The Express.
London, England, 1855-03-05 00:00:00

DRAMA.

STANDARD THEATRE.
This thecae*, lying in the regions of " the fu east,"
has hitherto been without the pale of &emetic criticism.
If its present management, however, shall persist in the
muse which bas now bten adoptei, such will not sontinae

to be the Cu., for the Staod;rd ' will be added to the
ether suburban theatres, situated in remote districts of the
metropolis, where the entertainments of the stage have been
exalted and refined, and where the classical works
of our great dramatists are performed to large and
intelligent audiences. As a step towards the attain-
ment of this object, two of oat most eminent
tragedians—Mite Glyn and Mr. Henry Marston—have tees
enwaged; and Shakspeare's Antony mid Cleopatra was pro-

eland on Sattardey evening.
In consequence of the announcement of this performance
we visited the &audited Theatre for the first time, and were
cot at all prepared to find that it is one of the largest arid
handsomest theatres in London. Situated in • wile, open
street, opposite the terminus of the Eastern Counties Rail-
way, is approach is very convenient. The entrances are
epesiaus ; and the interior in of an elegant form, and la.
*sing magnitude. It was brilliantly lighted, and the
gelatine and decorations appeared to be in excellent taste. 7:171
no stage is large, and well fitted for the production of t 24
Wale 'Rests. Before the play hew the house was creedal In
froze the floor to the ceiling. We never saw pee pie more
closely packed together; yet the pressure in the pit and n
gallery produced no coufusion, nor disturbed the attention lift
bestowed on the performance. se
Antal and Cleopatra was one of Mr. Phelps's revivals at SO
Sadler's Wells, where it was produced (as on Saturday ry
night) with Mr. Marston and Miss Glyn in the characters of
of
the hero and heroine. It was got up with great splendour ift
and consummate skill ; and, notwithstanding its defects ii
as an acting play, had no small se.cess. Miss r.
Glyn's pereenetion of the E,typtian Queen was justly re- et
peeled as a triumph of histrionic art ; and Mr. Marston em- se:
bodied with great !elicit; the features of the gay, neither, It
yet noble and chivalrous Mare Antony. Renee it was et
natural that these two tsceilent performers, when they
were about to appear together on another stage, should V.
choose the some pare in which they had already appeared it
together to so much advantage. But their poeition was nut et
now quite so advantageous as it had been before. Mr.
Phelps had gradually arid perseveringly educated his 161
'aline/lien public up to • fuller appreciation of the It
drama than exists among any other play-going cora- 134
inunity in Lmelon. They have learned to know their
11l
fibaksinsere, and to study him at home as well as at the ;t
theatre. If the ehereuiteli manager has the same punnet
once, he may raise his audience to the same mark ; but it is
evident that they neither are nor can be up to it at present. 124
Antony and Cleopatra, acted to people previously ileac, s3l.
gestated with its subject, is absolutely unintelligible. When to
they read the play, the multitude of characters and inns- IS
sant changes of place do not perplex them, because the text
iy
informs them where the &aim lies, and who are the persons L.
of the drama. But without such help, no one merely seeing Lt•
this play could ;tenthly (unless we presuppose a great ge
deal of historical Knowledge) follow the course of tv
its incidents; and on this Become., Antony and Cleopatra, 261
with all its peetical beauty, has seldom been brought upon so
the stage, and will never, we believe, hold • place in the tee
repertory of actin; plays. On this occasion, the principal IS
scenes did not fail to produce ea effect on the audience. rt.'
They were charmed with Miss Glyn 's grace and beauty, and le
wee; able to feel the truth and nature with which she de-
lineated every feature of one of the meet feminine of Shake- at
peare's female characters ; her artful blandishments,
mingled with real passion; her exquisite softness and storms so
of jealous rage ; her fitful caprices and changes of mood ; bar at
'•infinite variety," which enabled her to enthrall the noblest It,
Roman of the age. That they perceived and felt these it,
beauties was apparent, from the manner in which the
accomplished actress was received ; and the striking poiets
of Mr. Blanton's fine representation of Antony were fl-
larly appree:ated, but the rest of the play produced no jg
effect. Snots after seeoo paned off without any indecorous Le-
interruption, indeed, but with apathy, unless when there Z.
was the rthef of a pretty piece of scenery, or a showy So
pageant. At the fall of the Curtain there were the usual
rs
iudications of success; but the success was that of the two Is
stars of the evening, not of the play itself. In selecting
another piece for their joint appearance, it would be easy,
we think, to make a chutes more suitable to the occasion. s°

IRELAND.

- -

DUBLIN, SAtuRDAY EVININO. et..l
Mr. William Keogh, our new Attorney-General, ILI'
was sworn into office yesterday. It is thought that 14,'
there will be no attempt at opposition to his re-eke- si
tion for Athlone ; and it is quite evident that the new :,1
Irish appointments have excited a general feeling ot et.
satisfaction through the country. Stt.
.
The funds on the Dublin Stuck Exchange, which
merely follows that of London, went up to-dsy two to
per cent. The news ot Alexander being &clip° 4- 11
kdged u his father's successor did not reach Dublin
until atter the close of the market. stell