The Theatres, &C.

THE THEATRES , & c .

Olympic . —After a successful tonr in the provinces , Mr . Elward Terry , on Thursday , 16 th December , produced ' * Tho Churchwarden ' at this theatre , for tho first tune in London . Tho piece--a farce translated from the German , by Messrs . Ogden and Cassell , and adapted for the English stage by Mr . Ter ; y—was first played in

England at ¦ Newcastle , where it proved to he of a highly amusing charac . ter . Mr . Terry has adapted for himself a part that fits him exactly ; bufc while doing so has not fallen into the common error of neglecting tho other characters . Most of the artists have material to work on , nnd judging from the reception accorded it on tho first night , "The

Churchwarden " onght to havo a loner and successful run . Tne chief character , Daniel OhulFy , tho Churchwarden , is impersonated by Mr . Terry . Ifo is considered by hia friends and neighbours to bo ono of the most upright and virtuous of his S'X . In order to carry ont certain business transactions ho visits London , where , at a late hour ,

ho meets with a pretty girl , stylishly dros-ed , who tells him she has lost her uncle , who wns escorting her , amidst tho crowd . By some means or rther , difficult to understand , theso two enter a restaurant together , where champagne and oysters aro ordered . Suddenly fcho lady , withont warning , rushes to tho door and makes her escape .

Mr . Chaffy is now accosted by a Mr . Boarder , M . P ., who 13 exerting his influence to make him a magistrate . Upon being questioned as to who the lady is , Chnffy , to allay suspicion , states thafc sho is his wife . Shortly after his return home , Chnffy learns that Boarder intends calling upon him , respecting tho magistracy .

To avoid the complication ho is involved in , Chnffy confides to an intimate friend named Gaddam his London experiences , and upon tho arrival of Bern-dor , Gaddam introduces Mrs . Chnffy as her husband ' s sister , while a niece of Chnffy is represented ns that gentleman ' s wife . The further misrepresentations made by Chnffy ,

instead of relieving him of his troubles , plunge him deeper into the mire . A waiter , who is about to marry one of ChufFy ' s servants , calls at the house , and recognises the suspicious visitor at the restaurant , whence tho latter departed without paying his bill . To keep tho waiter quiet Chnffy pays tho amount charged for

lhe supper , bnt Mr . Bearder falls in love with Mrs . Chnffy , w ' lile a quarrel ensues between the niece of Chnffy nnd her lover , Prank Bilton . This gentleman knows all about Chuffy ' s conduct in London , where he paid the money due for tho sapper .. Chuffy on learning this recoups him , and 1 * quests him to In silent , afc the fame time

promises a full explanation to him . It now appears that Bearder had also p 1 id for the unlucky supper , and Chnffy settles tho sec re with him . Tho facial expression displayed by Mr . Terry ns he realizes how this snpper has now cost him £ G , caused great laughter . Mrs . Chnff y , afc this stage receives intimation of her husband ' s conduct while in

London ; jealousy begins to work on her , and sho resn ] vcs to leave him . Before doing so , however , it is discovered the lady whom Chnffy met was Bearder ' a niece , and nil is satisfactorily explained . Chnffy acknowledges the deceit , and is forgiven by his wife ; while the nieco and her lover ' s reconciliation is easily effected . Tho piece

was admirably put upon tho stage , and ran well from beginning to end . Mr . Terry has rarely , if eve- , been seen to better advantage than in this part of the Churchwarden . Mr . T . 0 . Valentino acted with spirit ns Chuff y ' s friend . Mr . A . Bishop realised the easv goini '

M . P . most satisfactorily . Mr . J . G . Taylor , ns tho waiter , was exceedingly funny . Mrs . Chnffy , by M ' Maria Jones , was all that could be wished ; whilo Kate , the niece , was well played by Miss Cowper . The other parts wero ably filled , and loud applause was given at the conclusion of the piece .

Princess ' s . —Keeping an audience for over three hours in a ffcafce of overwhelming excitement is « . state of thing * rarelv attained , but this waa certainly achieved by Mr . II . A ? Jones oil Wednesday , when Irs now ancl original romnnfc ' c drama , "Tho Noble Vagabond , " was prod need afc tho abovo theatre . Such a p ' eee as

theme under n tice was sure to please , for situation oftcr situation was brongl t about in so perfect a manner that the interest wns c . mtinucuely sustained , though we olmo . fc doubled whether tho . •vitin r conld carry his scheme successfully to Iho end . However , Mr . J < nes hnd not expended all his ideas on the first part of tho drama '

for act after act proved to be ns iutfrrsfing as ils predecessor . The scene where Maplebury Mop is represented is at onco full of interesting recollections ; hero are shooting galleries , swings , show ? , a sea serpent , a fat woman—the chief attraction , as wc a re ° in for mod f . y Dick Vimpnny—and all accessories associated with a f , dr . But

to onr mind , this scene was f ; o much elaborated ; we havo an unnecessary boxing match introduced ; this , moreover , nt an mfercsiioostage of the story , and it could just aa well bo left out . ' •Tho Noblo Vagabond " throughout is what is known as a noisy drama , it is full of touching arid-exciting incident ? , and is sure to " please admirers of

this Kind of entertainment . Tho following is nn outline of tho pi of Ralph Lester accidentall y discovers a murder has been commifct' - ' d ' nnder circumstances which leave little doubt that its perpetrator V his rtaeh . Sir Godfrey Deveson , who has left the country The happiness of his cousin , Maud Deveson , is ufc stake : sho may bo insof

pected having assisted her father 5 so Lester , beiiovi . u .- in Mand s innocence , agrees he will help her fco discover tho culprit To convince tho world that Scoricr , the murdered man , was alive after Sir Godfrey ' s departure ia hardl y an easy task , but Loiter ha * nnideaifc can bo done . Uo , thereforefate rmhics to impersonate

, Scorier , and when we are a second timo introduced to tho murdered man ' s cottage , wo find tho townspeople , who have bocomo curious a ' t the non-appearance of Scoricr , calling him . Mot receiving on answer ' they break tho door open , and then the audience aro startled bs ' t " '

y ing the murdered man apparently nlivo again . Tlio impersonation IP successful , and tho townspeople return to Maplebury , fu \ h con vinced they have seen Scoricr , but really ifc j Lester dis ^ uiand Alter this risk y impersonation has been carried f ^ , n rneoo . ^ fn l pnn ,

The Theatres, &C.

elusion , one m ' ghfc think thafc more deception would net bo at ' einpted , but such woro not the author ' s views ; nofc content with having imposed on the people , Lester further attempts to show thorn thafc Scorier is going to leave Maplebury for over ; but in bidding adieu to tho people at the fair , ho is set upon by the crowd , and

is recognised ; thereupon Scorier ' s son accuses Lester oftho murder . How Lester manage . ? to escape ; how Sir Godfrey returns to England ; nnd how iho murder is brought homo fc > Scorier jun . ia fully shown in the last act . When the cud comes Ralph is proclaimed heir fc . -j Maplebury House , and secures tho hand of Maud . Mr Jones has

managed fco enliven the piece with amusing incidents , and if the drama does nofc shine with that l'iuiih thafc lias been characteristic ; of Mr . Jones ' s former works , if , contains p ' er . ty of material thafc will make amends for trivia ! errors . Tho weight ol fc'io picco necessarily " alia on the shoulders of two or three artistes , but thoy woro able ancl

willing , and tin result was all thafc could bo desired . Mr . Charles Warner haa ono of tha pa-. ts ho always manages to shino in . The character of Ralph Lester is ono that requires an nefcer well up ia his bnsiness to mako it successful , and in Mr . Warner ' s hands every lino is mado to toll , while every situation is capitally realized . In

lighter scenes this gentleman can always bo entertaining , bufc the task of representing tho murdered man waa ono that required a deep study ; nob only was the acano a most trying ono , but he hnd another actor to copy . " Mr . Julian Cross mado old Scorier a cringing old villain , sodden with brindy , always ranting , and as

hardened aa could bo conceived . This Mr . Warner had to copy so exactly that if a mistake had been undo ifc would havo been ruinous . Bufc this popular actor went throngh his task admirably , ancl well deserved the enthusiastic applause bestowed on him . Miss Dorothy Dene , as Maud Deveson , although lacking tho physique necessary to

carry her throngh tho most trying scones , gave a good rendering of the part . Mr . Charles Cartwright depicted fcho villainies of Scorier jun . admirably , whilo Mr . Julian Cross played fcho part of old Scorier with intense power . Mr . Georgo Barratt ha- ' , in Dick Vimpany , a part that suits him exactly ; still wc think ifc could ba strengthened ,

Mr . John Beauchamp was hardly forcible enough as Sir Godfrey Devison , bnt Miss Hughes and Miss Titherodgo respectively as Dinah Vimpany and Mary Lester mado the most of the work allotted them . At the conclusion , Mr , Warn or , Miss Done , and tho other members of tho casto wero called , and then Mr . Jones had to haw his

acknowledgments . Mr . Charles Wyndham—who has taken np the reins of government here—then came before the curtain , and thanked those present for tho hearty reception thoy had given to tha piece . In the conrse of his remarks , Mr . Wyndham mentioned thafc eighteen years since , when ho shrtcd his managerial experiments , at

fcho old Princess ' s , the failure which resulted rather damped ms spirits ; nevertheless , he had determined to try again , aud judging from the reception accorded "Tho Noble Vagabond " ho trusted hia present effort would prove more successful .

Gaiety . —If first nights may bo taken as guides as to whether success ia to be achieved or 110 , certain it is that " Monto Crisfco Jan ., " produced hero on Thursday evening , will bo an undeniable success . Burlesque afc this house is always acceptable , but when such a piece ns thafc under notice il presented ifc is doubly

so . Mr . Itichard Henry waa named as author , but it was pretty generally known that the 0110 Selected only hid tho real namo of tho author . Certainly the story suffers somewhat in a production liko this , bub when funny arid witty remarks ai * o forthcoming ,

and these are enlivened with splendid dresses and magnificent scenery , nothing further conld be desired . Thero is nothing to give offence , whilo vulgarity deea not appear in tho moat trifling aspect . Again , beautiful musio has been supplied by Messrs . Meyer Lu ! z , Ivan Card ' , Hamilton Clarke , G . W . Hunt ,

and Henry J . Leslie , so that nothing more conld be desirod . The pie ? e—founded on tho popular "Monto Cristo " story—hag had several novelties put into it . E . Imunl Pontes is sent fco confinemont iu tho Chateau d'lf on his wedding day ; thero ho learns tho secret of the treasure cave . II 3 manages fco mako his escape ,

and with tbe huge fortune ho finds afc tho cave , turns the tables against his enemies . In the character of Dr . it 5 s , Miss Nellie Farren ban another of thoso paifcs she makes ao much frm ont of . Sho has •returned to tin Gai iy boards after n most successful tour , and ou Thursday appeared with all her well-known dash , vivacity and

humour . Singing and dancing in the well-known style , sho again aud again gained tho plaudits of a crowded audience , whilo her companion , Mr . Fred Leslie , as Noirtior , was equally successful . Droll as ever , this gentlemen hag new bnsiness to introduce , whilst hia singing is both amusing and artistic . However , Mr . Leslie gained

his greatest success over his imitafc ' on of well known actors . Tho amusement of the piece does nofc rest with theso two artistes , and with so talented n company as is drawn together success ought to bo forthcoming . Misses Fay Templcton , DehporLo , Lottio Collins , Jennie MoXulty , Mojsr . i . E . J . Lonnen , Georgo Honey , Georgo ooue , W . Guise , and Alfred Balfour all distinguished them-¦

selvc ' ¦ - •. Tho corps de billet had been ably drilled , under die direction of M . Dowynue , nnd Herr Meyer Lulj ; conduces tho orchestra . Tho magnificent scenery , by Beverley , Ferkia ;! , Banks , and Tdbin was greatly admired , whilo ' Mr . C . Harris richl y deserved the call he received afc the conclnnion far his production cf tho latest Gaiety mieeoss .

G-lolDO . —On visiting this cosy theatro one evening during tho wonk , wo were onco moro able to enjoy it good laugh over "The I'iehpoekc * . " This piece , hn 110 , v beee . played over tr , o hundred time * - , nnd we need remedy ;; nv it goes smoothly ; iafact , wo never -iwil go bettor . M ... - : r .= i . Poniey , Allan , Hill , arid Draycofcr , all

work _ together , and cau"j 3 the difforeo !; ait'iaf-iaua fco bo highly amusing . Our rumt ' ug only four of Lho gentlemen engaged , must ; not be taken to : ;;; , ! y ihafc the ? un r-t-ps with them ; Miss Vano Fc . athcrj . fcoi ,, Miss Gis-y Grahame , and Mrf . StophoiW all add to Lhe ftm oftho piVco , while o ' . hcr members of tho casto aro wolf qualified fer their- part-. ' . Wo nicy predict that "Tho Pickpocket " will continue his sure . - .- ; if ; i ! r > : v .-r ~ -v through the Christina-: ; holidays .