The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-11-24 00:00:00

THEATRES.
DRURV-LANE.
A sage gem, in three acts, called The Wager, was last
nigblrrhimmed at this theatre. It can boast little on the
e f novelty or originality, being in fact merely a re-
too( the farce of l'he Midnight Hone, and Dori-
/wanes naerre Ourerte. It is an old friend. with scarcely a
(melt (entre, and certainly without a new face. Under
those eircumstancts it is quite unnecessary to enter into any
explanation of the story, identical as that is with the plot
di row) well known to all experienced play fanciers as
ill 111.Inight Hoar. It is merely the established trick
on
sn old g
ent of his object as it relates to bis mistress.
tle in originals, the present piece can boast a lively plot,
ousdame of intrigue, and no more. These carry the
wester along pleasantly enough to the end of his journey,
which is fortunately short. In the language of the opera
there is little attempt at the witty or the hnMorous, and
in the characters no aim towards individuality. Notwith-
oediag this, the dialogue is less tiresome than, under
oils circumstances, might be expected, for no
wed is wasted, and not a line exists which is not
‘o,„eetesst to the furtherance of the plot. The dra-
matis persons ton, if none of them are peculiar, are all
tolerably pless:ng, and a joyous and busy group will some-
times fill the eye and satisfy the mind, as well, if not
better, then more prominent personages, when not *de-
g:awls relieved anti supported. It may be imagined that
there is in all this scope fort good acting; whatever (wpm-
tonity occurred was made the most of by Dowtsn, llarley,
ell Miss Kelly. Either the music, original and selected,
did not afford any extraordinary field for the exertions of
the vocalists, or, which is much the same to en audience,
the vocalists failed to avail them:elven of what it'ilfortled.
The selections, which are from Mozart, Pncitta, Winter,
ad potioullo, are either very hackneyed, or not very
sinking. The new music is by Mr. T. Cooke, and may go
Along with the old, for cffici-itcy ; a remark which the
omposer may consider as a compliment or not, according
to his inclination.
Who wrote the songs we do not pretend to know, but
they are, some of them, anch jewels in their way, both for
Might and expression, that we think it right to begin a
sew paragraph with their praise. But they shall speak
for themselves, and much more eloquently 'than we can
intend to. A lady protested' thus of ber lover:—
** Oh whate'er my fate may be,
I will ever think of thee ;
In the busy hum of slay,
Or *hem sober night is gay f!
Shave lady ! and a brave knight, which can be at once
gay. sad sober in a breath ! But hear the same lady
agms, u well as we can understand the energy of her
Used metaphors, she is talking of music, which she thus
asannohiseth—
s: Blew sounds, m heart expands beneath (4 ray,
" That break; on life's tempestuous day !"
Veer astonishing sounds and rays indeed !
*e have already given this Operetta the praise of
brevity, which is much as things go. It will make an
excellent afterpieee, anti subsidiary to other and better
entertainments. To be sure, for that purpose we had
alreply The Midnight Hour; but as it has pleased the'
Managers to give us a new edition of it, we are content,
sad will net be so itnpertinent as to inquire their reasons.
Ito a little singular, that throughout the piece there was
iota single song encored. In the present ware of musical
date, that circumstance is in itself a criticism on the
singers and the music, much stronger than any we could
ante.
COVENT-OA RDEN.
Last night. after the Marriage of Figaro, the favou-
rite spectacle of Aladdin ; or, the Wunderfsl Lamp, was
revived at this Theatre, with its original splendour, and
that iacomisrable caperer, Monsieur Mazurier, flung
AIM bit limbs with more than his wonted agility, in what
the unefaetarer of the play-hill called a pas Chinois.
no masted whalebone was loudly called upon to repeat
his gaillmosece. and so obstinately was the desire en -
fores 4 Mt Mr. Farley, who came forward to claim the
befulgtage fit the audience, found it necessary to exercise
tipsier for a considerable period before be obtained
slooliit. We then understood him to say. " that Mon-
Mr %twice begged the audience would dispense with a
tspollio of the dance, bis exertions in the Afterpiece
arreweesspily so fatiguing.- The dance was the only
lathy, as the evening's entertainment concluded with
Jriv, Brotiliun Monhey, which has been heard of
Sr 111 our feeders, and seen by so , many that further cons-
mat. eiseld be more likely to prove wearisome than in-
treeing.