The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-01-13 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE.

The new tragic play of Kenilworth was again performed
at this theatre last night. and is announced for repetition
once more during the week. Report had given the credit
of the production .to Mr. Bunn, the stage-manager of
Drury-lane ; and we were inclined to believe it, from the
idea that it must have required more than ordinary interest
to procure its passage through thii ordeal of the green-room.
The drama 110 s now another claimant in the person of Mr.
T. l)ibdin, who has put forth his claim in a morning paper,
and stated his right to this adopted child of Mr. Elliston.
Mr. Dibdin, at the same time, men.ions some awkward
mutilations, and prejudical omissions, which have been
made in his piece. We do not think it a matter of much
consequence to whom the production belongs; but we do
think the manager must be either very much at a loss for
dramas, or he must place extraordinary reliance on the
fascinations of the Flying Cheat, to endeavour to satisfy
the public by this revival of a play which has'
so little to r:cmittnend it, and waoso only merit
consists in being drawn from a noble source. The
plot is very meagre, and the unities arc most cruelly
trampled on : the curtain does not even fall while the
scene is changed from Cumnor Place to Kenilworth.
The dialogue, when it is not borrowed, is exceedingly
poor, and the characters, with the exception of Amy,
are without interest. It ii most apparent, through
the whole piece, that very little but a pair of scis-
, sore has been used to produce the new tragic drama
of Kenilworth. We really wink the menners would
find it more profitable to themselves, and afford greater
gratification to the public, by reproducing some of
those tragedies which, within these few years, have
been stamped with the public approbation. We
would note too, in particular, Vieginius, and Damon
and Pythias; the first is unquestionably a production of
sterling merit, and the second, which is, perhaps, even more
popular, has been very recently performed with consider-
able success at Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Edin-
burgh, Dublin, and at several other provincial theatres.
IVe think it a duty the managers equally owe the public
and our living dramatists, to gratify the taste of the one,
and to recompense the successful exertions of the other.
We cannot imagine any teason why a drains should be
altogether laid by after having been received with appro-
bation, nor why its author should be suffered to glide un-
noticed into oblivion, after having administered to us instruc-
tion and delight. However, those matters must be altogether
regulated by the great ones at the head of affairs. We can
only, as, in some degree, the voice of the public, express
what we conceive to be the public wish. The parts in the
play of fiend/meth, last night, were all well sustained.
Mr.'Wallack was excellent as bird Leicester.; but there is
not sufficient scope given for the display of his abilities.
Mr. Archer was very good as the villain Varney; and Mr.
Penley appeared to great advantage as 'Deviation. We
I have 'before expressed our opinion of Mrs. Bunn's Queen
Eli-alieth : we think we have sea her in characters to
which she has done more justice. MrsAVAl'est silt-mortal
very ably the past of the gentle and amiable CO61111(48 raj
Leicester; but we conceive Miss Povey's talents were
altogether thrown away on the insignificant part of Cicely.
Mr. Browne performed Michael Lumhourne ; but we do
not think he at all understood the character: we would
recotninend him to study the novel, and not the play ; if,
indeed, the dramatic author intended to pour tray a bold and
generous soldier of fortune rather than a lawless bully, al-
though in the beginning of the piece he describes the latter.
In one scene Mr. Brown broke all the rules of propriety,
which not even his half-drunkenness could excuse, m,
familiarly patting on the shoulder the Lord of Kenilworth
in his own castle. The tragic play was again terminated by
the introduction of Mr. .Elliston's troop of horse, and the
morricc dancers; to which succeeded the pantomime of
Haelquisi and the Flying Chest.