The Express.
London, England, 1866-08-02 00:00:00

HAYILLBJCZT.

Mr. Backstop* took his annual benefit at this
house last night, and with it closed a long and pros-
perous season. In consequence of Mr. Sothern's illness
the comedy of She Stoops to Conquer was performed in
place of The Favourite of Fortune, and Mr. Bucatone de-
lighted his patrons with his rich and humorous impersona-
tion of Tony Lumpkin. After the comedy a abort concert
was introduced ; and after the concert Mr. Buckstone
delivered the following address, according to his usual
custom, and with more than the usual amount of
applause :
Ladies and Gentlemen—When I concluded to end the
season here this evening, it occurred to me that I would
not trouble you with any address on the occasion, as I
could but remind you of what bad been done, and tell
you what we intend to do ; but this ides was only met
by remarks that its omission would cause disappoint-
ment—that it was looked for—that some might construe
its absence to signify that the season had been unprofit-
table, with other observations of a nature ; there-
! I fore, I at length determined to say a few words before
making my bow for a short time. I am happy to
inform you, ladies and gentlemen, that the season
has been a most prosperous one, and which you may
sally believe when I assure you, upon my honour,
that from our opening, on the 9th of last October, 1865,
I to this evening, August the Id, 1866, we have never
I known one week's receipts to be under the expenditure,
indeed, nearly all of them have given a very large profit ;
' but although the Haymarket is certainly carried on by a
company, it is not a company of shareholders, nor have
you, ladies and gentlemen, any shares in it cosequently
these profits will not give you any dividends; though I
know you will all resolve to adopt my report, with a vote
of thanks to the chair—that is, myself. How long any
theatre can bout of such prosperity the future only can
! decide ; the great privileges proposed, to be given to the
• music halls may change all this, for we well know that a
j dramatic performance without edibles and fluids muststand
at a considerable disadvantage compared with those estab-
lishments where a similar entertainment can be enjoyed
in conjunction with tobacco, alcohol, and devill'd kid-
neys. Still, ladies and gentlemen, we will not despair,
we will continue to present the diems, pure and simple,
without such " aids to reflection ;" then, should we fail,
we must see whether the ladies visiting the boxes of
the Haymarket will object to a mild cigar during the
performance, and ascertain if the pit and galleries will
set their faces against bitter beer, or something stronger ;
but should this dramatic millennium ever arrive, the
company of this theatre only hope that the audience
will hand them something to drink on the stage during
their arduous exertions—then we may possibly see
Sir Peter Teazle, after his soliloquy beginning, " When
an old bachelor marries a young wife, accept at the
end of it a tumbler of liquid from some friend near
him, and hear Sir Peter say, "Thank you, air, your
very good health—just what I wanted ;" or, we may
live to notice my Lord Dundreary blowing a friendly
cloud in the stalls with another of his own order—and in-
tellect. Now, ladies and gentlemen, I will leave this
theme, refer to the past, glance at the present, and go on
to the future. In the past, lam proud to say, we have
produced one of the moat legitimate comedies which has
been represented for some years, I allude to Westland
Marston's Favourite of Fortune. We have also given
you Mr. Planche's Orpheus in the Haymarket, where
the smoothness of the couplets was only surpassed by
the refined wit and point contained in them. You have
seen Mr. Charles Mathews, on his triumphant return
from Paris, play his admirable Sir Charles Coldstream ;
and, in addition, Mr. Saban has shown you his most
original representations of character in Dundreary,
Brother Sam, and David Garrick. As to the present,
ladies and gentlemen, the brilliant and crowded house of
this eveniugspeaks for itself, and assures me that the Hay-
market Theatre need never despair while its performances
I can attract, not only on these occasions, but throughout a
season, so many admirers of the true drama, so much rank
' ' and fashion, and on looking round the house at this mo-
ment—from the pit to the upper regions—l must add, so
much beauty. With regard to the future, we shall com-
• mence our next season on Monday, the 24th September,
, when I know you will be glad again to welcome
Mr: and Mrs. Charles Mathews—the gentleman still in

full vigour of constitution and talent, whom to quote Ben
Jonson's line on Shakespeare, I like to call "the applause,
delight, the wonder of oar stage." The lady, with her
many admirers, and yearly gaining more by her heartiness
and good looks. We shall have new comedies by Mr.
Omenford, Mr. Leicester Buckingham, Mr. Stirling Coyne,
and a peculiar extravaganza by Mr. Burnam]. Mr.
Sothern will again put in an appearance at Christmas, and
in a novelty soextraordinary that I do not feel it prudent to
tell you what it i•—but I may announce the acceptance of
a play, in which he will appear, written by Mr. Tom Taylor.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is the fourteenth year of
my lesseeship and management of this house ; that I
shall survive another term as long is one of those hopes
we may pronounce to be impossible of fulfilment ; but
whether my future career may be long or short, I shall
ever gratefully remember how highly I have always
stood in your favour, how well you have always patron-
ised me, and with a fervent hope that as long as I may be
able to appear before you I shall never in any way forfeit
that esteem which you have at all times made me feel that
you entertain for me, /whether I have deserved it or not.
During our visit to Manchester for five weeks, I am happy
to inform you that Miss Amy Selgwick will preside over
the fortunes of this establishment, appearing on Monday
next in her own admirable character in Tom Taylor's Hay-
market comedy of "An Unequal Match." And now,
Lidice and gentleman, form , and in the name of the
popular, and I will say at' unequalled comedy company
of the Haymarket Theatre, I thank you for all past favours,
and, until the end of next month, respectfully bid you
farewell.
Next Monday the theatre will be re-opened for a abort
season, under the cianagement of Miss Amy Sedgwick.