The National Register.
London, England, 1809-09-24 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

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COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

On Monday night, this Theatre, the first stone of which
was formally laid in December, was opened to the public
with the tragedy of Macbeth, but under circumstances which
made it impossible to hear a syllable that was uttered.—
The exaction of 7s. to the boxes instead of 6s. and of 4s. k
the pit instead of 3s. 6d. raised an universal clamour, amd
the tumult was excessive. We cannot, therefore, 4ttempt
to give any description of the
_performance, or to render
any account of the adaption of the Theatre to dramr.tic re-
presentations. The eye is struck with the uniformity of
the audience part of the House ; and we should think that

from the reg.-tiler form of the area the voice will be dis-
tinctly heard; but we mnst wait for a more favourable occa-
sion to form an adequate judgment. We lament to see that
all the interior staircases have the fault which was so sensi-
bly ....at in Drury-lane. They arc up and down. The only
good staircase is that of the approach from Bow-street.—
It was an incessant uproar. The overflow was prodi-
gious; and before six o'clock the avenues were to-
tally blocked up by.aulfitudes, who were told by the door-
keepers that every place was tilled, and that it was vain to
attempt to pay the money merely to press into the lobbies.
.The :performance went on amidst. the uproar. All &-
tempts to be heard were fruitless-. At times the voice of
the once irrisistible Siddons was feebly heard ; and her fine
• features, over which time has not exercised his tyranny,
' were seen to possess their usual expression. Mr. Kemble
strove, in vain, to deliver a very dull and inanimate Ad-
slress, which we this day give to our readers. And even two
or three respectable Magistrates actors, turned and came
.forward on the stage with the Riot Act in their hands, as if
it had been a dramatic piece trot up for the occasion! But
the spectators indulged themselvesb only in noise—they were
guilty of no violence ; but for hours after the curtain dropt
they continued in the house, calling in vain on the Mains-
tors to announce their return to the old prices.

The concession of. public discontent which we have
Toiticqd :it this Theatre, .was, on Tuesday and Wed-
nesday night, still lender and more general. It seem-
ed to be the proceeding of a well-disciplined and well-
combined corps, acting under. judicious . and resolute
leaders. Every one appeared to understand the justice
of the cause for which he struggled, and the means
by which it was to be attained. Indisputably, the right
which an audience have to applaud at any theatre.,
its upon the same principle with that which they have
censure„ and the exercise of the former can be of little
-value, if they are refused the exercise of the latter. Jus-
4ice and custom, however, decide against that refusal,
anti the audience, aware of that, carried the privilege
of censure to the utmost extent. The rising of the
.eurtain was the signal. for the commencement of their
foperations. Hissiags, whistles, and cat-calls, as usual, rein-
„forced by trumpets and bugle-horns, immediately pro-
,.-elairaed their purpose, and rendered the performance to-
tally inaudible. The performers, however, did not ap-
pear to feel, in. the slightest degree," disconcerted or of-
- fended, but rather, indeed, relieved; as there was no neces-
sity for speaking, Occasionally different persons among
the.audience addressed them, with an assurance that there
was no intention to offer them any offence ; and this we
.were happy to hear, particularly with respect to the
,Ladies,- some of whom, upon their entrance, exhibited
signs of timidity. So little did the performers feel it ne-
cessary to attend to dialogue, or ordinary forms, that
the whole of the performance, both play and farce,
bad terminated by half past nine o'clock. Every box
on the first and second tier, presented placards of
" Oid Prices;" " Opposition—persevere and you may
succeed ;" "John Bull against John Kemple;" No fo-
relgaers to tax ;we have taxes enough already ;" &c.
Soon after the farce concluded, Mr. Kemble, in- conse-
quence of reiterated calls for the Manager, made his ap-

SEPT. 24.

pearance upon the stage, and, after some uproar, obtained
a helring. He 'said that he came forward to assure the
audience of the anxious solicitude of the pr.iprictort; to ac-
commodate themselves to their wishes, which declaration
was received with applause ; but when he added the fol-
lowing sentence—" Ladies and Gentlemen, I wait here to
know what you want," the hissing was universal, mixed
with cries of " What ridiculous and insulting alkctation
The house, indeed, became quite indignant, and Mr..Kem-
ble felt it convenient to retire. A gentleman then address.
ed the audience from the lower boxes, whoso.naine we un-
derstand to be Leigh.

His speech was-saluted at every. sentence by acclama-
tions of applause, unalloyed by a single hiss, and this cir-
cumstance, by the bye, furnishes a tolerably conclusive
proof as to the general feeling-6 of the audience.
• Alter some interval the audience way agAin addressed by
Mr. Smyth, the barrister, who by a few impressive obser-
vations, succeeded in obtaining their unanimous promise,
that if Mr. Kemble were to come forivai-d, told the
cause of their discontent, that gentleman should be atten-
tively heard. Mr. Smyth, thererore, requested a gentle-
man ,in the manag-er's box to communicate this to Mr.
Kesuble, who accordingly came forward and spoke to the
following effect

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN—I wait upon you to know your
wishes.

Our wishes, said Mr. Leigh, I shall tell you in three words-
-44 TAB OLD PRICES."

LADIES AND GE: NTLEM EN.---4 feel most gratefully impressEd
by the attention with which you now lionotir me.—The propos-
ed advance in the price of admission to the boxes and the pit, is,
if I am not mistaken, the cause of your objections (" What af-
fectation, you know it is," exclaimed several voices) You
have been told that the former prices were quite suflcient,
were amply abundant to remunerate our expellees, to reward our
exertions; but I beg you to raect that the price of admission to
the pit was 38. so far back as the reign of Queen Anne [hisses
and some applause.] Tne galleries were the same rate then
that they are now, and in these we do not propose any advance.
For a century back there has been no advance in those rates of
admission, although every article we had to purchase was ad-
vancing in price, and although, I can assure you, that for the
last ten years, the Proprietors of this theatre have not divided
six per cent. upon their capital.—l beg you, Ladies and Gen-
tlemen, to take this circumstance into your consideration, and to
combine with it the known precariousness of this description of
property, the expences to which we are daily exposed—the ha-
zardous speculations in which we are obliged
.to engage—the
certain loss to which we are sukjected by the ruin of a single
play—(Hisses and applauses). It .was said by a Gentleman, J.
understand, last night, that no part of the propo,ed advance
would ever go into the pockets of the Performers, and that if it
did, you would not be so disposed to complain. I can assure
that Gentleman, that he is mistaken in his view of the subjec
for, in point of fact, the Performers are, and will be, materia.
bonetitted by this advance, and they are ready to come forw'
in a body to testify it. To benefit them, indeed--to encour
talent, by securing it an adr-ouate reward--to promote the
terest of our profession—to provide suitable performers and

fortnances for your entertainment, was the pi incipal mo
which suggested the propriety of this small advance—(AL
and applaans).—W hen you. Ladies ard Gentlemen, reLleci
those points with your accustomed candour; when you cons
the iattnemeexpence, no lets than 150,000/. which has been

out in providing for you the finest Theatre in Europe—when
take into account the still further expellee which must be. in

red in purchasing a suitable wardrobe and scenery, together w
the numberless articles necessary to a Theatre, whirs have
of late years been enhanced in price, 1 can have no hesitatio
trusting to your liberality and justice, and to the liberality
justice of the country for a decision in our favour.

Here Mr. keinble bowed and retired, amidst hissing
some slight applauses. The latter, however, soon subsided
and after above an hour spent in venting their discunte
the audience gradually dispersed.

The 'Theatre was extremely full on Thursday nig
hundreds failed to procure seats. Pantomimes are
ways attractive ; and the public arc uow glutted w