The Press. — London, England, 1854-01-28 00:00:00

92 IP frama. HAYMARKET THEATRE. Mr. Buckstone pro mised to produce tragedy and Miss Cushman at his theatre d • the present season, and has kept his word. The lady appeared on Monday, playing the eharseter a Bianca 111 Dean Milman's which she repeated last night ; and en Wednesday took the part of Mrs. Haller in I'he Stranger. Returning to London after many years' absence, Miss Cushman received a most enthusiastic welcome upon first presenting herself upon the stage, and all her performances since have been crowned with full success, by audiences which were not only applausive,but—what is far better—crowded to the ceiling. Both the excellences and the faults of Miss Cushman's acting are discernible at a glance. The effects at which she aims are broad, bold, and deeply marked. As she generally accomplishes them, the resulting picture is vigorous and striking in ite delineation, but also too often harsh and coarse. In all her personations, now and heretofore, we discover an extreme conscientiousness in working out the character she has assumed, even to its minutest details, aided by careful study, and guided by a cultivated intellect. She possesses, moreover, many physical advantages—indornitable energy, a powerful and well-modulated voice, with great resources of eye and countenance. What these qualifications enable her to do is done with almost too painstaking industry. The result is a portraiture which, as we have said, is sufficiently striking, but rarely pleasing, and still less frequently natural, because it lacks the weakness, the softness, and the grace of nature. In her performances there is much that we must admire, but little that we can like. Many of her scenes excite terror, and seize on the imagination; but they seldom satisfy the judg ment, and never touch the heart. They are of a quality entitling the performer to rank high as a physical artist, but to no higher rank of art, be cause it is by physical means that their ends are achieved. In behalf of Miss Cushman we should be inclined to reverse the old canon, and say that the picture would have been better if the painter had taken less pains. By adopting what, in theatrical phrase, is still called " Alacreadyism," that is to say, a slow articulation, a deliberate action, and painful emphasising of every word and gesture, all the faults of her acting are fixed and exaggerated. A character of artificiality and monotony is impressed upon the whole performance. The most solemn passages are spoiled when played only in minims. Of the two characters in which Miss Cushman has now appeared, that of Bianca is by far the best. The fierce wild passions assigned to Milm ansheroine— her jealousy, revenge, remorse, and insanity— were admirably suited to her capabilities, and the per formance was wrought up at many points to a pitch of terr►ble grandeur. As Mrs. Haller her deficien cies became more conspicuous. That character cannot be rendered attractive, we might almost say endurable, unless it is exhibited as impulsive, tender, and fra• gile ; and these are attributes which Miss Cushman could not, or did not, portray. We need say nothing of the plays themselves. They keep the stage because they are essentially 'fogey, and afford some capital situations and one or two good scenes to display the talents of some popu lar actor or actress, as the case may be. Otherwise, there is no reason why they should now be resusci tated ; and, at all events with regard to one of them, many reasons why it should not. Mr. Buckstone has mounted them carefully and liberally and the sub ordinate characters have found respectable repre sentatives among the members of the liaym arket CONSTANTINOPLE.—This exhibition is Egyptian hall, and well repays the very great trouble of waiting until the • crowd at the door enables him to Constantinople, but the shores of the Mediterranean to the Black Sea, spectator; and so well have artist and formed their parts that the illusion is 'lance transports us from Piccadilly to where the land and the water the golden and purple glow of the First was the Hellespont, with a war giving off from a port on the further side, sounding and feeling the way for the great which, with their chequered sides, are seen bending under piles of canvas, white in masses grand and swelling, Ald to be the thunder's dwelling." sea of sunlight" even the great black their grinning cannons seem to smile. first scene, to the last, the general exhibition is the same, lasting for half without a moment's monotony. and wind more like a river than the Mel II Lau . Ivo 0........, I company. 1 ; • . DIORAMA or Co now open at the E • visitor for the veil absorption of the i enter. Not only the straits from tb pass before the sp mechanist perforn I perfect, and a glai the Dardanelle ,, , dreamily bask in I Eastern light. Fi steamer moving c t probably soundim war-ships which, crowding up ben like clouds— " Roiled in As Pond i But in that " sea slips with their 1 From this, the Su &sweeter of the an hour and a h The *traits glide !'l THE PRESS. link of two seas, between low undulating hills thickly clothed with spreading trees, the Spanish chestnut and the bay, that throw around a dark and grateful shade, while everywhere—on the hills, by the road side, in the market-place, and the cemetery, alike re flected in the glassy wave, and relieved against the east ern sky—the cypress stands like a monumental column. Between the dark green foliage are coloured domes and minarets, columns and spires, portals and palaces, castles, harems, and prisons, mosques , kiosks, the interior of St. Sophia, the great bazaar; a mysterious subterranean water reservoir of unknown extent, supported on massy pillars of countless number, the secrets of which men have gone forth to discover in boats, but the light from their torches, which grow dimmer and dimmer, was lost at last by those who watched, and the rash adventurers were seen on earth no more. From this gloomy region we again ascended to the fairy land of the Arabian Nights—to the fountains raining diamond drops, the rich shawls, the pipes (Bismallah ! the word of art is Nargilleh), the arms and the jewels, the grave P aeh aon his white ara b, the solemn Moslem in his stately robes gracefully and reverently bending as the Prophet enjoined in the holy place, the Emir, dressed in the sacred green, and lastly, that gloomy c emetery, with the graves of the janissaries defaced, through which Anastatius rode for leagnes the night he fled from Stambonl, after slaying his latest enemy. Two scenes only seemed not unfamiliar. One was Constantinople by moonlight, with a eonfiagration ; and the other, the entrance to the Black Sea. It may have been fancy'; but here, where a wide expanse of sea appears, the air seemed less bright, the sky more grey ; but we had, perhaps, been dazzled by the gor geous colours of the buildings, the land, and water, on our way from the Mediterranean. The straits were like the Rhone at Geneva, or the blue sea when it is most beautiful, glancing in living gleams of sapphire, topaz, and emerald light ; whilst the build ings, each a mass of columns, domes, and minarets, alternating with rich arabesques, and red and yellow, with earth and water, were bathed in that golden glow and aerial light which invests the view with that lazy, soft, dreamy, voluptuous beauty which is an attribute only of the East and South. The descriptive lecture was not written by the gentleman who spoke it. His manner was good, but he would benefit by the advice of a candid critic. Many jokes were intro duced which a numerous and good audience did not laugh at. The room was much too hot; one lady was taken ill. Constantinople is well worth a visit. lottign gkrt, Sitraturt, at. The Merchant of Venice has been brought out at the Ambigu Comique Theatre in Paris. The play is Shakspeare's—with a difference. By way of " ex plaining " the hatred which Shyiock bears to the Christians in general and Antonio in particular, there is a long prologue, or introductory scene, prefixed to the drama, wherein Shylock's house is plundered by masked robbers; and when the unfortunate miser calls for help, two Venetian nobles of whom Antonio is one, instead of assistanc e give him a terrible beat ing, and have him thrown into prison. Afterwards, in the trial scene, the " wise young judge" is a real man, whom the Jew recognises, at the critical mo ment, to be his own son; and for Portia there is substituted a courtesan, denominated Imperia, with a role of the most terrible character. However, the piece succeeded with the audience of the Ambigu much better, probably, than if it had presented the veritable "Jew which Shakapeare drew." Paovisctu , TREATY/5 IN FRANCE seem just now to be bad speculations. Many of the managers have retired from the hopeless enterprise, and many more have become bankrupts. The latest and worst failure has been that of M. de Courchart, director of two houses, the Thesltre des Arts and the Cirque Imperial at Rouen. He had been absent from Rouen for some time, leaving salaries and bills due on the Ist of January unsettled. The company understood that their manager was in Paris, ra ising money, but as time went on and he did not show they grew alarmed, refused to play any longer, and appealed to the au thorities. A process in bankruptcy was then com menced against M. Courchsrt, and, search being made in his residence, it was found stripped of every thing portable and valuable. Notice has accordingly been transmitted to Paris, and orders issued for his arrest. A CONGRESS OF NATURALISTS is to be held in Christiania during the course of the summer. Towards the expenses of this meeting the Norwegian Govern meat has granted 1,800 crowns, or about 4007. sterling. A BURLESQUE DIVERTISBEMENT IS, it is said, in preparation for performance before the Imperial Court, in which La Cerito and M. Levassor are to dance the principal pas. MEYERBEER'S NEW OPTS*, the Etoile du Nord, is in active rehearsal at the Opera Comique, and will be produced early in February. Scribe has written the libretto. SATt/IIDAY, .-._ - M. 'VICTOR Hvoo is about to leave Jersey with his family, to reside in Portugal. A TELEGRAPNIO OFFICE has been established at Orsova. The expense of a despatc h of twenty words from Paris to Orsova is 32f. 53c. passing through Belgium, and 27f. 100. if sent yid Baden. Tim Truax PAPERS report the serious illness of Silvio Petite°, the well-known author of 1 4 Le Mie Prigiont.' Since his liberation in 1830 he has led a retired life, and never taken any part in politics. Nriiintsitg anttiligtiut. CAMBRIIXIE. THE examination for the Natural Sciences tripes win begin on Monday, March 8, at nine c'clock am., in th e Senate•house. The order of the examination will be e a follows : Monday.--Comparative Anatosay anti Geology. Tuesday.—Physiology and Botany. Wednesday.--Chemistry and Mineralogy. Thursday.—Mixed Questions. Tam following hat of honours at the B.A. commence. anent was posted in the Senate-house yesterday (Fri. day):— Muderatore.—Charles Frederick Mackenzie, M.A., Caius. William Walton, M.A., Trinity. Esantiners.-4 (*mph Wolotenbohne, M.A., Christ's. Per cival Frost, M.A.., St. John's. Wranglers.—Routh, Pet. Maxwell, Trin. Droop, Trin. Horne, Joh. Day, Joh., and Wilkinson, Trin., eq. Whitt, Trin. Latham, Joh. Pratt, Corpus. Brown, Caius. Bates, Joh. Falkner, Joh. Glover, Enim. Campbell, Trin. H. Burbury, Joh., and Hutchinson, T.N., Joh., seq. Elphinstone, Trin. Sampson, Joh., and Wright, Trim, seq, Stephen, Trin. H. Deighton, Queen's. Coltman, Trin. Candy, Emm. Robinson, Trin. Godrieh, and Lawson, Trin., seq. Cornell, Clare. Amos, Trin. Leaks, Joh. Sturges, Emm. Sweeting, Perish. Gabb, Canis. Almond, Emm., Grabham, Joh., and Littlewood, Pemb., req. Tonikinson, Trin. Rawlinson, Einm. Joh., and Roberts, E., Joh., seq. Arnold, Trin., and Raw. kins, Trin., seq. Lawrence, Queens'. Woodhouse, Caius. Senior Optiraes.—leard, Magd. Weightman, Job. Ri. mington, Joh. .Dicey, Trin. Bailey, IL R., Joh. Thomas, Caine. Jessop, Joh. Capel, Joh. Baker, Clare. Fox, Sid. Kingsford, Jesus. Pace, Perish. Foxley, Franks, Trim H. Croft, Caine. Hutchinson, Trin. Baker, W. de F., Emm. Whiteside, J., Cath. Robertson, Trin. De St. Croix, Corpus, and Strugnell, Queens', eq. Wood, J. R., Trin. Campbell, Magd., and Momu, Iris., . Coulson, Trin. Elliott, Magd. Burnaby, Christ's. Ward, Emm. Welch, W. J. J., Cath. Brass, Corpus. Drew, Joh. Smith, J. S., Trin. Ward, Trim Graham Thu. H. Vicars, Christ's. Cavendish, Lord, Trip. Kershaw, Emm. Craston, Christ's. Field, Emm. Elliot Trin., and Marshall, Clare, seq. Walker, Corpus. Dent, Trin. Richards, Trin. Hedges, Queens'. Kingdom, Trin. Smith, G. M., Caine. Forster, U. 11., Joh. Bale, Trin. Gordon, Christ's. Carlon, Trin. Kempsou, Cain. Sanderson, Corpus. Curphey, Trim. Quick, Trin., aid Weston, Trin. H., req. Junior Optimes.—Tonge, Joh. Walker, W. 8., Jok Farrar, Trin., and Patch, Joh., teal. Cory, Pet. Iliad!, Joh. Upton, Trio. Atlay, Joh. Lockett, Quoin. Wood, J., Joh. Fletcher, Cams. Walford, Trin. Tweidls, Joh. Lucock, Joh. Green, A. J. Id., Caius. Wilkins" J. F., Joh. Webb, Emm. Image, Trinity Hall. Betts, Trin. Freshfield, Trin. Bates, Trin. Wilson, W., Trin. Pontifex, Trin. Leaf, Trin. Godfrey, Jesus. LonOall Jesus. Jackson, Magd., and Ward, Queens', req. Bldg , Sid. Hauxwell, Cants. Seeley, Caine. Willeock, Inn. Soden, Emm. Cooper, Trin. Stokes, Caine. Swam*" Trin. Murray, Trin. Symonds, Canis. Nix, but Leachman, Trin. Nash, Caius. Lewin, Joh. Rokeb,7, Trin. r, Jesus. mit WARADIFICE, JAN. 20. Royal Regiment of Horse Guards--Walter D 1 by Set mour, Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Lord Stalk hope, promoted. 16th Light Dragoons—Alexander Power St. Clair, to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Blair, appointed to the ittli Light Dragoons. 4th Regiment of Foot — Assistan t Surgeon John Duniol l, M.D., from the 32nd Foot, to be Assistaut•Surgeon. ‘ l ‘ l Boyd, who exchanges. 20th Foot--Lientenant William T homas Ware Wood to be Captain, by purchase , vice Fole y , who retires ; sign Charles Lutyens to be Lieutenant, by vie Wood; Frederick Parr, Gent., to be Ensign, ry i rui cebaBe ' vice Lutyens. 26th Foot--Lieutenant William John Nunn, from Fir the 83rd Foot, to be Lieut enant, vice Preston, appointed master of the 18th Foot. 29th Foot --Warrington Taylor, Gent., to be Ens l ip 3,b7 purchase, vice Carter, who retires. 32nd Foot—Assistant -Surgeon William Boyd, from he 4th Foot, to be Assistwit-Surgeon, vice rinaloP• IP ° changes, - ii pi.