The Express.
London, England, 1867-03-28 00:00:00

GALLERY OF ILLUSTRATION.

The new entertainment, written by Mr. T. W.
Robertson, just produced at this establishment under the
title of A Dream in Venire, is an extravaganza designed
with the special purpose of exhibiting in several characters
each of the artists who make up the limited but efficient
(because versatile) company, of which the proprietors,
Mr. and Mrs. German Reed, fonn one half—the other
moiety consisting of Mr. John Parry and Miss Susan
Calton. The familiar device of a dream affords oppor-
tunity for some strongly contrasted situations, rapid
changes of locale, and a supposititious advance of two
centuries, nilinitting of various kinds of queer combina-
tions and antitheses, from which author and artists
draw abundance of amusement for the entertain-
ment of their audience. The quartet of actors
and actresses are first introduced in their own person-
alities with the exception of Milts (Talton, who is styled
Mue:Carbonell—discussing what subject to choose for their
next novelty. Mr. Reed is a sufferer from neuralgia, and
Mr. John Parry suggests a remedy, including, as an in-
gredient,Venice turpentine. As "great events from little
cause.; spring," the mere mention of the magic word
Venice results in a oletennination to visit that romantic
spot in search of materials for the projected entertainment.
We arc at once transported from the opening scene to the
locality determined on, where the characters appear in a
gondola.
On this new scene Mr. John Parry represents three
several waiters—ltalian, German, and French—besides a
Polish count with a genius far swindling and a tendency
to kleptomania. Mr. Reed assumes the character of Mr,
Faigue, an oddity who is constantly beginning to relate
anecdotes which lie never finishes; and a betting man,
driven abroad by an overdrawn balance at his bankers.
Mrs. Reed becomes Mrs. Ssnnisole, a genial old lady ; and
then Miss Lavinia Sage, M.D., travelling with a lackadaisi-
cal brother, of the genus spooney—a part assigned to Mr,
John Parry. After :al these transformations Mr. Reed
returns to his own identity, and his neuralgia—Mr. Parry's
remedy for which, a hasheesh pill, produces a con.
ilition of hallucination leading to a dream, which justifies
the title of the piece. The scene now represents the
l'iazzetta, and the visionary beholds—and of course the
audience with him —a venerable doge, represented by
Mr. John Parry, and personifications of Venice rind the
Adriatic, by Mrs. Reed and Miss Gallen. A quarrel with
the Doge, a duel, imprisonment, and the supposed lapse
of 200 years, bring us to the year 2067, when Mr. Reed
again meets Mrs. Reed, who on the disappearance of her
husband is re•married to Mr. John Parry, now elevated
to the position of a cabinet minister. Absurd alterations
in dress and fashions are shown, and much grotesque fun is
carried on until Mr. Reed awakes from his dream, and the
piece is brought to a conclusion. All the four artists con-
cerned exert themselves most successfully in their several
assumptions—Mrs. Reed being particularly happy in the
part of Mrs. Sminisole, the benevolent old lady. Of Mr
John Parry it is impossible to speak in too high terms,
both as to the vers►tility of his powers and the finish or
his acting in the many parts that he assumes. His imper-
sonations rise far above burlesque, and belong to the
highest order of refined caricature. In the most opposite
characters, as in those of the foreign swindler and the
young simpleton, by a few minute but subtle touches ho
gives expression and reality to an exquisite sense of
humour as far beyond the coarseness of the generality of
modern burlesque as real wit is above ribaldry. Of course,
as all the artists concerned—three of them especially—are
vocalists, the piece is plentifully interspersed with music,
consisting of snatches of familiar opera airs and popular
tunes, mingled with that incongruity which is a usual fen.
ture of burlesque. The piece has also the advantage of
two most charmingly-painted scenes—the Rialto, by Mr.
O'Connor, and the Pierrette from the Dogana, by Mr.
Telhin—exquisite pictures, such as those by which Stan-
field used to elevate scene-painting to the rank of the
fine arts. The last-named scene is especially remarkable,
not only for its sunny brightness and beauty of detail,
but also for the marvellous effect of space which the artist
has obtained from a few feet of canvass. With all these
merits and attractions, A Dream in Venice can scarcely
fail to prove a profitable venture for the Gallery of Illus
tration.

SETTLEMENT OF THE BRIGHTON RAILWAY
DISPUTE.

The dispute between the engine drivers and fire-
men of the Brighton Railway and their employers has
happily been settled. This morning the traffic was re-
sumed as usual, and the inconvenience to which the
public travelling on the company's line have had to submit
during the lAA two days was at an end. At a lute hour
ou Tuesday night the committee of Brighton drivers, who
were sitting there during the day, Caine to the conclusion
to commence work twain on the terms offered by the
directors. Their tendency towards this step had been
rumoured in the course of the evening, and some of the
oldest drivers had visited the Brighton station,
and had thrown out hints that a settlement
was desired. The officials, however, who were on
duty in the station conducting the traffic, let it be
understood that no compromise could come from them,
and eventually a deputation of the drivers requested Mr.
Craven, the locomotive superintendent, to meet the men.
He did so, and they then agreed to go to work yesterday
morning on the terms offered by the directors. It was
past one o'clock yesterday morning before the meeting
of the men finally broke up, and they seemed perfectly
satisfied with the conclusion at which they had arrived.
Yesterday morning things went on as usual at the Brighton
end of the line. The customary notices were fixed in the
locomotive sheds " potting" the men to the different
trains. These dispositions of the superintendents were
abided by, and the trains ran regularly through the
day. During the forenoon a written notice was posted
in the station to the effect that the traffic was resumed
according to the time.f.able3, and that trains would run
as before the " turn-out." Even the traffic on the branches
was got into time-table order:in the course of the afternoon.
A notice. emanating from the Engine-drivers and
Firemen's United Society, sitting in London, was issued
List evening, stating that the strike was virtually at
an end ; that the only point at issue between the men and
the directors—viz., the conditions on which the men
should receive their promotion—had been arranged by the
authorities agreeing that if any men are passed over, they
will have the right to appeal to the hoard of directors,
and their claims will be duly considered- The men ask no
more than this, and the directors having conceded
every other point, they have resolved to trust themselves
to the upright dealing of gentlemen with whom they
have no especial quarrel, and hope that their future rela-
tions may be both amicable and satisfactory.
A notice issued by the traffic manager of the company
last night states that all the trains to and from London
and Brighton, as well as those on all the coast lines and
branches between Pertsmooth and Hastings, Horsham,
Guildford, and Tunbridge Wells, had been running yes-
terday as usual: and that this morning it is intended to
I resume the ordinary service, as per time-tables, over the
whole suburban system between London-bridge, Victoria,
the Crystal Palace, Croydon, Epsom, Leatherhead,
Dorking, and the South London line.

TRINITY HALL.—CAMBRIDGE, MARCH 27.—The
ex unination for the open exhibitions at Trinity Hall will
begin on the 2nd of April, and last till April 5. Certificates
of character, with a statement of the age of the candidate,
should be sent to the tutor previously.
Despatches were received yesterday at the Colo-
nial-ofdee from the Governors of Malta, Ceylon, Hong
Kong, and Lftbuan.
LONDON GENERAL OMNIBUS COMPANY (LIMITRD).
—Traffic receipts for the week ending March 24, 9,2:'9f.
lls. 6d.
SUEZ, MARCH 26.—The Measageries Traperiales
steamer Imperatrice arrived here to-day, with the India,
China, and Japan mails, 140 passengers, and 1,850 pack-
ages of merchandise.