The Express.
London, England, 1866-04-03 00:00:00

The most notable features in the dramatic per-
formances of the present holiday season are the
absence of new pieces and the decline of bur-
lesques. Most of the central theatres rely upon
the attraction of old dramas or upon
timate and illegitimate revivals, and with
exception of two new extravegannes by Mr. Ir. C.
Burnand—one produced at Astley's, and the other
at the Strand, the young followers of Blanche
appear to have been driven out of the theatrical
market. On all sides we hear of translations, ad-
iptations, and importations of Offenbach's operettas,
but no one has the courage to build a comic opera
*me in the present state of mn4cal speculation.
Drury-lane has been closed in an agony of litiga-
tion, and the ghost of tragedy is probably laid
Until the arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kean
from America.
HATILABLEM
Mr. Sothern made his re-appearence at this
boom last night, after a few weeks' slow In the country,
in a new comedy, by Mr. Westland Marston, entitked The
17seorite of Poetises. Mr. Marston is one of the very few
Sting playwrights who trust to their own invention for
plots and characters, and woo' has made a reputation
sword only to that of Sheridan Knowles at • writer el the
I poetical drama. His laurels have been ohisßy won in SO
latter capacity ; and much es the modern steno is in-
debted to hint for works which are a credit to our
dramatis literature, the present production is, we believe
the first regular comedy, properly so called, which he has
given to the boards. Some of his lighter pieces--big
adaptation from Moretti, prodneed at the Primer's
nears, and several of his rise ambitious works—lave
shown gleams of humour and, otatelonal sprightliness of
dialogue • bat few of his most intimate friends end ad-
mirers Probably credited him with the high, genuine
and refined comic power shown in Vic ramie;
of fortune- Yr. Marron has evidently founded
his comic style on the somediss of Weyer. He
has crested a story whisk is not altogether without a re-
eemblanoe to the plot of Mossy. and hes exhibited • fond-
ness for that epigrammatic dialogue which high-bred
people never indulge in except upon the stage. Allowance
being made for these faults, this clinging to well-tried
combinations of character and incident, and this striving
to win the approbation of an andiere by tickling
their ears with what are felled " repartees" in
the language of joke-books, Mr. Maarten may be
congratulated upon the ingenious construction of
his comedy, the boldness with which he termi-
nates his first three acts without having rewires to
conventional " situatros," it* party and beauty of his
dialogue, and the addition which he has made to our 'took
of stage-characters in the pawn of • wealthy
widow whom he calls " Mrs. Lorrington." With
singular red tare end judgment he has drawn
a woman, who is vulgar, sad shows her vulgarity, not
by malapropisms and • liberally false use of the aspirate.
but by the natural working of the story. If not intended
to be the " head-centre " of the comedy, she becomes that
centre, in oar opinion, by the skill with which she is drawn ;
though time who surround her, with very few examtioas,
are 'herbed with almost equal felicity. The comedy has
been most elegantly—luxuriously—put epos the rage,
and the dresses, of course, are in the beet taste. Mr.
Bothers has shown equal taste in selecting and appearing
in an intelketual comedy in which the characters are
well balanced. The piece was deservedly succesefuL