Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-09-08 00:00:00

AMUSEMENTS, &e.

TLTICATMI ROYAL —Madame Celeste and Mr. Webster
performed last night before a house which was not by any
means so full as we could have desired to see. Mr.
Webster only appeared in the altarpiece, " Flying Colours,"
the drama of the evening bel,pg " Green Bushes." Madame
Celeste's performance in this play will undoubtedly become
one of the most remarkable of stage traditions to future
generations. Time seems to have no impairing effect
upon the powers of this singularly accomplished actress,
whose representation of the Indian girl Miami, appeared
last night to have the very freshness of youth, and the
ardour of a fiery nature in every tone and gesture. We
need not say anything of a piece of acting which has
delighted almost ever] play-goer in England, Madame

Celeste seemed filled with all her earliest animations
imparted much of it even to an audience which bet"
somewhat uncomfortable under a sense of its own Or
ness. Miss Page played with more of natural emotion
usual, if with occasional extravagance. Mr. Baker srolll
tensely comic as the travelling Showman, and Mr. Walton
a capital Jack Gong. Mr. Lunt performed CO'
O'Kennedy with considerable melo-dramatic effect. 111 j!
afterpiece, in which both the principal characters apps}:
was heartily enjoyed by the audience. We hope, WO:
to see more
_crowied houses during the_short time the
madames Celeste and Mr. Webster, unquestionably "'lit
of the greatOtdrematic artistes now on the stage, ill
to remain among uS.
Ties AMPHITEIBATRE.--31r. Barry Sullivan appeared 18440
night as Sir Giles Overreach, in "A New Way to Pal °I.
Debts." By some singular caprice on the part of the P.':
li; this piece has had the pod fortune to keep its
upon the stage. While every other of Massinger's dramas'
many of which would singly have won a high and distil!
live place in literature for any nation which could not WI
of a Shakspere, has been as completely consigned to s'og
cabinet and the study as the comedies of Aristophano9,s
Terence. With an impossible plot, a principal chatter'
utterly unnatural, extravagant, and revolting ; with °
almost entire absence of the noble poetic thought►!!
exquisite language, even the melodious verse, meloc10:
beyond that of Shakspore, which delight the resd;
in many of Messinger's dramas, the "New Way 4
Pay Old Debts" is admired by thousands 17'
know and care nothing about the "
Dowry," the "Bondman," the "Maid of Honour," or w
" Duke of Milan,' One advantage the drams performed 150
night certainly had beyond those just named, for what
called a popular &thence ; it afforded a perfectly
scope for a vigorous actor. Extravagance itself cold
scarcely reach on the stage the ordinary level of the clivo
ratter of Sir Giles 0 verreach. In the closing scene!
actor of common physical capacity could possibly rave b". 5..,
vehemently enough to keep up with the measure of!'
original. It is not, therefore, a part which, in our opiol°11:
sui's Mr. Barry Sullivan. lie is too graceful, whether ha
will or no, for the farious contortions of the miser 01‘
mad; and far too natural, unexaggerated, and spontaner_,;
to give its due expression to the impossible ansalgarnat°o
of attributes which the autlaer strove to blend in tll,
character of the miser in his senses. It is but PS.
tics, however, to Mr. Barry Sullivan to say that hf
accomplished the task he had to perform in 4
manner which probably no other actor now cfr
A

the stage could equal. Subduing much of the distortiG'
and incoherent outlines of the original, he represented $
character, which, though dark and odious, was not revolt'
ing. and though strongly and harshly marked, no-, utterlf
outside nature. In many passages the delivery of W;
Sullivan was singularly effective; and the sudden bud
6
with which- the actual character of the miser is Ott
occasionally to show itself outside its disguise,
startlingly real in its unforced vahemence Mr. Sulll
was loudly applauded in many scenes. The house I°_,
not well filled, but we trust that before ha leaves Liver
pool, Mr. Sullivan will play to crowded audiences in ps'
which better accord with his talents.