The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-03-28 00:00:00

ENGLISH OPERA 1101'SE.

Mr. Mathews ban this season presented us with a series
of entertaiments, which, amid the various amusements
provided for our recreation during the Easter week, have
not failed to attract a fall, and, we presume, a profitable
audience. The effect of his ltfemorandam Book of last
season is not effaced from our memory, when, " in the
foolishness of our conceit," we were disposed to think the
veteran, " Jam rude donntus," was unequal to another
campaign; hut the ridiculous traits of character which be
has now so felicitously delineated, convince us that weaved
not, like the Roman slave " in the hour of triumph," re-
mind him of his mortality. Our intentien is not to notice
the fallings off of the past, but to point out the perfections
of the present. He stands alone, unequalled—we may say,
unrivalled,
" Thro' every scene of ridicule In things,
To lead the tenor of the devious way,
Theo' every swift occasion which the hand
Of Laughter points at, when the mirthful sting
Distends her rallying nerves and chokes her tongue."
Mr. Alathews's Invihtions (the title of his entertain-
ment) came through the Twopenny Post, that insuffer-
able bore of every man of eminence or notoriety, who may
have the misfortune to have poor relations or country ac-
quaintances, without possessing the happy knack which
the Vicar of IVolerfleld had to get rid of them. Mr.
Mathews very facetiously relates an anecdote of a Mr.
Fingerflt, a glover, who receiies through this medium an
invitation, concluding with the letters It. S. V. P., which
become the subject of a very ludicrous conversation k-
tween the citizen and his wife, to discover their meaning,
but which, in the absence of a French interpreter, comes
to signify," Remember six very punctually." Another very
amusing personage is a Mrs. W. Worritt, who possesses
a most pertinacious memory, patronises all her juvenile
friends, whom she traces through all their transitions from
long clothes to short clothes, and from thence to that very
interesting epee'', their first appearance in a pair of small-
clothes. ller hospitality is unbounded, and she invites all
the world with an incessant " Do come and dine with us."
The twopenny post is of course the subject of a song; which
is " very w.ll sung." Err powsiit, Mr. Mathews Ow us
a most excellent apparition of the ghost of a son takes us
through the mishaps of a gipsying pic-nic to Norwood. anti
in due course introduces us to Lady Doodle's riadrillas.
At Sir Donald Serupleton's Mr. Mathews meets two
eccentrics, Sir Harry Skelter, whose mono is nil admi..
random, who visits every place, but finds nottiing in
anything, and Mr. Popper (a relative of the celebrat-
ed Mifior Longbow), who can accomplish everything
impossible. These gentlemen afford Mr. Mathews
ample materials for the display of his mimetic powers,
which do not fail to give full exercise to the risibility of
the spectators. Mr. Mathews gives to one a bold figure;
a most inimitable imitation of Velluti, as Arrinrid, io the
Opera I: Crocioto in Feeitio, which would have taught
even the haughty Tcnducci a lesson of humility. He is
also happy in an imitation of Signior De Ilegnis, in the
pert of Figaro, ip the Opera of I,e None di Figaro. The
second part opens with an introduction to a Mr. Aschiball
M'Hhornhoid, a complete matter-of-fact man, whose
peculiarities and manner derive their chief interest from
the delineation of Mr. Mathews, to whom we must
refer the more curious for further information. London of
Five in the Morning, as may be supposed, is fertile in inci•
dent, for the acute perception of one of Mr. Mathetves
talent ; for ridiculous punning, even at that early hour,
becomes throttler of the day.* The vegetable worrae of
Covent garden proclaims her ventlibles as though she was
acquainted with the Greek, in the cadences of the barr..4e-
tone ; and the milkman, not less erudite, fur once
denominates his liquid by its proper name, mi .-au,
half water. Mr. Mathews next accepts an invitation
to dine with his friend Mr. bilberry, who is blessed with
a numerous family, to all of whom he and Jack Rally are
introduced ; and here he gives a most excellent rem-
seetation of the efforts of a juvenile party to snake their
parents ridiculous. We have the recitation of Toting
Norval, from the rising hope of the bilberry family, and
e. most delightfully-executed sonata, from Miss Diiberrv.
The whole scene is admirable. The next scene repre-
eented is that of a rekee et noir table, where Harry .1"-
don rly, a Yorkshire gentleman of family and fortune, makes
his (kind as a successful candidate fur the favours of the
fickle goddess ; his first success induces him to play deeply,
and finally effects his ruin. Mr. Mathews with powerful
effect delineates the infatuated gamester through all the
gradations of this gambler's short but aventful history,
who is pillaged at the gaining table and becomes innate
Harry Ardour ly is drawn from real life; the character, in
the performance of Mr. Mathews, is exquisitely enacted;
and though we cannot think such a digression into the
serious quite consistent with the entertainment, and conse-
quently not perhaps in the best pessible taste, yet we cal
excuse it in the present instance for the sake of the mom
it conveys. A General Election is then exhibited in all its
hustle and confusion, speeches, puns, puffs, songs, S;c• ;
but we should do Mr. Mathews great injustice in attempt-
ing to give our readers even an outline—indeed all his en-
tertainments are better seen than described. An Aquatic
Excursion follows, at which Mrs. Georgina Grills be-
conies a bone of contention between Al r. Gibletts, st.
City Adonis, and Sassafras:an apothecary. The Gloater!
of Bishopegate Without, however, makes this bone et
contention his rib, and Mr. Sassafras is destined to wear
the willow. The entire performance was admirable, and
was received throughout with peals of applause. The
entertainment was interrupted for a few moments by e
laudable good feeling of Mr. Mathews, who, perceiving
some confusion in the pit, occatri•ened by the illness of a
' gentleman who fell down, we believe, in a fit, retired from
the stage, and got the gentleman through the door wider
the stage, which opens into the pit, behind the scenes. A
medical gentlemen in attendance, however, authorised Mr-
Mathews to say he had only fainted, and was in no datttr.
I The communication was received with considerable ap-
probation.

• ' SA PLER'S WELLS.
This Theatre commenced its summer campaign lot
evening with "Mrs. IV., or Vere'g my '• rqi•,- stated to be
a comic vehicle for the introduction of sones, duets,
Mr. Foster, from the Adelphi. appeared for the first time
at this theatre; also a Mr. Chapple, for the first time on
an: stage, in the character of Midships, and we are in'
elined to suppose, that unless he makes considerable irc-
provcnient, he will be a long.time reaching the quer°.

inemne
d•rk. The s
oy, or in.
called " I've
prsed from
wry, and era
fit:maimed c(
Snow Ball, a
.I•Lrougitt
remembrance
witnessed tin
As yet, certai
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matured his
alone. His
and we agree
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ductions are
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them to any
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and the ink
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the once dr&
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few years ait
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during the p
As our Iva&
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who are dial
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way into the
time it was
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but from tit
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d.ck. The second piece was called Emmeline of Min-
or What will be the end of it, which introduced Mr.
:trillion), who sang a very pleasing cavatina by Ilorn,
oiled " I've been warring." This piece, as may be sup-
pesed from its title, was full of love. minder, and mys-
toy, and ended in matrimony and a blow-ou. The per-
formances concluded with Hot and Cold, or Harlequin
snot Ball, a very pleasing pantomime, in which Grimaldi,
jun i.rought strongly to our recollection the pleasurable
r„wernbrauces of cattier days, when, on these boards, we
witnessed the care-killing exertions of his inimitable father.
As yet, certainly, the son has not attained that rich vein of
humour which the father so eminently possesses; but there
are sufficient demonstrations of talent about him, over the
gentral run of clowns, to show that when time shell have
matured his judgment, he will be inferior to his father
atone. His leer and squint are fac similes of the meld en,
and se agree with the remark of a lady in our box, that
be was the wry spit of his father." These pro-
dueions are all said to be from the pelt of Mr. T. Dib-
din, and, were we disposed, which we are not, to subject
them w any critical ordeal, it would be very unfair to do
so, on a night when nut above one word in ten reached the
hoses, from the continual noise of the gods in the gallery
sod the infernals in the pit. By-the-bye, for the informs..
thla of those whom it may concern, moonlight nights are not
poeitivey essential annouhe mons in the bills of this
theatre as formerly, as the gag has extended itself thus far
is its progress to the Ncrth Pole ; and the circumstance of
the once dreary Spa-fields being now covered with some
thousands of houses, has brought Saller's Wells into Lon-
dun. Indeed we shoidel ahnust have totgotten its local
eamesiou with the political pantomime played there a
tea years since, but that the name of the Harlequin on that
occasion was brought to oar recollection, by being placarded
during the performance last evening in" Hunt's matchless."
M our tea*, are aware this house has a wine-licence, and
we beg to say tor the government and insurance of those
who are disposed to taste it, that the new river, which is
reported to flow in the neighbourhood, has not found its
way into the cellars of this establishment. Indeed at one
time it was conducted into this theatre, which gave the
manger an opportunity of having an overflowing house at
plmsure. We sincerely hope he may suter from inunda-
tion, but not from water, his contract there having ceased,
but from the visits of his friends, from the kindly recol-
lections we bear him for "Auld tang sync."

ASTLEY'S THEATRE.

We seldom recollect the opening of any metropolitan
theatre prefaced by so many sounding promises as has been
the opening of the above theatre for the ensuing season,
and seldom have we been more miserably disappointed
thsti we were last evening, while witnessing the result of
the immense preparations made by the proprietors for the
public amusement. In the first place there was to be an
e entirely new grand melo-dramatic Eastern spectacle, in
the scenery of which no less than thirty-two (we believe
that is the number) artists have been employed for
several months past." Or the piece we will speak in
its proper place; but with respect to the scenery, we
will juit take that whirls has been most prominently
put forward, and then say, " nun disce omen" The
drop scene we have no doubt was intended to create a
great impression, for the artist seemed resolved to display
all the learning he was toaster of upon one sheet of canvas.
On the left hand is a piece of architecture, which tray
Le meant for any thing or nothing—but immediately ad-
joining it is an attempt at the representation of the Coli-
seum at Rome. The artist, dominion, bad heard of such
a building, but we rather imagine be could never have seen
a better picture of it than such as those wood-cuts which
hele to adorn a child's horn-book. That which he has
deputed certainly does not possess a greater portion of
architectural beauty. At the base of this building are an
immense quantity of clouds lying comfortably upon the
earth, in order to afford a firmer path for the Chariot of
the Sun, which is just starting front the Coliseum to give
light to all the world. On the right hand, above the
Chariot of the Sun. is another figure—but here we must
stop and own ourselves completely baffled. The artist
should have taken pity upon our ignorance, and fol-
lowed the example of his no less celebrated bro-
tber, who wrote in lgrge characters beneath the
semblance upon his mummer" This Is a horse." For
fear we might perchance betray still greater ignorance in
a science in which we are by no means proficient', we
will proceed at once to tles entertainments, which com-
menced with the National Anthem of " God save the
King," sung by the whole vocal strength of the com-
pany. Now it might not be altogether generous to snake
any comment upon the manner in which this anthem was
executed, for we do presume that they would have sung it
well if they could. And when we consider that amongst
the whole company there is not a single individual, male or
female, who understands anything of singing, it alight
perhaps be too much to expect them to sing it otherwise
than execrably. There was, however, accompanying this
anthem a little incidental local picture and allegory, (God
save the mark !) an allegory representing the King's Arms.
An allegory—what a happy title—end good reader what
think you might have been this allegory ?—nothing more
nor less than the royal arms, with a donkey and a Manx pony
for supporters. The donkey, it is true, had got something
over has head, to give him die appearance of a lion ; and
the Manx pony had a horn of blue and silver tin, the na-
tural colour, of course, of the horn of the unicorn. The
tremendous roars of laughter at this pompous alleory—
this local picture—had well nigh been mistaken for an
encore of the anthem, which we verily believe that his
Majesty himself, had he been present, would have deemed
a severe penance. With respect to the Burmese War, it is
a tissue of sickly parade. We do not pretend to de-
scribe the plot ; for, as to story, we may say,
" Lcrd bless you, Sir, there is none to tell." Suffice it,
that it pretends to be a description of the Burmese War,
from which it receives its name. The dialogue is miser-
ably stupid. Herring as a sailor, and Lawrence as an old
soldier, attempt to enliven it—but we have done with it ;we
are fond of theatrical amusements, and can bear a tolerable
portion of " balsam," but we know of no inducement
which could again lead us to witness such performances.
As it was, we left, together with the most sensible and by
tar the larger portion of the audience, before the commence-
went of the last piece.