A five-act French drama, called Adrienne Lecouvresr, which was written
by M. Scribe (or rather Scribe and Co.) for the display of Mademoiselle Rachel, has been doctored into three acts by Mr. John Oxenford, and produced with decided success at the New Strand Theatre, under the title of The Reigning Favourite. There is this fault in the con- struction, that too complicated an intrigue precedes a very simple catastrophe,-namely, the death of the French actress Adrienne Lecou- ereur, poisoned by a jealous rival. However, the introductory scenes give an animated picture of the aristocratic profligacy of France in the middle of the last century; and the effect produced by the last two acts is really striking. The attack which Adrienne makes on the sinful Princess, who is her rival in the affections of the Count do Saxe, by delivering some lines from the Phedre of Racine before a company assem- bled to hear her recite, and the subsequent dying-scene, in which the de- lirium produced by poison causes whole passages of Corneille's Psyche to rise before her mind, are unique in their character, the latter situation being almost painfully elaborate. The great feature in the piece, which is admirably put on the stage, is the acting of Mrs. Stirling; whose exhibition of the most varied emotions is at once careful to the highest degree, with all the force of spontaneous- ness. The versatility of this actress is very remarkable. Although she has been long on the London boards, it is only within the last year or two that she seems to have felt her own strength, and made her audiences feel it like- wise. The character of an old' cleating Prompter attached to Adrienne gives Mr. W. Farren opportunity to display his genius in a line in which he is still inimitable. Mr. Leigh Murray has little more to do than to Lod Marshal Saxe, but he looks him well; and Mrs. Leigh Murray, as the vin- dictive but polished Princess, exhibits a talent which has not been put forth with equal prominence on any former occasion.
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