The Express.
London, England, 1863-09-14 00:00:00

SURREY.

Mr. Shepherd is one of the most practical
managers of a minor theatre in Loodoe. Few men have
led more experience of this peculiar branch of dramatic
limisset, or have been ler tamed from their cause by
whir and theories. While other manager, of simliar
lenses have been inspired with a belief that they bad a
"minion to regenerate the muses," and lay the facade-
tier of a " home for the legitimate and poetical drama," the
fieney management ham sever gone beyond Ha hat for say
length of time. It it hes relied upon Shakespeare—to say
nothing about taste and the musical gleam—fora few
nights, that hes may been in the intervals of producing a
.eery melo drama. A few old stockroom of literary merit—
the authors of which have long bra dead, and the copy-
rights of which have long expired, are sometime.
served up before the audiences of the Bleclfriars-road,
bet they are never kept very long in the bill. The
eserent demand for novelty at a minor theatre—a demand
eared by the fact that the audiences are chiefly composed
ei sootier customers of the house—compels the production
eta new drama about ore a fortnight. There must be
&meth* very reetarkable about a pier which holds its
pier more than a month—a fortnight as the first piece in
the bills sad a fortnight ea the seeped or Let. To attain
this leegth of life it meat have plenty of curiae incidents,
• dory told less by dialogue than by a series of battling
manes soda fair display of dresses and merry. Anything
Ma literary work, properly so called, is not drawled is
web pieces ;at least we must amuse so, front the fact that
it is sever supplied. Such dramas are furnished by the
lowest clans of hack-dramatist at the lowest market price—
lee pounds being made to go a long way in what are some-
what contemprouly styled the "words" of inch prodwr
them They are often bad adaptations of adaptations of
Preach piers, end are sometimes put together by anther
leis are kept, like carpenters, on the premises.
If we are to believe all the mana3erial promises lately
seat lath, the highly eucceesful trading management of the
canny in threatened with a change. Mr. Shepherd has
lees recently joined by Mr. Jame, Anderson, and the latter
gentlemen has • good second-clem repotatioe to preserve as
an exponent of the poetical and legitimate drama. Mr.
Shepherd's plea hes hitherto been to fill hie hoar by pro-
dries the class of charms we have jar dearibed ; to make
peat efforts is getting up his Christmas pantomime; to
pay almost eerily upon that attraction up to Easter, and
Or to let the theatre to travelling or discontented "stars°
&ring five or six mouths of the @prior and summer.
Whether Mr. kedersoe's influence and authority will alter
this plan, and lead to the production of drama' of some Mo-
wry pretension, yr nmaiva to be WO, bat the experience
elf the lint night would man to promise a continuance
et the old system. The house opened for the winter season
• Saturday night with • piece called TheSortiai Chief; or
the Maid of Allergy, a long, heavy, unietersting drama,
lard ea the forgotten morel of the " &sottish Chiefs," by
Nis Porter. A dull old-fashioned Coburg melodrama,
needy half • century aid, by Barrymore, adapted from the
mere earl, has really furnished the bulk of the play—two
weak mad tiresome are being added to Banymeres three ;
Se seer atiomal incident being the lifting of the beheaded
Ware's bleeding bead from a beret. Mr. Audience was
eel received, and he made the most of him deep voice and
esre•ler legs and arms. Mks Pannell:A acted forcibly,
sal the merry was very good, but the Ore was nearly
peeving • failure! notwithstanding. Therein was crowded,
es it always is on ao opening with an audience that
never seems to vat y.

CRYSTAL Patera—The amusements provided for
half-crown day were ogreeably diverailied w &Mud*
*a monologue entertainineut, in which Mr. Berl Young, a
C=who has acquired some comiderable provincial
ve his experisares of people we meet about town,
ask evening parties, in loterrerooma, en the Multiage, sad
Ilirsrbere. in what is rolled "society." it will be readily un-
demand that Mr. Young is a disciple of the John Parry
wheel, and its oe dirperegement to him to say that he r
ea yet some degrees removed from that popular delimator
of social eccentricities and fashionable absurdities ; but Mr.
Year; is evidently a keen observer, and hits off the little
peenliarities of character and habit that fall under his oh-
esnetioa with great humour and ludicrous truth. His
Proforor Star, the astronomical lecturer ; Professor Presto.
the lecturer as magic ; and George B—d, the musical
bsiursr, are exceedingly clever imitations of originals easily
smarmed. A tragic opera, M which the basso, tenore, and
=rte are all taken by Mr. Young, forms a pro-
pa
part is the eutertainment, and is amusing in is
oreggerated trarlseque—the nee so perhaps from its bre-
vity. Brawn's Bening Party, which winds up the par.
formaisce, introduces the authors to the sort of people
usually met at these generally tedious and profitless in-
mations fur wasting time. There is the gallant subaltern,
with MY. a year, looking out for a fortune and a handsome
hoe in combination ; the comic man, who makes jokes. tells
foray storim, eves imitations, sings comic rings, plays
with the children, and makes himself useful and agreeable
everybody ; the sentimental singer, the belle of the room,
all admirably personified and rendered mach mom eatertain-
ie their portraiture than they usually are in their bodily
gamma& The performance, which was attended by a large
aradiesoe, appeared to give satisfaction, and with a little
srbeioas pruning may aostinue for some time attractive.
SUMMER EXCURSION Or THE CLARE MARKET
BAOGED SCHOMAL—Oe Thursday last about 200 abilities
hothiegieg to this above 'awes went by steamboat to
Gessewieb, moompthied by their teachers and frieeda. On
serving at Gresawich they were quietly marched through
lie town to the perk, and after playiog at • variety of
imbue they partook of a substantial dinner. Rooming up
sod down the kills and slopes of the famous old park,
&ahoy riding, end exciting monist matches, brought four
eimek round, when the children were again assembled to
perfake of buns and milk. More playing and then the rusks
won formed for home, sad as the happy couples wooded
their way through the avenues of veteran oaks, and testified
b. sheen sod songs the pleasure they bad derived (with
She an observer could not fail to be struck with
She factthat ro much happiness could he afforded al memthl rpecuoiary expense to chador' for whom the right
efirese Was sad velvet dome is better rare an occunreme.
Sixty miles an hour by the Great Western express
Is sheen solved at by the careful sad construe Improvement of
Qs locomotive. The muse means hemi made Herring's Magnetic
area sad Onsebe squally portect They see now the scanted
and carbine remedy tae the IliOritie tie stroreux, nervous
beseetelbe.ase.. geld mute Me 'Mom to per lisirla a taw weak%
wintd these mide.—ollam St, hasieskag.Oreet,