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There are two good reasons for the revival at the Lyceum of le Doc- teur Noir the famous French drame of 1846, when by its composition MM. Anieet-Bourgeois- and Dumanoir made an important addition to the repertoire of M. Frederick Lemaitre. In the first place, the "Black Doctor" is a man of many and also various woes. Misfortune hits him in every possible shape, every 'and on eve occasion he quaffs the cup of misery with avidity. For a man of colour in an aristocratic slave- country to -fall in love with a white lady of title, is unlucky enough ; but Fabian's passion is of a stormy -kind, that under any circumstances, would bring about a hurricane of wo. He is no sighing swain, but the highborn beauty must avow her love for him or perish ; no other alternative is- alloived. Incarceration in the Misfile was al-- ways -unpleasant, but Fabian's incarceration is ten times worse than- anybody else's. He is confined under-ground; fresh straw is grudged him as being too expensive ; and when he wants to read a let- ter' of the most thrilliiag interest, the gaoler takes away his lamp. The destraction of the Bastile, occurring during the time -of his imprison- ment, seems like a, gleam of good luck, but it is a mere ignis fatuus ; for, about two minutes before he is set at liberty, he has lost his wits, and don't know what liberty means. Fate, indeed, allows him to recover his reason at last, but not till she has safely lodged a bullet in his breast, so that restored sanity, is merely indicated by a dying-speech. Now Mr. Dillenis not the actor to do things by halves, and here is an ample store of passion and svo to which he can give the most palpable expression- Fabian, in a word, is a capital " show-part" for an artist who is the principal object of interest in his own theatre, and has already esta- blished himself as one of those decided favourites of the public whom everybody wishes to sec in a fresh character. In the second place, Le Docteur Noir has this important qualification, thatthough the story is, uniformly 1E131114 it admits of the greatest variety of decoration, including mechanical contrivances. At every opportunity for scenic display Mr. Dillon has caught with eagerness; so that the piece would really be worth seeing considered as a mere series of tableaux. Those who do not sympathize with Fabian's declaration of love in the usidet of a rising tide, may open their eyes -with admiring wonder at the imitative water that rushes from 'ever/ side of the stage until it com- pletely covers the boards. The interior of the Bastile, with a noble's dainty prison above, Fabian's 'wretched dungeon below, and a connecting staircase on one side; affords a most effective exhibition of concurrent action; and startling is the result when the whole scene-save the dungeon-falls to pieces, and discovers the Revolutionary mob, loud of lung, and beaming with red fire. Though the tale is now somewhat of the oldest, Mr. Dillon-has done his best both as actor and as manager to tell it well ; and those who admired Is Docteur Noir at the St. James's in 1847 will not be disappointed by the _Fabian (as it is called) of 1856.
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