The Express.
London, England, 1863-03-24 00:00:00

VICTORIA.

The theatre which Mrs. Brown in Mr. Sketchley's
Entertainment persists in ailing Queen Victoria's owe
theatre, has seen many changes. When it began life u the
Coburg it had a dramatic company of some pretension. Mr.
Booth, the tragedian, who was set up in opposition to
Edmund Lean, played high tragedy on its boards, supported
by men like Barrymcce and H. Kimble. The performances
may have been a little coarser in the grain than those at the
two patent theatres, bat, at any rate, they were saved from
one degradation. A pert, forward child, called the infant
Boecius, was never made ► "star" of there, and allowed to
stride ►bout the stage in Baader, surrounded by actors
three feet higher than himself. Bach an appeeranos ia
Lambeth might have led to some novel " businem," that
would have insulted Shakspeare still further, for the
audience would certainly have directed Laertes to birch his
enemy.

The patrons of the Coburg, or Victoria Theatre, wore
always somewhat unruly. Their method of applauding lege
was to curse him loudly—tete/I him plainly from the gallery
what they would do to his ugly head if they could only get
him amongst them. More than forty years ago an eminent
dramatic critic draws this gloomy picture of them :—" In-
stead of the rode, naked, undisguised expression of curiosity
and wonder, there was nothing but an exhibition of the
most petulant cockneyism and vulgar slang. Al! oar former
notions and theories were termed topsy-turvy. The genius
of St. George's-fields prevailed, and you felt yourself in a
bridewell or a brothel, amidst Jew-boys, pickpooketa, pros-
titutes, and inountebanka. The object was not to admire,
but to vilify sod degrade everything. The audience did
not hiss the actors—that would have implied • serious
feeling of disapprobation, and sotneilaing like a diaappointed
wish to be pleased—but they laughed, booted at, nick-
nauied, pelted them with oranges and witticisms to show
their contempt for them and their art." It is easy to see
that neither good plays nor good actors could live is such
an atmosphere as this, and the Victoria soon gave up all
preteceions to be considered more than • huge "gaff,"
differing only in sire from the pearly booths of the New
Cut. During the last ten or fifteen years--particularly
since the death of Mr. Osbaldiston—it has been known as
• very sooty, grew temple of domestic drama—s place
where mud, orange-peel, fried fish bones, and broken ginger-
beer bottles accumulated in the pit from week to week, and
where beer and dirty perspiretion trickled from the
gallery down the fronts of the boxes. To do it justice,
however, the morality of its pieces was far above that of
popular West-end coenediettas, though the low comedians
generally indulged in that freedom of " gagging" which
always ends in vulgarity and coarse allusions.
After • long career of thug kind, the management was
changed, and the present lessees, Messrs. Frelopton and
Fenton, got possession of the theatre at the close of last
year. They cla•oed the house thoroughly from top tx
bottom, decorated it in ► pleasing and sensible style, taking
care that the brilliancy of the interior should not eclipse
the brilliancy of the stage. The house is very large, and
tolerably well constructed ; the lighting and ventilation
have been improved ; and it is now one of the few impres.
sive theatres in London. The audience, though they are as
numerous as ever, are cleaner and more attentive—a result '
that has been at once attained by the improvement of the
theatre.

The stage arrangements alao show the same alteration for
the better. Mr. Inunpton has brought his quarter of a
century's experience as a hallet•awcer to bear upon the
grouping of figures ; and Mr. Fenton provides sensory as
good as that which be has so loog painted for the West-
end theatres. The performers are now dressed io keepiag
with the characters they represent, and the properties are no
longer scanty and shabby.
Last night a new drama, hy Mr. George Bolton, was
produced under the direction of Mr. Frampton, with some
excellent scenery and effects by Mr. Fenton. This pies
is celled the Enyi ore?, and, as far am we know, it is the
first attempt yet made to dramatise some of the leading
incident. in the life of George Stephenson. Of course
ruany things are shown which would astonish Mr. Samuel
Smiles and the minim who have read the famous bio-
graphy, but the choice of subject is bold and original, and
the " whole strength of the company " is displayed in the
dew.. A fair at Ovingham, the old bridge at Newcastle,
Chat Moss by moonlight, and a railway cutting, are the
chief Borneo ; and some lively dames and mimic add much
to the effect of the piece.

The mammon of this home are evidently determined to
deserve IMMO. They are not trying to attract notice by
dabbling in "stars," or in badly perforamd legitimate
drams, but they are trying to improve the audiences, the
tb.etre, and the dram► of their district, sod their reforming
efforts are entitled to reeoguitioe.