The National Register.
London, England, 1812-10-11 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

OCT• i 1 ,_

OPENING OF NEW DRURY.

Yesterday the doors of this Theatre were placed in a state
of blockade at an early hour. Notwithstanding an intima-
tion bad been given that .every box in the Theatre bad been
taken for son:e days, public anxiety was so great that num-
bers pu,hed forward tegardless of all that could be said to re-
strain them, till at length the guards stationed at the door
were obli,e I .to repress the crowd by main force. All the
avenues to the 'neat e were crowded to such a degree that
it was with the greatest difficulty that coaches could pro—
ceed at all. In Russell-street the drivers of several carriages 1'
who attempted to pass through the crowd were pelted by the 1
populace, as well as tit se who occupied the vehicles they I
drove, and we re,n;ret to.be obliged to add, that several per-
sons sustained considerable injury from the miysiles used bv
the mob. At about half-past five the doors of the pit and
galleries were thrown open, when the immense crowd, whi.h
b.d been for hours collecting at each, attempted to rush in.
The crush was tremendous, and in a moment loud cries of
distress burst on the ear from every quarter. • At the pit, the
pressure appeared to be particularly great, and the heat was
found so oppressive, that it wirs thought necessary to break
the wig dows to give tie sufferers air. The outer doors were
then shut again fur a short time, and part of the crowd
thrown out, among whom pickpockets seemed most active.
The eagerness manifested by the public to witness the open-
ing of this Theatre greatly exceeded that evinced at the
first performance at Covent-garden. In one respect
those who went to the pit and galleries had an advantage
over those who went to the boxes, for having once entered they
had no farther difficulty to contend with. This was not the
ease with those. who resorted to the boxes. Having pene-
trated the outer-door, they had then to fight their way to the
paying place, and after that it was no easy matter to obtain
a seat, Those who had boxes taken were not altogether bet-
ter accommothted than those who had not thought such a
precaution necessary, as the instant a box was opened those
who were near the deor endeavoured to burst in, and great ex-
ertions on the part of the door-keepers were necessary to resist
them Those who had places taken in the upper boxes were more
generally disappointed than others, as on repairing to their
respective boxes, they were told that Mr. DUNN final given
elders.for them to be thrown open, to a'l who wanted places
waile the boxes below were vigilantly guarded. We know
not the cause of this regulation, but to us it appears highly
injudicious, as by this the proprietors ate exposed to all the
incouvenienees of being summoned before the Court of
Uonscieece, not only for the shillings paid for places, but
the admission money paid. on the presumption that
place, so taken, wert!ci be (as others in more favoured situa-
ti,als Were,) properly fecu cd.
On entering the Theatre, those who were fortunate
enough to gain places to their liking, manifested their joy
at being iii the house, or out of danger, by shouts of applause
a'pd exultatmes. .The appearance of the Theatre was beau-
nla beyond description, and that of the audience singulat'.
lie4ant ; but it,was remarked that not mote than ten or a
duzetk females could be discerned in the pit.
At ha.f pi,st six the curtain, which reptesents a beautiful
an4scaP", row fur the first time, and the Corps Prainalivec
tame forward to sing, " Cud SaVe the Sing." The first
trods were completely lost in the shouts' of -the andience;
after, a time. the tutnalt 4 gratulation dithsidea, and the
vfluein cling wises were distiuctly heart!, •and rapturously ap-
plauded- The actors wete• whan an encore re-
c”.ipded. throu:rh the Theatre, and they ad v ced, bat in"
ate4l (of 4eivaticts the • isrtheta. tre had jot "ll' tirY

•

•

struck up the truly national air of "Rale Britanuia," whicli
was honoured with equal approbation.
Mr, ELLISTQN now came fbrward to speak the ardently
anticipated* Address. Among the audience, at this tine,
it was easy to trace in the countenance of many poets who
had sent M contributions of this kind, the anxiety with
which they waited the delivery of the first line, which etas
to sink them into the -scale of disappointed candidates, or,
elevate them to the. Olympic crown. The opening verse.
! " la tile dread iiiilit tiii., City sow slid siulted,"
' drew many a sigh from those who had befie e bete mostsan.-
1 -
i guiee in their expections. Mr. ELLISTON spoke the Ad-a
dre,s with considei;able abiLity ; •but not with, all the effect:
that might have been looked for, as lie was fiequently inter—
ruptt•d, and much noise prevailed throug,hout the ThCane...
• The Address comMenced will' a tbscriptive allusion to
the calamity which laid the lwe Theatte in ruins, reminded
the audience that there a SITMONS had first delighted them,.
and a(I AttatteK sighed his last adieu. After a compliment--
to Mr. SHERIDAN, as the British Mc-winder, it proceeded
to exist ess a hope that the new farm of the muses might lass
• found not unwot thy of that patronage with which the former
Theatre had been honoured. The Address altogether was a.
pleasing level production, but not calculated to give us a
very high opinion of the poets of the peseta dry, front
' whose effiarts thit was selected as the best : a proof that
either the •bards, or the judges of our time, are but indif—
ferent.
I .
It was reported in the Theatre to be from the pen of Lora
BY RON.
The play then commenced; but we have no time at pre-
sent to notice the meths of, the petrol nuts. 'lime scenery
' was beautiful and appropt iate, and the coup fl'a'il striking,
and magnificent. The performances were the tragedy of
Hamlet, and the farce of The Devil to Pay.
Having described the opening of the Theatre, for the
• satisfaction of our readers, we add the following particulars
respecting its internal construction and arrangements.
The stage and all its ingenious appendages, were eon-
; sttucted by Mr. LEONARD ))RORY, who has displayed his.
abilities to the greatest advantage, and has supplied amidst.
means of producing the grandest spectacles. The machinery
though, as might be expected, mcst complicated, is most
complete; and acts with so much ease, as to give to the
it various changes of scenery, the appeatanee of being the work
of magio. The scenes are painteit by Mr. GREENWOOD
I and Assistants, w.th a partica'ar deg, ee of excellence and
1 el:Pect. .The armoury in Pam./et is particularly beautiful.
The cieling which is ;.•,iinttal to iinitile thit of the dome„
I and the ft out of the boxes, in tredaLions 'rep, e,enting classical:
i subjects, arc exquisitely finished by Mr. 1)1x u is. who has also
executed the front drop. The two veld antique pillars On
each side the stage, with the griffins that support the two
I thirty-six-light chandeliers, produce a gaited attic In iliiant
effect. The. frieze, though merely' a painting, h;as; all the
itiirlozii
singee i a dnen ea!
thanof !lista l
(eventit y .
a,
r.hyec_e,riiit.re and
xtets. a li{t•:c
ti 7 f, girt.
nearer t i et:r e
..r. •
iOld Drury. This is occasioued by the breadth of the house.
which is more considerable tau its depth, and lenders i'k
I particularly well calculated for hew lug and for seeing. The
' pit has only 17 seats, but they extend the whole breadth of
the house, the two entfatrers heitig at the back, so that there.
-is no occasion for a passage to walk rotted. The orche-tra
seems cut out of the pit,-the seats of which ate eontitasted up
li both sides ...f it, close 'to the al:eite. The two galiet lea cant-
'!
1 mend a most excellent view of the stas.e, to which they are
by niany feet hearer thanan at Coveart-garden. Tbe two
. shiliani; gallery contains ten rows of scat., and the one shil—
ling gal:ery si,a i boll' have a lar,se tesliky at the back. • •
. • .

IT