife's society becomes his only consolation, but very soon she begins to absent herself on various pretexts ; and the discovery through a foolish servsnt, Augustus (Mr. Toole), of a renewal of the Viscount's visits, drives the unfortunate husband to frenzy. When in the act at committing suicide Clermont is saved by his servitor, who rushes in frantioally to announce that, having been to the Opera, he has nude the discovery that the new prima donna, who has achieved a triumphant smells, is no other than the blind artist's wife, who has devoted her musiosl talents, by the disinterested aid of the friendly Viscount, to the nearsMan of her husband's fortunes. Nothing is now wanting but the recovery of the artist's sight, and this being acoomplished by the aid of a celebrated oculist, all ends couleur de tea.  Mr. Dillon as the enthusiastic artist, and Mrs. Mellow se the devoted win!, played with great force end fasliag; while Mr• Toole's Impersonation of the servitor afforded an agreeable relief to the serious ioterest of the drama. His grotesque humour while standing as • mustachioed and holosetted insight for owe of his master's pictures, was azosedingly amusing; nor lees so was his frantic description of the scene at the Opera, where his public recognition of his mistress leads him into a series of encounters. Mr. J. G. Shore must Wad, be noticed as an exceedingly gentlemanlike Viscount, and Miss Elias Webb as • capital chattering wattMg maid.  Atter the drama a new three or (as It yea called) a domestic sketch," was produced, under the title ot The Birthplace of Podgers. Tom Crankey (Mr. Tools) is a working man, whose lodging is Weeded during his dinnerhour by various visitors who have learned, through a newspaper, that his habitation was the birthplace of the immortal Podgers, a poet of renown. The nephew of Tom's employer Edmund Earlybird (Mr. J G. Shore), is secretly enamoured ale young lady whose papa, Mr. Entanua Mamma (Mr. Benoit), is one of the moat sostatic smokers after else poet's birth pleas. Tom is pressed into a plot by which the lover to made to appear to the young lady'• father as a descendant of the admired post, and thus gains a cosaent which would otherwise have been sithhald. Of course, when too late, it is dioovered that Tom's lodging has no literary association connected with it—the name of his landlord, an illiterate sot, being identical with that of the celebrity. The materials, alight se they are, are well adapted to bring out the peculiar hawse dYr. Tools, whose make-up and action as the Wad heavy labourer, were admirably studied. The piece arms sumesueed bar repetition amidst considerable (but not animal) applause; and its success would doub,leas have bass sere decided had it been more condensed, especially towards the close, where the principal actor is placed too much in the background by superfluous talk on the part of subordinates. The remainder of the evening was occupied by the farce of Double Donny and the comic drama of Our Clerks.  DISTRICT or