THE THEATRES.
THE signs of returning life in the theatrical world are not yet outwardly visible ; amounting to little better than rumours too vague and unim- portant to be reported. In a few days the programme of Covent Garden will show the strength of its vocal corps, who are to support Miss ADELAIDE ICENBLE and Mrs. ALFRED SHAW in opera, and what other entertainments are to be given. Drury Lane will commence its campaign at Michaelmas ; when the Adelphi also will enter the field, with a new leader. The Princess's Theatre in Oxford Street has at last found a lessee, in Mr. Mrrenehi.; whose success as an entre- preneur of Opera Buffa and French Plays leads to the inference that he has taken it for these purposes : the house is especially adapted for a subscription-theatre. The Haymarket promises a new comedy ; and has reproduced London Assurance in the mean time, with Mrs. NISBET", FARREN, and BRINDAL, in their original characters. The great in- feriority of the cast in every other respect—with the exception of WEBSTER, who is much better than HARLEY as Lawyer Meddle, and looks like a country attorney—makes more conspicuous the hollpwness and worthlessness of this comedy, which the clever acting and superb dress- jug at (vent Garden contributed to gloss over. Mrs. Nistirrr's ex- uberant gayety and gusto as Lady Gay Spanker charms as much al ever, and her description of the chase worked up the audience to a high pitch of pleasurable excitement; but the amusing scenes with her dear, little, henpecked husband, were marred for want of KEELEY to answer, with his bland acquiescence and rosy-gilled contentment, to the inquiry "Where's my Dolly ?" Mr. CLARK had no notion of the part, and could only buffoon. Famines Sir Harcourt Courtly is one of his best per- formances; and he was fortunate in having for his valet, Cool, BRINDAL, the pink of gentlemen's gentlemen. The loss of CHARLES Maimaws's free and easy air and unblushing assurance as the adventurer, Dazzle, was made disagreeable by the formal vulgarity of Mr. Vrittivo, which his bad dressing rendered more glaring; though in the article of dress he was matched by Mr. H. lioLL as Charles Courtly—quite as good a lover as Miss CHARLES deserved for her Grace Harhaway. Mr. BERNARD'S last farce, Locomotion, is not only a misnomer, but a mistake: instead of railway collisions and puffing of steam-engines, as the title led one to expect, matrimonial squabbles and puffing of auc- tioneers form the subject. But Mr. Floss is no match for George Robins in drawing up a posting-bill; nor is Palmate bland, oily, and glib-tongued enough for the representative of the Thor of the auction- room : worst of all, there is not much to laugh at.
All we need say of the Lyceum is that it continues open; and of the New Strand, that its audiences have seen the last of Mr. and Mrs. Kalmar.
Previous page
