The Press. — London, England, 1853-11-26 00:00:00

NOVEMBER 26, 1853. pt puma. II AYALA R KET IHEAT R E. Lore's Alarms, an operetta, produced at this theatre last week, is but a poor affair. The music, by Mr. Edward Fitzwilliam, though well written and evincing considerable talent, is too destitute of and originality ever to become popular. These de fects in the mainspring of the piece are by no wa tt s atoned for by the talent of the ladies and gentlemen engaged in the representation. Mr. W. Farren iv a better actor than a singer, and Miss Featherstone i s quite out of the place as a prima donna. If this young lady would study she might yet attain a respectable position as a singer and actress, but if she neglects good advice and does not work hard she will remain for ever in hopeless mediocrity. The present dearth of dramatic artists in all parts of Europe forces those who have a disposition for the stage into prominent parts before they have under gone sufficient preparat►on to tit themsaves for even mere secondary characters. INCEU3I. I'n the past week the Lyceum company have contimted to demonstrate How to make Home Happy. The meagre moral of plot induces us to doubt the probability of many bestowing a second visit, with the hope of obtaining a hint as to the line of conduct which would lead them to :hat difficult desideratum, although Mrs. F. Matthews and Mr. Wright use ever exertion to render the visitors of the Lyceum home happy. Putter versus Clatter has also resumed a position in the bill, and Mr. C. Mathews received the usual portion of well-merited applause that invariably attends his impersonation of this dia meter, which he alone can portray. Mr. Tom Taylor's A Nice Firm improves upon acquaintance. The an :tor de serves great credit for ingeniously extracting amusement from so dull a subject as the law. But we nevertheless hold to our alccauly-expressed opinion that the piece, though carefully written, would be much improved by contlensat' On Wednesday was produced a bantling (of the welilnown French breed) entitled A Bachelor of Arts ; a favourable reception its fate. The chief de fect of this piece is its confused and improbable plot, which is rather too highly flavoured with the Gallic sauce of challenges and duels to he relished by an English audience. All-powerful love—the rineipal ingtedient of plays, serious and comic— induces a llama seacum master of arks, though bachelor by condition, to become a tutor. During the exercise of his (Alert numerous acts of kindness on his part towards pupil and parent, an exposure of a usurer and libertine, are repaid by the Intuit of his inamorata. The success of this piece forty be attn tatted to the individual exertions of Mr. Charles Mathews, whose admirable devel o pment of natural manner carried with it the sympathy of the entire audience. We conles, however, that to our mind more might be mule of the serious vein which runs through the part of Jasper. Mr. F. Matthews hit personated a fraudulent bankrupt very successfully ; and the quiet, unobtru-ive intelligence with which Mr. Basil Baker played the small part of Mr. Thorn ton is deserving of special notice. The drawing room scene (which tar excels the scene in Time Lancers at the Princess's Theatre) is most tubnira bly designed and executed ; and the well-contrived time in the most elegant of chituneypieces helped to dispel a slight chill that prevailed fur a moment — perhaps the result of fog. Wright at Last we trust may not last much longer. Laughter, with the Ly ceum materials, should be excited by other methods than eccentric pantaloons, fabulous coats impossibly split, and a brace of crushed hats : one thunaged gibes may be legitimate in a pantomime, but two in a farce !! Too much of a good thing is good for nithing. SADLER'S WELLS. Tie production of Henry the Filth by cetionatel of her Majesty on Thursday, Nov. 1 0 th, and at this theatre on Monday last, recals to our recollection the brief but glorious reign of Mr. Macreally at ('event Garden, when this play, illustrated by the pencil of Stanfield, was put upon the stage with an effect which, in all probability, we shall never again see equalled. Though Mr. Phelps, we pr,!stune, in no way invites comparison with Mr. Macreatly, he has done hin.sell infinite credit by the manner in which he has accomplished the task imposed upon him ; and without being conjurors we think we can give reasons why this revival will meet with com plete success. A purely historieal ',lay like Henry the Fifth does not depend for its 4441 on any un known incident or skill in construction. but, to use the words of Coleridge, "takes that part of real hiso try which is the least known, and infuses a princi ple of life and organisation into the naked faeta, and makes them all the framework of an ani mated whole." The consequence is, that a play of this doseription will interest the class et persons who frequent Sadler's Wells far more than the cultivated audiences of the West-end theatres, to *lion time THE PRESS. history of the fifteenth century is no no e lty, and who t erroneously. as we think f vote Shakspeare's historical plays dull, and tins( nothing to admire b u t beauty of ptiell'y and vigour of humour, which the) profess can be better slushed in 1101110. Ito this as it may, we can testily Olin at Sadler . % Wt. 114 t h e pro gress of the English army in France seemed to en list the sympathy of all present ; and the spirited ex hortations of the king to his army ealled forth great NMI genuine applause. Mr. Phelps's King Henry the Filth %%11S a very cle%er performance, earnest, energetic. and even dignified. There is, howe%er, ru this, its in all Isis dramatic pictures, a want of light and sliaile a ilat.el which is perhaps marked stronger by his monotonous declamation. Imitation of Mr. Nlacreasly's mannerisms of %viee and gesture is also smother great defect ; though perhaps Mr. Phelps would be the last person in the world to ad. mit, or even suspect, the justice of such a criticism. The other personages of the drama werr respectably sustained by the members of Mr. Phelps's company. The only part badly acted was that of Puelless, whose representative totally failed iu p rti - aging any one of the peculiarities of the brave and eecenuie Welsh captain. We must also put in a word in favour of Mks Katharine lliekson, who played the small part of the Princess very quietly and with considerable eth ' et. Ilaving said thus muds. we do not sem& to add that further study might improve her pronunciation of Freneh in slant' particular. The stage business, dresses, and appointments are very good. The scenery is re spectable, and would be further improved by the withdrawal of wings representing buildings of etas siva! arehitectnre, which are out of place, and greatly mar the general effeet. STRANI►. THE manager of thin theatre is making a gallant at tempt to reSlllßellat43 the popitlinity of a class of per fiwrinances which were 0114 P espeo•IIII riiV4.lll with the public, and deserve to be finottritcs 111111111. What were called " musical dramas " once occupied a respectable place in theatrical libraries : and the appearance of a new play of this order, or of a new performer in an old one, if resp eetivel. wog' of their kind, sufficed to secure the success of a theatrical season. )f the two, howe‘er, the goodness of the iterfoniter was by far the most essential element ; and, aceorditigly. pieces of this character entild be successfully produced only as long 04 the Ellgii.4lll stage possessed actors, or rather actresses, who emit bitted dramatic and vocal capabilities in the risptisite degree. Of such—from the (lays of Nell Gwynn.. to those of 'Mrs. Itillingtoti, Kitty Stephens, and Madame Vestris—there was %eld.an any lack. list latterly our b oar ds have been nitossl II 'lits! either I. artists who call sing tolerably, lint cannot act, or who act toles abh and cannot sing. emisegiientl the " musical drama" in England was fast becoming oh solete. Mr. Alleroft, as we have said, attempts now to revive it—trusting for 5111 . 104 principally to OW ildelitS, as singer RIM actress, of Miss Believes !saws. He could riot priibably hive chosen brill`r from the extant generation of British performers. But, be. fore pnaionneing upon the Merits of the ledy, or the chances of the season at his theatre, we should wish to see her perform in new and imalern piece. This it seems his campaign is yet tisi young to have pr4shiced. The supply having naturally ceased with the demand, there are no English dramas of the desired description, except those old enough to be included in " 'm11141(1)4 British Theatre:* The Miller and his Men and General Ilurrtoyne's Lord of the Manor have accordingly been played during the past week ; while, for anything modern by way of change from the tiormal plots and melodies of these respeetablepieres of antiquity, the management have Been obliged to resort to the flimsy produetions the VatuleN ille Theatre. ( hie of the flimsiest of these, thumb by no means without sparkle and piquant.), entitled The Pet of the Piddle, lots .14.1 . 11 114IrrOWed in behalf of the English public and Miss Isaacs. The audiciwes have been crowded, wol seem pleased. As far as present appearances go we are ineliord to believe that Mr. Aileron's endeavours will not fail at all events 1.. r want or encouragement. TO THE EDITOR lOU " T 11►: Sir,—Your insertion fif a letter tat a Olean ieal subject iialtices lac, who an► au igm rant though in cessant playgoer, to submit to sou a few iineations on matters that greatly plivzle me, hut which, per. haps, either you or some of your numermtm eorre spondents may he able to answer. 1. Why k Punch always attacking Mr. Charles Kean ? 9. Wily does Punch attnek l'aptaiti I.eicester Vernon, for employing his lei , ure in dransatie literature; since whist it wring in w► unpaid M.l'. ca nnot he right in paid enspioyi.4 lof the eo l intry :t. Whether there it anything wrung in either vf the parties doing this ? 715 1. Why Panels sh hi he MO extremely indignant at the production of Tke I,aNeer* at the Prioress's, after tit° production of Ike Discarded Son at the Aklelphi, when it has pastsoil over silently many ainii• lay occurrenees, including the production of 7'he Owen of the Market at the Adelphi after The CA4IiM Eyelets had come out at the Lyceum" "by, if The Miran/ell Son be written tow the hilk attinu 1 b) Itenjamin tVehater, that gentle man iloes not apply for an injuncti tttt against Mr. Charles Kean for performing The I.aseers, which piece the latter 18 . 11111 . 111a11- - - - 1. doubt to conceal his then of .Ir. Welkster's original plot and characterw-^ stales to is` `• a.laptell from the French"! it. W higher th e au th or o f rho 1)1,- carded Son, mer heard Of a Incee e111114..111.110 Fib de 1.. mitre : twit whether lie has had such a Ci Iminuni • c ation from the author at the law requires—in Paris ► in theatrical circles, they ski) not ? Whether the public. except when Palle?, make.; them laugh, cares an iota for what that facet' periodical sat Ott NO) StllijOet, .t L. 4.OER. /or* art, Nittrature, &c. Tor materials of the old chateau of Nettilly are about to Isis sold, by order of the Ifepartment of Public Domains in France. A 'treat part of the g l um. sietli was ele.vtroyeel by lire in Isis, and never rebuilt. %iliong the relies to lae soil arte those of the splendid hothouses established by 1 A min Philippe, and vil l a+ nerved with admirable results as a model and en essuragement fisr the horticulturists of the district. AN ll' %LI Itl'e HA I'eINIVANV lIN. Imam etilkete'd in l'ol>,'nhartrn tinder the Rusin's.% of the King, and will give its representation% twice every week. Nleyerlseer's Prophet, wind, has never yet been per• formed in Denmark, will be among that find operas' prs sauced. ‘ • 1 - 1:a IN . the celebrated iolinist, is etpeeted to visit Berlin very shortly, the King of Prussia having appointed him musician of the Hoye! Chat.ther, and director the violin class 1..1 4.1 y entabliehed in the Hoye) .Icallamy of Mush. in the Prussian capital. Sow: citizens of Hamburg had bargained with the Heligoland pilots for the bronze stator of I ills wits .I.l4•lphits, which the latter hail lisped up from the sea after the wreck of the vessel that was convey ing it to Sweden. Itelisre coneluding their purchase, the 1 Isitulturgers I.:might to obtain from their Senate to erect the statue in momse publia platy in that city, anal contended in the memorial they pis.seisted with that view fair the propriety of than R King who %lived Protestantism in tier Many, in It city the great istajotity of whose inha bitants were Protentants. 'l'l4. Senate deliberates( upon this request, hut finally rejected it. No mental was assigned fin. this refusal. A Vrtf:tsVN Ilvt.i.vr•syst t.it, Andre Viileani, has lately died its Presburg, at the advanced age of MN. Seventy y ears since Ise appears.' lin Home ay premiere elanseisse, pert waling, of course, characters. Na, usatien were ut that penis! allowed to perfionii at the theatres of the city iu which the rope held his residence . Nlstsvmt: Pl'lloo% II II WAl.l4:lt, %hove tinme sissy now In' ,cess in the lolls of the Paris Italian 4/pent Rs prima donna asgollito, k the granddaughter of the celebrated Pliny , . Kara liviirge, llospodar of Lots Nlos l t.s remains in California, when., be side., the appeal to the law courts fair a fresh diva/fel', she aorta Is iiiiiell 141111.116111 by the of her conduct. 'llse following account of her behaviour is given by the Nimes Irwin an Anwtienn mallow ty :--" Lola iv an ilIPIIIIRI:still114 mine of eccentricities, and in one way or tither make% every- Islay talk about her. In the capital of l'alifornia she is its the habit of 'slaying at Isowl4, whirls intdrst silents are of very large dimensions, and give the lady an opportunity of showing the spectator* that she has a strong grasp and a steady eye. Slits con. tend- against the most intrepid amateurs, and, as iii a public place on a main thorough fare. the entire population has an opportunity of ad miring her vigour and pirouettes. The egniiite.o4 has its the messetitits• invented a new tin.atim of obtaining money. She has hit upon the idea of a series of conversations. Persisits sislieit an audience of half all hour or ass lean. ut IL time, and in consideration ur IL stated prior, tiNivl, u. Rt the door of a 11111011., they have the right of seeing and conversing with her on things in general. She answer% all their question* in any language they please, anal never lets the con versation gag. The minion Refill* to have met with great sneers. In spite of the attacks of the (nutile's upon jittirmilists and men of letters, two 4 'aliforn iut vauslevilleists lone vent iired to compose a very divert ing little piece, entitled ' ('r goy e'est qu'une C o n s t c sow.• mentioned being mentecd in the piece, Lola is cruelly treated, but she haw taken it wry a wl appeared charmed, indeed, that it procures t.or her .otise addition to that c e l e brity which she I rturs alter with sti deplinable a peittYeranee."