The National Register.
London, England, 1817-08-18 00:00:00

/I AY:MARKET THEATRE.

On \Wane/3day night was performed the comedy of
Pule a Wye and Have a Wife, in which Mr. Terry
sustainea the part of Leon. Of this Gentleman's ex-
cellence in this character we have long bc.7n sensible,
and we do not fear contradiction when we assert, that,
since the retreat of Kemble, he is the only Leon on the
stage.

After the play a most whimsical one act piece was
produced for the first time, entitled the Actor of all
Work, affording Matthews an maple field ibr the dis-
play of his imitative powers.

The piece opens with Multiple (Matthews) reading a letttcr which
he has just received from the manager of a theatre in a country town,
rejecting his proposal of en engagement, On the ground of his deli-
eiency of talent. indignant at the team of taste in the manager,
afultipk determines to convince hint of his mistake by iwrisonifying
a variety of characters, and then diecovering himself. 'I he succeed-
ing scene exhibits Velinspe-le the manager. in a most perplexing de-
lemma. The theatre has been rebuilt, most tastefully fitted up, fwd
the curiosity of the town and neighbourhood wound up to the high-
sat point, by the high-flown announcements of the manager, when
Ite receives information by letter from Pe cr Penmyfr,s, the
treasurer, that none of his company can make gaol their engage-
tnents The reasons assigned are various, and whimsical enough,
The prinsipal km comedian has fallen into a fit of melancholy;
the Irishman has been gored by a bull ; the Lacer has been trans-
ported for seven years ; Ilarkquin has been tapped the a dropsy.
and the tragedy hero tapped on the shoaltler. hilt' deploring 1114
situation, the manager is roused by the entrance of Mr.
Stuffy, (Matthews) a thornagh antique. bent almost double, squint-
ing horribly, and frightfully afflicted with the snuffles in his nose.
He is seeking an engagement :—The manager wishes to know what
is hiaeiir le. Ile despises comedy; for tragedy he is aware he has no
voice; for opera he is equally defective, and fur pantomime he' wants
egility.—Wliat can he di; ? lie has lwen a Prompter all his life,
and wishes to be one still. lie remembers ail the ancient heroes of
the stage; Wary, Ilosup, Garrick, and a bust of stars. whose names
e'en are fortmen. Mutt: at rick is "the god of his idolatry:l" The itn-
Mortal Mr. Garrick, dereaseJ." The manager observes that he has
scold. Yes he eanght it betUre he was born, by his mother sitting
tinder the ventilator looking at the " immortal Mr. Garrick I"
The manager objects to Ili, want of voice ; he proves that voice is
ot nccesvary irt a Prompter, but that the position of the lips, only. is
outficient to guide the actor. But he posse airs a requisite peculiarly
Biting him for his duties squinte. The manager is hat aware
of the vane of this talent, but Mr. Stiffa, proves to hint that
without a man squints, he eaßllot keep his eye on the book, and on
the actor at the saute moment. lie demands five shillings a week,
and to provide his whistles, and linally is dismissed, with a request
that he will call again to know the fate of his proposal. The ma-
nager is scarcely seated to reply to his Treasurer sgloomy epistle.
when lie is again interrupted by the entrance of a tall. awkwanl, pie-
bald Frenclumui, (Matthews) who, in very bad Enseiaii, amitiaiwes
himself, as the grand trweedian of the grand theatre of Paris; that
he has just landed from the packet, and that ire wishes to obtain the
vicars of defraying his expenses do -lain don. Here smile most happy
allusions are made to the recent visit of Tabu:, to this country. lie
will give recitations tiara the best of the French tragic authors. Tlw
ananager doubts whether his licence will allow this, but the French.
man soon reitioves that difficult:V. by pniposing that the audience shall
Fey for the orchestra, and he will give his talents gratis. Ile now
gives a specimen of his abilities. by retitirg part of die raving speech
of thestes. in IlUebile'b alndiwtnaque, in which the caricature of
'Admit was most perfect. Having made hia exit in a paroxyism of
fury, the manager, to keep all parties in good humour, pays some
very just compliments to that distinguished performer. 11 is speech is
scarcely eloarai, when Robin Seta:eV, a native of Berwick upon
'Tweed, the stage-struek apprentice of his uncle a Scotch pawn-broker,
enters. Ills dramatic propensities have already subjected him to
multiplied castigation, trout his uncle, with whose stock he had begun
Windt,: undue liberties in die furtherance of his favourite pursuit. The
portrait of a Judge in his rote and full bottomed wig, which he had
used as -the portrait of Potsrathe in the Afouataincers, had been
found under his pillow ; his uncle had caught him on the counter
petorming and using one of his best German flutes as a
truncheon ; another time he had been found with his face all be-
grimed. addressing three a ieli,alay clocks in the warehouse. by
the atede and title of Most ',man. grave, and revererend Segmors.''
For all and singular these offenees, his' uncle was now on the way
to the toast, to soil, him MT to his correspondent at Rotterdam; and
tifiCa hewing that a manager was in the town, had given him the
slip, while hint and his epouse were at dinner at the Inn,
and now pre tatted himself for the manager's approbation.
This candidate fur dramatie fame, has the true Northumberland burr
in his throat, and Ins efforts at declamation convulsed the llouse with
laughter. Ile wished to retreat from an affeeted apprehension of
his Uncle's aeeival, but hr is afraid of meeting him as he goes out,
the manager therefore sends him up stairs, and here we have a view
of trim m the first floor, for the scene presents two floors at once as
u stir party-wail Wet,. nwly, and fri.ni the upper rOOlll there is
an escape by a pair of back stairs. Hasiog speedily dressed himself
as his untie, lie diaappears from above, and instantly enters as An-
drew .11. SW-terries, the pawnbroker, claiming his runaway ap-
prentice. W eat yof insolence, the manager sends him up maim,
where he tells him his nephew has concealed himself, and as he as-
eini!s he holds an admirable conversation, in which individuality of
person can hardly he believed. Having speedily arrayed himself
as Mrs. AU Si4ergrp, he re-appears in search of her huabasul, and
is aloe bent up stairs by the perplexed manager. Descending by the
back t -CWft: 440414. he ilatettly re-enters as the fist coachman. w Ito
had driven o:in frost: town in search of his company. 'P lie 111:11.a4"er
is nave driven to a frenzy, whet, If Oriole disengages himself of his
box coat, and exhibits Mrs. NPSillergrip ; as suddenly fretd from
that disguise the rhoeithroker stands forth, then the .apprentice,
the French tragedian. Maitliew Stuff:', ant' last of all Multiple !din.
self in his roper Mein. The mantaerr's astonishment is beyond ex
resmon, tlaltipit yf enistsged, and the audience gratified to their
ltta:lL Luiite.l4

TM RAIIONTAt

LtGtsTER.