The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-06-13 00:00:00

HAYMARKET.

The excellent comedy of the School fi,r Scandal was per-
formed here on Saturday evening. gr. Dawton acted Sir
Peter Teazle with power and pathos as irresistible as in his
pristine days. It is impossible to conceive a more natural
developement of the workings of the heart of an affec-
tionate and doating husband, wrought up to a pitch of real
agony at the idea of a separation from his wife, whose
fidelity be half suspected, and to whom his very death be be-
lieved would be matter of indifference, than was displayed
by Mr. Dowton in the scene with Joseph Surface. The
effect on the house was overtiowering, and called down re-
peated shouts of applause. Mrs. Davinon's Lady Teazle is
so well known, and known only to be praised, that it
would be a piece of supererogation to dwell upon her merits.
Her raillery and her sparkling vivacity am as fresh ss
ever; though her features are not so prominent and com-
manding, nor her voice so full as when she was Miss Dun-
can. The Joseph Surface of Mr. Clarks 3n was a complete
failure. There was nothing of the accoinOsbed, plausible
villain in his composition, and what was worse he bad not.
the least approachable resemblance to what the women call
a " fine man." His hands appeared to be two e.xcrssmwea,
ever disturbing his self-possession, and which he would.
have gladly disposed of to the first double-handed iriclifter•
that bad come in his silty. It is possible this Gentian.'
may be useful in some of the after-pieces, nhere the man-
ners and gentility of the Captains Seymour and the
Lieut. Jenkins, are passed by sub silentio ; but in genteel
Comedy lie certainly has no chance of success. Where is
Mr. Mode? We should think, judging from his Lard
Townley, that lie would make a ray respectable hypocrite
of Joseph Surface. Mr. Vining is certainly an improving
actor; his Charles Surfu.e hail animation, and evinced an
evident good-nature, and a heart susceptible of honourable
impulses. His manners too, though by no means dig-
nified and reposing, were sufficiently genteel to makethe
character interesting and agreeable. Mrs. Glover has a never-
ceasing tongue, and a voice as shrill as chanticleer; but there
is neither the delicacy of manner, nor the unconscious insin-
cerity of tone which belong to the reputation-killer. Mrs.Can-
dour. Williams was coarse, but sufficiently amusing in Old
Crabtree, and Mr. J..ltussell, silly and gossipping in Sirßen-
jam in Backbite. This is a play which merits good acting, and
we hope as the season advances, we shall ere its best
characters sustained by the best actors. We are glad to
observe that Liston will join this house on Wednesday.
After the play, Master Burke led the orchestra in
the overture to the Caliph of Bagdad. There is much
however to quarrel with in the medium by which the dra-
matic abilities of this child are made known. The Irishmen
in I •tizdon is not merely ridiculous, but in many parts gross
and vulgar; and the little boy is made to utter language
which ought not to be tolerated on the stage. We hope the
offensive passages, and the great sprinkling of what may.
be termed oaths of a minor kind, will be expunged before
the next performance of The Irishman in Is. The
evening's performance concluded with the silly farce of
rota, Love, and folly.

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