Transcription
ASTLEY’S.
The history of Eleanor and Fair Rosamond affords ample materials for the development of all the peculiar resources of such an establishment as the one now under notice, and it is not surprising that Mr. Rodwell should have selected it as the subject of a new historical spectacle. Commencing with the arrival of Henry Plantagenet at the Court of the France in order to pay homage for his Dukedom of Normandy, the author describes Queen Eleanor as at once struck by his noble bearing, and from that moment he becomes her constant chevalier and attendant. Fired by the powerful preaching of St. Bernard, not the King alone, but the whole Court of France, with the Queen and her ladies, proceed to Palestine to do battle for the cross. Henry follows, disguised as a Turk named Saladin, and the devotion which in that capacity he bestows upon her is not inconstant with an intrigue of which the haughty Amazon is said to have been guilty. Fair Rosamond accompanies the Prince in the disguise of a minstrel. The blood relationship of Eleanor with Louis is laid hold of by the church—a divorce is procured, and the marriage of Eleanor and Henry follows. The well-known incidents of Rosamond’s checkered life are adhered to pretty strictly, and, eschewing the notion that she perished by poison, the more agreeable alternative is adopted that she died in the nunnery of Godstow. Whether she ever became a nun or no, it is pretty clear that she bore two sols to Henry. We have briefly sketched the outline, to show how closely the piece adheres to the generally received history of the period. As a spectacle of the first class, we must say the piece is highly successful. The scenery and appointments are gorgeous, and the concluding tableau is one of brilliancy. Among the actors we recognized nearly all the old hands, including Mr. Crowther, Mr. Barry, Miss Fenton, and Mr. Stirling, and there are several recent acquisitions; Miss Garthwaite especially, from the Cheltenham theatre, will, no doubt, be found a very invaluable addition. At the close of the spectacle M. Villespy performed a series of novel and daring performances upon the Globe Celestial. The scenes of the arena succeeded, and the whole concluded with the laughable afterpiece of the Two Gregories, in which Miss Garthwaite again played with decided success. We cannot conclude without bearing testimony to the beautiful decorations, the perfect cleanliness, and admirable ventilation of this theatre. Everything about it appears to be spick and span new, and for this at least Mr. Batty deserves our good wishes. It is astonishing how so complete a revivifying of the house could have been effected in the short period of the Easter recess.
