... . Happy Thonyhts. By F. C. Burnand. rancn Office, Fleet- street. MR. BURNAND has rarely had a more happy thought than that of publishing a now edition of what is, we think-- and yet, re membering some of the burlesque novels, are not sure-- his best work. We were under the impression that we knew Happy Thoughts thoroughly, but it is wonderful how freshly the cheery chapters come out again. ...

... OUR CAPTIOUS CRITIC. MADAME SANS-GENE. IT is good-- sometimes, at least-- to be spoken well of. Madame Sans-Géne has been filling the Gaiety, and with money. One cannot help recognising wealth at the theatre, it is-- without always meaning to be obtrusive-- so unmistakably self-evident. One feels its presence forthwith, not by its dress alone, but by the way it takes its seat; there is an ...

... . IN the authorship of The Planter, the new play which was received with such roars of laughter at the Prince of Wales's on Saturday night, Mr. William Yardley has had a task much more difficult than the result of his efforts might suggest. The play as it stands is simply an uproarious farce, extravagant alike in motive and in action, and having for its freshest feature some plantation ditties ...

... OUR CAPTIOUS CRITIC. GODPAPA. Godpapa is a free and easy adaptation of Les Mariages Riches, one of the early efforts of M. Abraham Dreyfus; in fact, it was his first three-act piece. It was produced at the Paris Vaudeville in November, 1876, and ran for something under a month. Were the dramatic and literary qualities of the Comedy version looked at very closely, Messrs. Phillips and ...

... OUR CAPTIOUS CRITIC. A VILLAGE PRIEST. EXCEPT by fits and starts, A Village Priest at the Haymarke is rather a slow piece. There are moments in the performance --especially in the third and fifth acts-- when the situations become really emotional; but they are only readied by way of much that is prosy, preachy, aud dull. There is no relief to the dreary monotony which results from half a ...

... . THE Latin play acted this year by the hoys of Westminster School, or, as we should perhaps describe them, the scholars of St. Peter's College, Westminster, is the Adelphi, one of the three comedies of Terence, which, together with the Trinummus of Plautus, constitutes the whole of the Westminster repertoire. It is pleasant to see the scholarly tradition of this annual func tion kept, nor can ...

... . MR. AUGUSTUS HARRIS'S third operatic season at Covent Garden opened on Monday last with a performance of Gounod's Faust, in presence of the Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince Albert Victor, the Princesses Victoria and Maud, their sister the Duchess of Fife, and a large gathering of the aristocracy. The theatre presented a brilliant aspect when the crowded audience rose to do honour to the ...

... . UNDER the skilful management of Mr. Vert, these concerts appear to have gained a large share of public favour, and on Monday last, when the second concert of the season was given, St. James's Hall was crowded. Two of the most admired overtures-- those to Oberon and Tannhauser-- were included in the programme, and doubtless attracted many of the visitors. Another justly popular Wagnerian work ...

... ADELINA PATTI' S RENTRETL. THE Royal Albert Hall was densely crowded 011 the occasion of mr. Kuhe's concert, the chief attraction being the announce ment that Mme. Adelina Patti would make her first appearance in public since her return from America, and would sing the Preghiera and Barcarola with which the first act of L'Etoile du Nord closes; the soprano part in the Miserere scene from II ...

... . ONE of the most interesting events in the history-- thus far --of the current season at Covent Garden was the reappearance of Mme. Etelka Gerster, after an absence of nearly ten years, in the part of Amina (La Sonnambula) which was chosen for her first appearance at Her Majesty's Opera thirteen years ago It will be remembered that there was considerable controversy respecting her ...

... STAGE DOOES. By A. H. Wall. IV.-- THE ADELPHI, MARYLEBONE, ST. JAMES'S, AND PRINCESS'S. THE present century was beginning, peace bad been newly proclaimed with France, and George the Third was king, when in that part of London called the Strand lived one Mr. John Scott. He kept an oil and colour shop, and had made a for tune by the invention and sale of a dye which he called True Blue. He had ...

... . A programme quite of the mammoth breel was that arranged for the Blanchard Banefit at Drury Line on Monday afternoon, and it is not to bo wondered at that attractions so many and so varied drew to the house an audience from which the bénéficiaire will receive something like £250. The perform ance lasted from one till pretty nearly six, and afforded to those present a compendious bird's eye ...