The Press.
London, England, 1853-10-15 00:00:00

PUBLICATIONS BECEIVEI).

....—. -
Th.. Art of &morning. S. Neil. Waltou and Mothelley.
The Me..l Holy Trituty. Surer. Srt•lrp..
rot. T. tuts ill Criminal Cmicx. W. Itibtoti. Butter%unit.
.1 Nttwinte-r Search/or Nit. J. Frfttildttl. E. A. Ingleheill.
T. tiani...n.
Hoe. a cute. A. W. Cult.. T.l'.
ipvirterig I:crietr. J. Murray.

fp puma.

DRURY LANE THEATRE.

Mn. BIVooKE has continues' to attract crowded
audiences, and, after having seen him in several
parts, we have little to add to our previous remarks
on his style of acting (►see l'nEss, ante p. -IWO. We
saw hint in Claude Melamine in The Lady ql Lyons on
Tnesilay night, and, although he was twice called
before the curtain by his clamorous admirers, we
thought his performance that night was one of his
least successful impersonations. Its pathos was too
funereal for a gallant spirit like that of Melnotte,
stud we observed that in the last act Mr. Brooke's
voice showed symptoms of exhaustion. When he re-
vealed himself in the last scene as the returned
lover, his embrace of Pauline was so grotesquely
tierce and so unreasonably prolonged as to cause
laughter.
The ftwt, however, of Mr. Brooke's great success
with the crowd remains undoubted, and his power of
producing broad effects, and depicting character with
masses of light and shade, tells on the nmltitudinous
throng that fills Drury Lane. The tine voice, and
aptitude for expressing vehemence, account for muclt
of his success. We suspect, however, that his
present burst of popularity is not uninfluenced by
Isis comparative novelty. Our playgoers have so
long been familiarised with the I►eculiarities of Mr•.
Charles Kean, Mr. Anderson, and other actors, that
even mannerism of another kind la►ssesses the
charms of novelty, and api►ears to have something of
the freshness of inspiration.
Miss Anderson has greatly improved in her acting.
She wants the stature required for a tragic actress.
So petite a figure cannot produce the commanding
efforts required in high tragedy, unless the artist
possessed the piercing eyes and resonant voice of a
Rachel. Miss .tnderton will, we have no doubt, be-
come a very good actress, lint "the great" is beyond
her powers, despite of her general cleverness. She
is very young, and has not been well trained for her
profession, so that experience and practice to one of
her intelligence will proshice much improvement.
The Waterman WILY played as an afterpiece on
Tuesday night, Miss Featherstone, the new singer,
essaying the part of To►n 'Tug. She has a fine con-
tralto voice, capable of achieving great effects, if its
owner was a proficient iu musical science. She dis-
plays at times a mellow richness of tone which might
be turned to great account in ballad singing, and
would make her a popular favourite in English opera ;
and we counsel her to lose no time in availing herself
of judicious musical instruction. Miss Featherstone's
first appearance was at Miss Bell's little theatre in
bean-street, and we believe that she was a pupil of
Miss Kelly. Her acting gives promise of success. Iler
Helen in Time Hunchback has much of the exp►ieyhvie
and hoydenish coquetry requisite for the part ; and
her byplay, in which it is so difficult to school young
actresses, may be pronounced t xcellent. In this
latter respect she has evidently profited by the able
instructions of Miss Kelly, who, since the death of
Mrs. Clover, may be pronounced almost the best of
our theatrical teachers in comedy. We have great
hopes of Miss Featherstone rising to distinction,
but she must learn to control her powers. The best
song lust Tuesday night—" And did you not hear of
a jolly piling waterman ? front its being in-
articulately gabbled, apparently from the nervousness
of the singer. Her "Then farewell my trio► built
wherry " was better, but out of tune, and should
have been sung with more simplicity. 11cr " Bay of
Biscay " in so large a theatre could scarcely lie sat,;
cessful. We must say that her theatrical friends
have not given this promising young actress the best
advice in urging her into what are called "breeches
rails." The Wilhelmina of Miss Emily Onuonil
was well sung, but not pleasingly acted. This holy
is an excellent musician, but her voice is not pleasing
in quality, though she manages it with great skill.
Her first song was deservedly received with au enthu•
siastic encore.