The Express.
London, England, 1862-12-23 00:00:00

THEATRE ROYAL

DRAMA.

After au existence of nearly eighty-four years—.
broken by at least two destructive foes, but rising spin
from its ashes like that bird who' name we forget at the
present moment—Astley's has thrown itself into the
energetic arms of Mr. Dion Boucicault to take a sensation
header into the regular drama. The only legienside
English school for gymnasts is now no more, and in its
place we have • large, light, and airy theatre. The
vaulters, the circus clown, the trkklorses, the pound
and lofty tumblers are driven over the water to the
Alhambra, or round the country In vans and tents, and in
their places we have a good working dramatic
company sufficieritly light and active to perform
the tricks required by the new style of drama"
Horses are skill retained on the establishment, to be useful
when required, but never more to take that llonnym posi-
tion of superiOrity so of!ensive to sensitive human actors.
A century may roll by, and yet we are found very little
altered lathe way we announce ourselves and oar ittioations.
Here is ova of the earliest announcements of Aside?, which
we can lay ear hands upon :

ditj LEI 29trinsf..;irill be presented at the Amphitheatre
Riding Ronne, Weak:Musser-bridge, a peat variety of
planing new fee% of activity and agility, on foot and
horseback. TN Ante under the direction of Mr. Tetley.
Notwithstanding the' many improvements, no additional
pries in the idnattaass."
This is Mr. Agile?, advertisement in neo ; here is part
of Mr. Hourinsult's in 1862 :

"The auditorium has been entirely reconstructed anal
decorated with a view to the increased comfort of the public ;
and, it is confidently believed, will exhibit, sea model, some
of the many improvements doe to the progressive age we lire
in. The stage in all its departments has been remodelled,
and the expense of working materially reduced. The
management eau extend this advantsge at ones to the
public by an equivalent reduction in the prices of admis-
sion."

A preliminary flourish of trumpets from a smart trader
like Mr. Boucicanit is generally taken to mean much leis
than it promises, but in this cue the best faith has been
kept with the public. Mr. Boucimult has honestly done
all that he could possibly do with the large but awkward
old theatre snatched from the horse-riders, and this all is a
great deal more than most people expected. He has fitted
up the house on the Americin plan—has made it light, airy,
pleasant, comfortable, and cheap ; and if the attractions ois
the stage are only equal to the attractions of the building and
its arrangement, Mr. Boucimult ought to realise all that he
expects in his most sanguine momenta. He has pierced the
roof in a number of places, sod has inserted ventilators
which keep the house at an even temperature. Below the
gallery be bas built what he calls the amphitheatre and
upper boxes—a series of broad open seats arranged in the
space formerly occupied by the daffy upper boxes of the old
establishment. The front border of this amphitheatre is a
space filled with shrubs. Under this structure in front of
the refreshment corridor, on the old dress circle tier, be has
arranged another set of seats even broader and more com-
fortable, which be calls the boxes. In front of these boxes,
or aeat■, built out into the boom ia a noble balcony, fitted up
with the largest and most luxurious chairs ever seen in a
London theatre. These are called the balcony stalls, and are
the best pert of the house, with the exception of the few
private boxes which ron down each side of the proem
Mum. The prices hers are sixpeoce for the giL
lay ; eighteespence for the upper boxes or amphi-
theatre ; two shillinp for the boxes, and three shillings
for the balcony stalls. Seats reserved in the best part of
the house are sixpence extra.

The pit in equally well laid out—nearly one-half being
railed off for pit steUn, which run up to the orchestra. The
pit is one shilling ; and the pit stalls—a separate cane.
bottomed chair for each person—ere one shilling and six-
penes. The mania extra fee for reserved seat+ is demanded
in this port of the hove. The orchestra is arranged to run
only half across the footlights in the centre, leaving square
places ►t each side which are tastefully fitted up with green
trellis-work, and which each contain • fountain (not
running at present) in the true Albert Smithian
style. A slight improvement has been effected
in the foot-lights, so as to throw more light upon the stage,
and the stage has been patched so aa to extend now • little
distance in front of the curtain. Some of the old private
boxes have been rudely cut in half by the re-arrangement of
the proscenium, and those that have been left and re-
constructed are fitted up with great taste. The decorations
are light and pleasing ; there is no lack of lamps about the
house, sod some of the passages between t!... seats are broad
enough to wheel a barrow in. The passages round the
building are open, well-lighted and well ventilated, and
every precaution is taken that visitors shall not suffer from
sprained ankle. or bitten tongues.
The penult proscenium is the least happy part of the
remodelled theatre, being unmistakeably of the Punch and
Judy order of architecture. It stand., too, at right angles
with the private boxes., end so interferes with at least two
Homo( sight on each side of the house. This is • defect
that will doubtless soon be altered, and it is the only one
that suggests itself to the critical visitor. The stage is
broad and deep enough for all practical purposes ; and the
house is certainly one of the most cheerful in Logsdon. All
fees to servants are abolished on the plan so judiciously
adopted by Mr. Webster, and Mr. Harrison at Covent-
garden.
So much for the house, and now we come to the per-
formances. Those selected by Mr. Boncicsult for his
opening last night had nothing of novelty about them. The
little oomedietl• of Parrett and Guardians, with Mr.
Boucicault in the part of the old Frenchman, and Mrs.
Boucicault as the scapegrace boy—both capital embodi-
ments—was the first piece, and the popular spectacular
drama, called The Relief of Luchnoe, first produced at
Drury-lane, completed the entertainment. The spectacle
has lost something by the absence of the Beni-Zoug-Zoug
Arabs, but their places are supplied by graceful female
supers. The performance of Mr. Boucicault as the Irish
Corporal is still better than any other lush comedy acting
on the boards, sal Mrs. I:kook:run, with her plaintive voice
and womanly grace, would lend • charm to • much worse
drama. The scenery by Mr. W. Beverley has been well
adapted to its new Irmie, and all the arrangements were
effective and smoothly carried out.
The house was well attended, though not crowded ; and
r Mr. and Mrs. Boucicault were honoured with • most gr•ti-
tying reception.