The National Register. — London, England, 1811-09-08 00:00:00

'THE NATIONAL-REGISTER. DRAaIATIC REGISTER. .• Litetcat Titz.vrat.—On Thursday the Comic Opera of 'The Puenna was performed for the purpose of introducing a lady to the Public in the character of Clara, of whom report hath said much. Her name, we have understood, is HETHERINGTON, and that she hath had the advantage of being tutored by Mr. CORRI. Her voice is one of the very best that we have heard during a long time from a native Debutante—its compass is nearly as extensive as the, voice of Madame CATALANI, and she resembles that lady very closely in the management of some of her tones. She has three perfect octaves from the treble lower G; but her fears were so overpowering that she could not per fectly command her own qualifications; and her exertions that night may be considered as some of ANGELICA KAUTTMANN'S sketches, rather as significant of what she may do, than as in stances of perfect skill. She was several times false in the ex pression of her upper notes, and she gave us some reason to fear that her ear is not very delicately organized, by her execution of the sweet bravura of ‘' Adieu thou dreary pile," in which she was more erroneous than her other attempts; but the lady was so ice -bound, and fettered by her apprehension, that it is scarce.. ly just to draw any thing like a conclusive deduction, from what she might do under such an amiable pressure of modesty. stance in which this recurred. It was most forcible at the time, when the hero forgot his text, and trying back-to recover the cue, as the prompter calls it, after audibly expressing his doubt and hesitation, by the contradictory mowssyllables, no, yes—ac tually repeated over again the very speech that he had just finish ed. Again, when he said, Is it a dream, or am I mad ?" the laugh exceeded even its former excess. At length the dying scene came, and was performed amidst unceasing roars of laugh. ter, in which several extraordinary sounds mingled, such as crowing and chuckling like a cock, crying cock-a-doodle-do s &c. till the curtain fell, and here the play closed, the audience vociferously and repeatedly, though ineffectually demanding, by cries of encore, encore, &c. that the death-scene should be re acted, as it had been in Mr. Coates's former performance of Re. meo at Cheltenham. Air. Coates did, however, appear again, and recited " Bucks have at you all," in a style somewhat less laughable than his Romeo. There were some alterations to suit his own particular case ; and an allusion to some of the Chelten ham critics, whom he supposed to have mixed among the Rich mond audience, had a very good effect. The audience were at last put into good humour, and sincerely applauded and called for a repetition of the address. But Mr. Coates not appearing, while the encore was insisted upon for near a quarter of an hour, the Manager, Mr. Beverley, came before the curtain, dressed fur the character of the Jew, in the afterpiece of The Jew and the Doctor; and having obtained silence, the following dialogue ensued between him and some Gentleman who spoke on the part of the audience MA NAG E R.—Ladies and Gentlemen, it seems to be the wish of the majority of this company to hear Mr. Coates again.—Am I right in that construction ? AUDIEN C E.—Yes, certainly—(accompanied with laughter.) MANAGER.—(dUlligingiyAre you really disposed to hear him again ? AuDlENCE.—Certainly—Coates, Coates! MANAGER.-r-YOU have had every thing that is mentioned in the bills. It is quite contrary (to dramatic usage to speak a speech over again ? Au DIENCE.—No, no; we have heard prologues often re pcated. • MANAGER:4 have never known an instance of it. But the thing is now impossible. Mr. Coates has left the house. But if you really wish to sec him again, I will undertake that he shall perform. That is all that I can do. This assurance having been acquiesced in, the dialogue (in which the Richmond Manager cor.versed very much in the 0. P. managerical style with those who held parley with him) closed, and the afterpiecc was suffered to proceed. We understand Mr. COAT E S will re-appear cu.-morrow night in his favourite character of Row°. MR. COATES, THE THEATRICAL PHENOMENON. RICHMOND THEATIM—The people of Richmond, and its vicinity for several miles round, including many families of the highest rank and fashion, and great numbers even from London, crowded to Richmond Theatre on Wednesday night, to see that telebrated amateur, Mr. Coates, perform the part of Romeo. While the audience impatiently awaited the rising of the curtain, Mr. Coates's performance was the subject of general and audible conversation, from which it was easy to anticipate that the pa thetic tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, would, for this time, he one of the most laughable comedies with which merry Old England was ever entertained. At length the hero appeared, in person above the middle size, and well made, clad in a most splendid and really very beautiful dress, consisting of yellow and silver tissue, with a large sash of pink and silver, put on in the manner of a Scotch plaid, and a Spanish hat, with a rich plume of ostrich feathers; to these were added a profusion of rich jewellery, in all the various shapes of collars, buckles, buttons, &c. to the amount, it was said, of several thousand pounds. We are not disposed to be severe on Mr. Coates's performance, which af forded singular amusement ; but it is necessary, in order to give a just idea of it, to say, that for some time it was so even, though rather below mediocrity, that it appeared likely to pass off in that flat routine, which is neither forcible enough to affect the feeling in the pathetic, nor absurd enough to amuse, by pro voking the risible faculties. At length a sudden start, or rather frisk and jump, in one of the love speeches, called forth an uni versal burst, and from that moment the laugh was not discon tinued, nor the audience composed for one instant to seriousness, for the remainder of the night ; and whether Romeo addressed Juliet, or Juliet pronouncing the praise of Romeo, laughter con - vulsed the house, and made it sometimes impossible for the love sick maid herself (though represented in a very superior manner by a young lady of the name of Watson) to forbear from a smile and a titter, where a sob and a tear would be appropriate, if the .tragecly bad not been so superlatively comedized, or rather farcified by her lover. Oh Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo, was harped upon in a very particular manner; but when she .spoke of g , cutting him up into little stars," &c. the effect pro duced was beyond all description. Every one in the house, burst by one cominon •ar/d irresistible impulse into a peal of laughter, which shook their frames, the benches, and the house with them. It would be tiresome to notice every successive in- y"1:~ r~ ~~ .t_ 4416'.4 4 FRENCH PERFORMANCE. A neat little theate , -, fitted up by Lhe Frendi Officers on pa role at Cupar, Fife, was opened on the 27th ult: for the first time. A prologue, composed by one of the gentlemen, compli mentary to the inhabitant; for their hospitality, was delivered on the occasion. It was followed with "Les Rites Amoureuscs," a comedy in verse by Regnard, and the afterpiece of " La Qua /erne." These Officers have been in every thing their own ar tists. The scene-painting, the interior decorations of the thea tre, the arrangement of the costume, the getting up of a com plete stage-apparatus, and, above all, forming of a most excel lent band for the orchestra, are all their own doings. The pro logue went off successfully, and the comedy and afterpiece were extremely well played. The French style of acting i; more rapid and vehement than our's ; on this occasion, too. the fe male characters were represented by persons of the other sex ; yet these peculiarities did not prevent a numerGus audience, many of whom necessarily knew little of the language, from be. ing highly amused with the acting. Vauxhall Gardens closed on Wednesday night, after a most prosperous season. 4 • L 1