THEATRICAL NOVELTIES.
THERE is but little news in the theatrical world. Busisis Lottery scheme was forbidden, it is given out, by some great authority—
no less a one than public decency, we suspect. Even a showman cannot always outrage propriety with impunity. The mighty manager would seem to have played his last card ; his King and Queen went on Thursday. Ile has amazed the town with a pla-
card as high as himself, in red letters, beating those of GEORGE ROBINS in size, enumerating all the faded attractions of " the Grand Junction of the two National Theatres." The grand junc- tion was a happy thought; people will connect with it the idea of overflowing houses, The Victoria has produced a new melodramatic play, called the Gamester of Milan. ELTON played the part of a mysterious and
fond, but tyrannical father, who refusing his consent to his daughter's marriage with a gamester, she elopes ; and he causing her to be pursued and apprehended, the fatal secret of his having forged a register of her birth, to save her from the imputation of illegitimacy, is discovered in a packet that he had committed to her care, which is opened by the police. He is condemned to death; but is saved by the interposition of her lover, who influences a
prince whom he had served to procure his pardon ; and he makes them both happy by consenting to their union. ELTON is a sen- sible and natural actor, and rarely offends; but he also too rarely warms into thorough earnestness. He has been performing some of KNOWLES'S parts, very well on the whole, thought not as KNowtais plays them. A coarse but effective dramatic version of VICTOR HUGO'S Notre Dame has been produced at the Surry. YATES personated Quasimodo, 0. SMITH the Monk, and Mrs. YATES Esnieralda. The piece depends for its success on situation principally ; of which the author of Jonathan Bradford is no mean master : lie cuts down characters to fit his plot with Procrustean ruthlessness.
The Victoria, in order to compete with its rival, has lowered its prices of admission to the Surry standard ; judiciously reserving, however, the dress circle of boxes at the old price; and thus offer- ing a graduated scale of admission from sixpence to four shillings. At the Surry, all the boxes are alike—two shillings; which is not fair, any more than that all the boxes of the large houses should
be seven. The slips and upper boxes should be less at the other theatres, and the dress circle more at the Surry. Nothing but
custom reconciles us to the absurdity of paying seven shillings for a peep from a worse point of view than others pay two for. The slips should be added to the gallery, and the prices of the upper boxes at least be lowered. Higher prices and superior accommo- dation will always fill the dress circle.
The Victoria has engaged the two hundred Elves, with their unseen master-spirit and drill-sergeant MITCHELL, from the Fitz- roy ; and the Fairies are now to play their frolics over the waters The principle of ambulatory companies, suggested by a correspon- dent of the 'Spectator some time ago, appears to be coming into practice. The Adelphi company and their favourite pieces are transported to the Sorry, and the Fairies of the Fitzroy to the Victoria ; as DUCROW'S Horses were transferred from the sawdust arena of Astley's to the boards of Drury, and thence to a tempo- rary pavilion at IV hitechapel. The " grand junction" of the Covent Garden and Drury Lane companies is so complete, that there seems no longer occasion for two theatres : in fact, the Siamese manager only holds the two together to prevent a ruinous com- petition. It is now become a question, whether the audience shall travel to the actors, or the actors to the audience: far as regards plays, they may, with some slight qualification, such as a musical accompaniment, be acted anywhere—the monopoly is broken clown in all but legal form ; and a speculator has only to build a good theatre at Greenwich, Camberwell, or Ken- sington, and he may engage the .Adelphi, the Victoria, or the Fitzroy company, and act any or all of the new pieces as well as in the Strand. Why should people be obliged to go to Covent Garden to see a good play ? or rather, why should there be no plays well acted unless in the neighbourhood of Covent Garden? There is a reason why they should go so far to see a spectacle; because the size of two of the houses there renders them peculiarly fitted for the representation of that species of amusement, and in the same proportion unfit for any other. BUNN is wise in his gene- ration : he saw that the large theatres were only suited for show ; and he has acted accordingly. He amused the ears of the town with a great talk of Legitimate Drama—his monopoly being ostensibly preserved for its support—and their eyes with horses, French dancers, scenery, and glitter. MORRIS hangs fire at the Haymarket : if he could pluck up a spirit, he might succeed. He would find liberality is the best economy, if be had but the courage to try.
Ansmn's theatre is progres,ing, and is promised to be ready in July. Ile intete!s, we hear, to make it really an English Opera- house. Our native composers want a field for the exercise of their talents : here is one : Mr. BAR NErfs scheme may be realized without an additional theatre. II. PHILLIPS, WILSON, and Miss E. ROMER, are already engaged.
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