The National Register.
London, England, 1811-12-15 00:00:00

HAYMARKET THEATRE.

On Monday the celebrated Mr. Cock-a-doodle COATZS
(from Exeter 'Change), exhibited himself at this house as the
representative of Lothariu, in 77z• Fair Penitent. Public curio-
sity was very strongly excited, and every part of the Theatre
was crowded at an early hour. Nearly the whole of the audi-
ence appeared to have been attracted to witness the performance
of this Tragedy, by an expectant desire of enjoying a hearty
laugh. The fame of the hero of the night caused them to anti-
cipate something preposterously out of the way, and they went
to the Theatre with a resolution to turn every thing into

Nothing could be more truly contemptible, or more extrava-
gantly absurd, than the performance of Mr. ConTes. His
manner was such, that the Tragedy called forth much more
laughter than is usually heard or seen at the representation of a
Comedy. Much waggery was played off by• a part of the audi-
ence. The orowing of a cock was frequently imitated with
great success, and the effect of ti in the middle or at the close
of an impassioned or pathetic speech, was very fine. Hisses
were frequently heard very loud, and after these Mr. Coss rES •
was guyed with six or eight rounds of applatise. He bore it.
apparently, with great sang froid, for some time, but at last he
lost his temper, and addressed a series of silly speeches to the
audience, offering to pay for those, who chose to take their
money back and go out, and defending the line of conduct which
he had pursued, as originating in' a benevolent principle, eas
which he was still determined to act. These orations so morti-
fied those who were acting with him, that Horatio and Alta- •
want left the Stage, and Mr. Conr es (cock of the walk) had tht
felicity of entertaining the audience alone. Placed in this
situation the her) made a long senseless speech, which the indig-
nation of the audience rendered it impossible to hear in the
Theatre, but which be has since obligingly given to the wrrid in
print. This concluded, he left the stage, snapping his fingers at
the audience,and the drop fell, as at the close of an Act.
When the Play was resumed, the last scene which they had
attempted was begun again, and at length performed in better
style than could well be expected, when Mr. Cock-a-doodle
COATES was concerned. The mirth and noise of the audience
were steady and unremitting, throughout the third and fourth
Acts. At the close of the fourth, the green curtain fell, and of
such importance was Mr. Conars to the audience, that as
Lotharis was dead, they did not once call for the fifth Act, but
the hero was loudly called on to die again.
The A/tarnont of the night was as ridiculous as Mr. COATES-.
himself, and the appearance and manner of Sciolto was so ludi.
crous, that he was frequently accosted by the good humoured
appellations of Punch, Jack of Clabs, and Gaffer Thumb. Horatio
was very ably sustained by Mr. SYDNEY, who, fixed the au-
dience were to jeer and quiz all who were to perform, succeeded
in rivettiug their attention on the business of the scene, where
he was concerned, for some time. The Calista of the evening
was so much alarmed zt the apparent hostility of the audience,
that she seemed scarcely able to stand. Lavinia found an excel.
lent representative in the fascinating Miss Sv a NET.
To me it really appears perfectly astonishing, how such a man
as Mr. SYDNEY could condescend to play himself, or to let any
one belonging to him, perform with such a company of drills as
were collected together to guy The Fair Penitent. No talents,
no exertions of two or three individuals, could possibly appease
the storm which the absurdities of Messrs. COATES and W 1:.•
LINSTONS were calculated to awa'se. Had not his performance
given strong indications of good sense, I should have thought
Mr. SYDNEY'as mad as Mr. COATES, for so letting himself
down. The experience of Monday last, will, I trust, be of ser-
-4 vice to him, and when Mr. Con rx s next undertakes to murder

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