The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-07-19 00:00:00

THEATRE,

HAYMARKET.

~~.

in th-ee A ds, entitled, Tire Fit.
A new C^mMY
ne. Tie TrarlePa E.,itnnie, was produced hate
tatter First time last night.
The characters were Elvis supported.
Je.k . . .Mr Fis,.N.
rear.k.1.1.4 Frighi . . . Mr. OS CAMP.
Mr Doo*TON.
p, crop
GeOla . Mr. W. Paswast.
Tineitlif Anvil Mr M we.
A•sqlteon• ..... Mr. Lumen
W,40,. &linguist's . . M 4.114,1114.
Mesdavis . . Mrs. H Assows.
'orlon etociees . . . Mrs PoWSLI.•
F W•htIOWS . . . Mrs. Guess.
Mr. M
The prologue, spoken by Mr.Cnart AN, informed
et audience that the Author's object was to prove
that a country village is a miniature of the town,
with sal its vices. In the execution of this pl in,
he employs Pick Mutate, a Bond-street lounger,
who is dicgii4ted with town, in consequence of
the soppo.ed infidelity of Maria, a young Lady
with whom he is in love. He is accompanred
by his friend Frank ; but their journey is inter-
p:esi by the breaking down of their earn ige,
in the neighbourhood of a country village.—
Their adventures here constitute the incidonts,
and introduce all the other characters of which the
OW is corn posed. In their se rch for accommo.
dation% J uratte makes ley. to every woman
be wets t au.l, being rernal kably short-sighted, AS
well by nature as from affeß ;tints, he is betrayed
gun several ludicrous mistakes. The :ow •
tress, he finds, is a flirt, ready to forsake her firmer
admirer Groan. Grout., a country 'squire. The Wan:
Alreilroi he Ends an artful woman, who is willing to
entertain the two strangers only with a view to get a
husband for Rosa, h-r daughter, an Awkward sim-
pleton; and Mist "'with Prow s: an ugly rid maid,
whom ber brother, an attorney, se rks to force him
to marry. Mutate, thus disgusted with the litiga-
tion, coquetry, and selfishness of the village, is pre-
paring to depart. when he meets his mistress Maria,
sean had followed him ft run town, and he discovers
th it there were no grounds for his jealousy. Had
the execution of this piece been equal to the con-
ception and design, it would have fully answered the
public
ex •
•-eda tion ; but, unfortunately, the charade: s
employed for the purpose have no originality of
feature, and, in no single point does their combina-
tion produce the slightest interest. It is almost
equally unsuccessful in its attempts to excite laugh-
ter iferg, the village smith, who ads as porter to
the two strangers, ;sod c.mies their luggage about
in their search for a lodging, makes sonse good
hits in the lorgoage of his forge; but most of
Vte efforts of J..ek Mutable, the hero of the piece,
in the same line, border more upon the riJi-
culetts than the ludioreus. the eat iy scene; went
wry tamely off, but it was not until the be.
ginning of the second sit that any strong mark of
disapprobation was expressed. • y.fh Mutable was
then on his knees making love to
Preen', the old maid, when he war. ass.tiled by
a storm ot hisses. Mr. ELLlrratl, who tillri the
charader, addressing the audience in his horn
ble posture, said, he wis well aware that th-
decision of the house, shoot, it go abroad. would
be final; hut he hoped the audience would bear
the piece out before they condemned it. This
appeal, had a goof effect, and obtained a patient
hearing until the dose ; but the attempt to give it
out for a second representation was drowned in a
tumult of disapprobation.
The house was crowded, and the perfnrmers ti:ed
every exertion to ensure success. The plan of the
piece
is certainly good, and the outlines are jodi-
ciousiy drawn; hut we must consider the piece a
h &sty sketch, and that Mr. CtiltlllNY, the reputed
author, did not bestow sufficient pains in its em-
bellishment.