THE THEATRES.
THE theatrical prospect of the next week is far mora enlivening than the retrospect of this. The opehing of BRAHAM'S new theatre, tine St. James's, which is positively fixed for Monday, and the debt of CHARLES MATHER'S the second, at the Olympic, on the same night, are events in the annals of the stage. We were permitted to take mm peep at the interior of the St. James's Theatre yesterday ; and notwithstanding its then state of iacomplete- ness, enough of its elegant design and superb decoration's was deve- loped to enable us to pronounce it the handsomest place of public en- tertainment we ever saw.
The audience part is of the horse-shoe form rather elongated ; and about the size of the Lyceum, only more lofty ; by which increase of height, the rows of seats in the pit, boxes, and gallery, are raised higher one above another.—an improvement that will add greatly to the convenience of the audience both in sittieg and seeing.
The decorations are in the Louis Quatotze style, and are of gold on a French white ground ; producing an effect at once chaste
and brilliant. Round the front of the lust circle, pictures, de- signed in the style of Warman, are introduced, filling pan- nels of irregular shape formed by the scroll-work. The roof is flat, and a circle, ornamented in compartments of the prevailing character ; and it rests on arches supported by caryatides in white and gold; the covings being pictured with coloured figures. The arches over the proscenium are filled up with emble aatical de- vices, painted in a similar style with the rest. Of the effect of the proscenium, however, we could not judge, the columns which support it riot being erected ; but the wreaths of gold flowers on the entabla- ture over the stage-boxes bespeak the richness and solid relief of this part of the house. The three tiers of boxes are supported by pilasters of corresponding character with the decorations of their fronts ; and from those above the dress circle girandoles will branch out. The chandelier, which is described as being very brilliant, was not yet suspended. The cushions and draperies are of crimson silk. The house when complete and lighted up, will present a most splendid coup d'wiL It may indeed be called the Court Theatre. The sump- tuous decorations are controlled by fine taste ; there is nothing flimsy or meretricious about them ; they are fit for the drawing-room of a palace. Mr. BEAZLEY, the architect, has been ably seconded by the decorators Messrs. CltACE.
The exterior is not yet finished; but the design of the facade con- sists of a central portico of two stories, with four Ionic columns below and Corinthian pillars above, in it recess between the wings. Of its effect, however, it is hardly fair to judge till the scaffelding is removed. The extraordinary celerity with which the building has been erected seems in nowise to have affected its solidity or its finish. The St. James's Theatre opens with a new opera by Mrs. A'BECKETT, in which Brianam will sustain the principal part ; and two new afterpieces. Mrs. SELBY is to speak the address.
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