One of the dullest melodramas that ever exhausted the patience
of a well-disposed audience, was produced at Covent Garden on Thursday. It would be foolish to attempt to describe the incidents, cr rather the lack of them, in this long and tedious piece. The eagerly-wished-for catas- trophe was the shooting of a bad man, who had put on a good males coat, in the hope of being enabled to :noddle with more of his property. This piece of poetical justice has been so often seen upon the stage, that we fear the genius who introduced it has long since lost the credit he might have claimed for his invention. The language was correct, and unambitious ; but we scarcely know whether the absence of bon- beet in a piece of this description is a merit or not. A small portion of wit goes a great way in a melodrama. Jokes shine amidst the horrors of the scene like forked lightuing in a gloomy night. This startling effect was produced by Mc. Mcanows telling a companion to 'come in the dark—and be enlightened ; " and again, when Mr. BARTLEY said to an adversary, " You may run me through with your sword—that is, if it's long enough." The surprise and disappointment we feel at the inferior quality of the pieces Mr. MACIICADI has presented to the public at the com- mencement of his managerial career, is greatly increased by our recol- lection of the acumen he formerly evinced in preparing for the stage several excellent tragedies, which had been rejected or overlooked by the usual dramatic authorities. On the other hand, the deference this gentleman has shown to impartial criticism in withdrawing The Novice, adds to the plemiure we feel in saying, that notwithstanding the
failures it has been our critical duty to record, in the contest between the two great Winter houses, Covent Garden has at pre- sent the advantage ; though, when each theatre shall be joined by the performers stated to be engaged, the disproportion between the companies in point of talent will be less than we anticipated. That is,
• Since the above was in type, we have learned that the licence tot the Court Theatre has been refused.
provided the expectations entertained of Mr. KEAN and Mr. TERNAN'S success should be realized. The higher branches of the comic depart- ment are exceedingly deficient in male performers at both theatres. Their musical strength seems to be pretty equally balanced. If Covent Garden obtain the preference in some of its principals, Drury Lane has the advantage of the more powerful band and chorus. The managers of the latter theatre showed much discretion in selecting Macbeth and Pizarro, with a view to add the attraction of their musical corps to that of their tragic performers. Mr. BUTLER, one of the best of the Minor Theatre actors, delivered the sentiments of the Peruvian hero impressively enough, but be was sadly deficient in grace and feeling: lie would have been seen to much greater advantage in the part of Pizarro. This actor, like Mr. ANDER- SON of Covent Garden, is too fond of speaking in the deepest tone of his voice. The latter performer is so prone to fall into this habit, that he continually reminds us of the bass-singer whose life was spent in sounding his double G. We will take this opportunity of advising Mr. ANDERSON to correct his occasional mispronunciation of unaccented vowels, which at present detracts from the general truth of his delivery. Mr. VINING is not often guilty of such errors, but a few nights ago he gave a humorous variety to "predicament," by calling it "predickyntent." Some persons may regard these as trilling blemishes, and the notice of them as hyper- critical ; but the usage of a well-regulated stage was wont to be thought our best standard of pronunciation, and why should it not be so now ?
The freedom from certain peculiarities in the utterance of Mrs. Lover. and Mrs. TERNAN rendered their performance of Eleira and Cora less exceptionable, if it were loot quite so powerful as we should expect the efforts of Miss HUDDART and Miss FAUCIT would prove in the same characters. The slight glance we have had of the hand- some new comic actress, Miss CLARKE, has riot enabled us to form a full estimate of her talents ; but we think, when further practice before a London audience shall have given her more confidence in her powers, there will be little doubt of her ability to atone for the loss of Miss TAYLOR'S services to Drury Lane.
To continue our desultory parallel between the establishments, we think, that in the power of concentrating its strength to give complete- ness to any individual performance, Covent Garden is superior to its rival. A proof of this was afforded in the acting of Othello ; which, independently of the great talent shown in the chief characters, was in all its minor parts supported with a degree of excellence we have long been unaccustomed to witness. The high-bred characters in the Pro- voked Husband being of a grave cast, and sustained by Messrs. .MAC- READY and WARDE, that comedy was admirably performed ; as there was no drawback in the representation of the comic parts, which arc within the compass of Messrs. BARTLEY, Meanows, and HA313lOND. Miss FACCIT, though somewhat constrained and affected in the lighter scenes of Lady Totcaly, was more at home in the character than we expected to find her. Why did not Mr. VINING play the Count ? Inn the absence of Mr. 1Vanue, Mr. PRITCHARD might perform Manley with propriety; but his attributes arc too sturdy to admit of his being successful in enacting the petit maitre.
The revival of some ballad operas has afforded a pleasing variety to the entertainments at this house ; but we are sorry to see they are likely to be superseded by the production of melodramas and grand operas. We were in hopes that Mr. MACREADY would have tried whether a liberal and judicious expenditure of capital in perfecting the representation of the legitimate drama would not insure the success of his speculation, before he resorted to those "monstrous medleys," that, as old CIBBER says, "have so long infested the stage, and which arose alternately, at both houses, outvyieg in expense, like contending bribes on both sides at an election, to secure a majority of tire multitude." Our political economy forbids entire acquiescence in CIBBLR'S conclu- sions ; but we shall finish the quotation : " Truth may complain, and merit murmur, with what justice it may; the few will never be a match for the many, unless authority shall think fit to interpose, and put down these poetical drams, these gin-shops of the stage, that intoxicate its auditors and dishonour their understanding."
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