The Press. — London, England, 1853-10-22 00:00:00

OCTOBER 22, 1853. The Abusing of Chid (Itauttoott Lecture.). Iter. W. Tluattiou, lAbtignasti, I:ecideir de Deautterets, tr., utiles a cougaiter dam. Ceiv .4efuelle. l'agiterry. ..iiiivery is the Island of Cuba. Itou Mariano Tot 11 t Itaillii•re. 6. Bell. Letter to the Dale qf NetreaAtle. 1.. M. Hogg. MUSIC. The Runnymede 31nrek. 6. IL E. Hodge*. IrAlukaine and co. The Sy.lealuiskltzes. Ditto. I lure at breal of day to 11WIIN. NM% irp puma. I)ItURY-LANE THEATRE. WE were amongst the crowds that thronged " Old Drury " on Wednesday night. The multitude was perfectly prodigious. The orchestra was removed, and its place occupied by extemporised stalls, which, like all the other seats iu the house, were filled loug before the curtain rose. The fact that such at crowd could nowadays be got together for auy dramatic performance at Drury Lane is in itself very remark able. The audience, however, was far from being brilliant or fashionable, and was in its elements much below the average audience of a night either at the Haymarket or the Olympic. The sight of a vast mass of people has in itself much that is ex citing; and not a few, proliably, went to see the crowd as much as the play. The Macbeth of Mr. 6. V. Brooke, tried by his own standard of acting, is one of his least successful parts. Nearly all his special defects are glaringly exhibited in it, while few of his par icular merits are visible. The first two acts of his pertOrmance on Wednesday night were the best, but he failed cons pletely in the banquet scene; and it is enough to say on this point that we even preterreil Mr. Forrest, the American actor, in that portion of Macbeth. Recollecting the Sir Giles Overreach and the Master Walter of Mr. Brooke, we expected that he would have made a better Macbeth. There are a class of public speakers who fail in the senate, though they are admirable platform ora tors ; and there are actors who bear the Sallie rela tions to true tragedians that popular declaimers have to real orators. At present, we are inclined to class Mr. Brooke amongst the declaiming actors, who recite with effect, though they cannot realise with art,—who always raise the cheers of the multitude, but often shock the judgment of the experienced and judicious. In fairness to Mr. Brooke, however, let it be recollected that he has not the advantage of playing habitually to London audiences, and to in tercourse with those more educated patrons of the drama whose opinion is so advantageous to an actor. Mr. E. T. Smith addressed the andienee at con siderable length after the perfiematice terminated. He first praised Mr. Itrooke—" one of time noblest men he ever knew "—then he praised the British public—" his kind friends here"—and all his com pany; and, lastly, he praised himself. Ile also inti mated that, probably, Mr. Brooke would appear again after Christmas ; and we think it not unlikely that the actor will prefer the certain " nuggets " at 01.1 Drury to the " diggins" at Australia. We ought to add, as a specimen of the taste of the audience, that Mr. Lyon, who played the part of Macduff, was twice called for by the audience, and made his bows to his noisy admirers. An amusing incident occurred at the close of Mr. Smith's speech. Apparently expecting that at bouquet would be dung from the left-hand boxes, he looked in that direction, but the flowers were cast after hint from the right• hand side, so that he walked mitt without obtaining them. Such tributes, if prepared, ought to he classed with impromptus faits a laisir. PRINCESS'S. Tee cast in Ti n Birola, as performed at this house, is not worthy of the management,—a tact very evident from the thin audience on last Tuesday night. The pit was only half full. and the boxes were almost hare of occupants. The only interesting feature in the performance is the Acres of Harley, which has been carefully studied. Amid the feeble acting by which the play was supported, the comic face of Har ley, notwithstanding his jerky jaunty tnannerism, appeared with much of the quaint vigour peculiar to this performer. His voice is evidently losing its power, and becoming reedy with advancing years. Though well conceived, especially in the first scene, in which he enters as a mere country gentleman, his Acres dors not tell strongly on the audience, who did not call for him at the close. Mrs. 1% - instanl( y's Mrs. Malaprop is commonplace—a mediocre conception. energetically executed. The Captain Absolute of Walter Lacy wants brilliancy of colour. Sir Lucius °Trigger was wretchedly performed ; but we must give hearty praise to a brilliant hit of acting of Ir.. Walter Lacy in the small part of Lucy. We never saw it better played. This lady might yet succeed in those parts which are vacant since the death of Mrs. Orger. (tINNIPIt". THE leading dramatic event of the week lia.4 been the opening of this popular house under the lessee• THE PRESS ship of llr. Alfred Wigan. A vast crowd was col lectetl. partly front the curiosity arising from a " first night." as well as from wide-spread sympathy with the new popular to the doors being opened half an hour later titan was expected to change not sutticirntly made known), SOIMI d . COW& ql was V N11(.6(414 . '41 Nr observed several fashionable habitai.,l waiting outside with mon , pa lience and good ltchmionr than was shown I.y less distinguished persons. t M the doors %wiry; at last opened, only a few minutes elapsed when eery de sirable seat was occupied; and at half past sewn the performatives began. The first fact of the night worthy of record w it .; the genuine diameter of the en doisiastie reception given to Mr. Wigan. Snell a demonstration iambi never have beets "got up," and Was a well deserved tribute to a brilliant actor, whose theatrical eminence is enhanced by his personal respectability. The tirst piece, The Camp at the olympie, w as by Mr. Manche. We hate read better productions from the pen of its sparkling author; but, as the little piece was merely intended as a prelude, it would be scarcely fair to criticises it. Plot and (((( , in three acts, is the chief piece on which \lr. Wigan has relied at the outset of his career as manager. It is a ineldrna, from the pens of Mr. Tom Taylor tun( another gentleman. The great hit in this drama was the decisive success, in the serious part of Poo/mill:, Robson. Upon the greatness of his merits in AUE. I I ertillte, whim compared with John Reeve, lincksteme, and Harley, there was some difference of opinion; but his Desmaret: is a piece of original ac ting, c l ear ly eon . ceived seal vividly executed, in a style that at once, per saltum, plates this most temarkable artist its the front rank of his probbssiote Intensity, showing itself in a prodigal variety of gestures, and a ‘ersatile cretinism' over the resources of emphasis and atti tude, is the leading characteristic of this actor. II is peculiar organisation makes him physieally passion ate, but his keen intellectual faculties infuse 11 glit into Isis vehemence. A dwarf in stature, with a voice like a Iwntly whistle mimicking a trombone, — darting hither anti thither itel osS the stage With a strange,nervous vivacity.--his seri )))) s acting is saved ftenst the grotesque by the truthful character of Isis passionate energy and Lis smsla i ne d power of self excitement. In DO other meter, tragic or etbillie, with the single exeeption the elder Kean, hate we ever seen so much histrionic intensity. Set end of his touches in Destnaretz strike home to the am li e nee with thrilling power. Mere talent—more study— mere emuming---could never supply the versatility with which he astonished the audience last M o nday night. Ile showed the serpentlike crawl of the ttset of police in one Seelle; anti in the next, when he appeared as the lover, he displayed the passion of an aspiring heart, seating beyond grovelling habits. His thirst for vengeance was depicted also wills re. markable skill, in delineating the evil anti the sinister ; anti the rapidity of his alternations marked that spontaneity which can come only from "genius" —a word often abused, but rightly applied to mark the originality of mind shining frwes thee new theatri cal " star." Mr. Wigan played the part of Henri de r d ineeille with manly pathos, and realised the impulsiveness of the creole temptrametit with its sudden transitions in his best style. We should like to see Mr. Wigan in the part of FouchZ. Ile would name into it more subtlety and fillealSe 011411 Mr. Emery, whose chief merit is in parts reuniting broad and hold sift OS. We think this hint werth hating acted on, as Mr. Emery has many qualitivations for the part of Henri. This exchange of parts would improve the action of the whole. piece. Mrs. Stirling boiled and acted charmingly as Madame des lOW liallget. Failure is a word never connected with this admirable actress, what, since the , re tirement of Mrs. Nisbeta, iniques• tunably stands at the head of our female comedians. tin the whole, the opening of the Olympic Theatre this week was a triumph for the manager, mud wt leok forward with great interest to his coming season. We observe that our contemporaries omitted to notice one interesting scene last Monday. When the audience, at the close of the second act of Plot and Passion, enthusiastically called fear \lr. Robson, that gentleman declined to cis me feta aril, net wishing, probably, tat take the hesnours fr en his brother performer:. Mr. Wi;:nit literally dragged him its frait of the enrtaile when the unenager left him, setter hating first, with eager cordiality, s haken the band of his Ltilliiut r, emit. Nlr. Robson was nearly overpowered with uniotisse, but amongst the demonstratiens in his favour the greeting that he received Iran his manager wits net the least interest ing fact in the revert et his triumph. Itt - Rim; the recent in-peetion of the Anlisittlt. Dessau contingent, expel Maids were made with the Minie tirelock, which the !Fehr %rifting sari did not answer expectations. It w,e, liecially remarked that " the point% of the balls repeatedly tlew oth and left the cylinder bticking in the middle of the barrel." lortign (;Art, Yitttaturt, u. 595 slit. FLEXIIOItt: AND Sher.. /tuition. have p er f orme d see oral last times lately at the Vaudeville Theatre at .%ttrisrs AND Ali el'Elltri OF FINE ARTA enema to the Museum of Pictures at Itrussels to admire the largo fresco exhibited by Katilbw+, the chief of the Dres. gt'llool- The subject is the dispersion of the races at the 'rower of Babel. 'this gigantic coneep titiii, designed with black pencil, is to remain exhi bited for a f o rtnight. 1)1: AN A, 1)11Ae Ernest of Swabia, was per foninstl at Heflin on the Itith inst., the birthday of the King. Tin: etiii.E4 Tins OF liths 01 A RT Which 1 longed t o the late Itatitieeribut Councillor Kestner is shortly to arrive from Rome in Hawed rid Ilataliarg. A nephew of the deceased obtained, after six mouths endeavours at Home, the Papal aittlioriint• f or th e transfer of the Vistleetioit, comprising forty Wa i ts eon. tatining very important materials for the history of arts and arelittsiltsgy, oil pictures, engravings, ancient and modern. marble and bronze ati tnuttem, I reek suit Ittiman lamps and tither thiniestic imple • moils, jewels, canoes, Egyptian antiquities. AT. Tin. Hoy . el. A r M.iuwu °tidiest on the Ist inst. with 1 Lombardi, performed by Senora Itaiitteg gio, and Behoves AltilVeZZi. I Multi, and Ecchevarria. Pitot I.:smolt It wilt, at Berlin, is happily rectwerist from a tialigt•Tiolls sieklicss. Outzstavv*s Ni:w Philippe and l'erez, ob• tainett a emcees estinte at Munich on the Ist inst. AT reins the Ilritirl't has Issis started for forming a joint stock company. with a capital of two millions of francs. which would take the management of all theatres, With its 14.1111'81 Meld at Paris. WA4.NEIt 111111410 it sort e finnicn The papers advise her not to torment a %nice *beady LITTLE SlTri:sh is elpeeleti I . l'oll the new opera for which Thallierg is writing the music. His first opera, Fforintia, was an echatistfitioro, K tl'll is 10 forthwith in the castle. at Menienburg some hove frescoes tilt subjects taken from the history of the Plus tan brands o f th e Ten. tonic rave. Titt:N erissNit. lIN HA% is henceforth pro. Whited to he' sting or played in public ceremonials, mixed wills other melodies or %striations ; lint, says the police decree, its whole and sublime simplicity is to • TIM I lI . SI.ARIAN PIPET VIOIRIOSIMITY With the 11.1111S111111)11 lilt° the Metlyar dialect of all Sheik .peace's dramas. King I.ette is ready. Bootee and Joliet and 'Grimed 111. will bee so soote THE FIRENIII OrmosT tend the musical coniposer I netlow, is of the French Academy of IFine Arts, died some s'etys ago. tiosslow wine an Englishman by birth. His tepee's, l,e Colpnrtetor,en joyetl an uncontested success : his other works for the stage-4%1/(nd , de lit l'eyess . and 1.141 Etats de Mont — were less lucky. The candidates for the seat Iris death leaves %avoid. are Clapiesson, teotionul, Beezin, and Adrian Itoielilien, all inessieiatis of spies. iional.le reputations. 'l'lle only competitor of Euro. twain renown is Ileetor Berlioz, Teat: Fist:se II .‘cAItENV oil SclEs4 E. lias lost lisle of its hest menelsers, the lesitaiiist Auguste 't. Tim ItkaAil us I'visTo.is Coss' AN111.4. WAI (lied dining a ,journey set Naples. I i5•14.1114 - Al,l l .ilNlEll at Ber lin, has C 4 11.1111111' 1 1 the picture equesonouseleil by the King of Prussia, representitsg the vinery of the Hannan trihes °ter the flutes. The skulls of the King set the Goths, Thethlorick, soul the entlertosistatiots of his SOI Tlitorktiloisl, are said to he very effectively de pictcol. Tin: I Its . moortstwo Agetiztormorbr, Chevalier 1.a100t., ha., died at NI Ili:. It ‘o Et. is to iwthant at St. Petersburg at the llolchoi Theatre. Thu representation% will take place throe 1• st in the week, the other days being 114 4 'n" 1 for the Italian company. The lholchoi is 0110 of the largest thcuttem of Europe. The pricer are very high ; the lemt expensive place costs If. I'. VtscousT ItAfoul. A:soi.ts Aso M. Ctivet.Es have returned to Pariv from their excursion hi ler -1111111 hull lintlVß, where they wen. witnesses Of a volcanic eruption of more than liNt feet height. The two young savants briny; a collection of sketches and specimens from this unknown country. Tim LAIVtioN 111041:11S,Vtottlf 120,111111t.r. have re• ported that a mistake loud been made with regard to the gift of 11r. Laascio, that gentleman odtpulating that 10,1N)1 1 /. Slin o , I. ti to Ilia gift. The co.minittee which fi rmerly nutalwred more than fifty memlocroo has loi en concentrated into a sot king body of fourteen, a n d #lll appeal is now being mode to the !toys! Society and other learned bodies for assi4tance to carry (4111 the project. WomkitlEN are now emplooy et' in the court of the Lou% re in placing a number of statues in niches which have been long ante,: prepared fur their recep tion.