The National Register.
London, England, 1812-09-20 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

DRURY LANE THEATRE.

Tuesday the paling was removed from before Drury•lane
Theatre, on which occasion a multitude of people assem-
bled and gave three cheers, when the whole of the exterior
of the Theatre was exposed to public view. The iron rail-
ing has been erected in the front, and four magnificent and
lofty lamps have been placed on the pedestals.
The interior decorations of this Theatre are now very
nearly finisl.ed. The cicling is very finely painted, and the
carved work on the fronts of the boxes has a very pleasing
erect. In the construction of this edifice, the greatest at-
tention has very propel ly been paid to those essential re-
quisites, seeing and hearing; its plan being believed to be
the best calculated for enabling the audience to see and
hear what is passing on the stage. The audience part of
the house forms three-fourths of a circle, which, making
some little allowance for the deviation in the drop within
the proscenium, may be said to be completed by the cir-
cular sweep which connects the outer wall of the boxes with
the proscenium. The uccesary consequence, therefore, is,
that as the spectators will all be in some part of the circum-
ference, they must unavoidably see all that passes in any point
within the circle. It is only when the actors may have to
per form any part of their duty farther back than the pro-
scenium on the stage, that an imperfect view is to be had
in any part of the house ; and even in that case, more than
three-fourths of the surface of the stage will be visible to
the -xorst-circumstanced seats in the house.
The view of the stage is relieved by the appearance on
either side of two magnificent Herculean columns, repre
stinting verde antique maible. Columns of a similar de-
scription ornament the grand saloon.
The lustres, by which the house is to be lighted, are made
from designs formed by the. architect. On the staircases,
at each pillar, are to be placed antique lamps, of curious
taste and exquisite workmanship, resting upon tripods de-
signed by Mr. WyATT ; and in the circular saloon there
are some niches, in which the super b antique lamps, formed
upon a model also constructed by the architect, are to be
placed.
Melpomene and Thalia are to be placed in the niches on
either side of the proscenium, above the cornice, and the
royal arms, with appropriate trophies and decorations, are
to be painted on the semi-circular pannel formed by the
arch which appears to surmount the two pillars over the
proscenium.
The uniform shape of the back wall of the boxes gives
an unobstructed range to the sound, at the same time that
its thickness (three feet) is an effectual security against the
spreading- of fl unes.
la the corridors which surround and lead to the boxes,
the floors are formed of stone,•. and rest upon brick arches
without any intermixture of timber. _Another• wall, nearly
three feet thick, surrounds these corridors, so that in case
even the stage or soeciatoty Wel C to take fire, there would
lie a space of neatly nine feet, including two walls of three
feet each in thickness without any combustible matter, to
arrest the progress of the flames toward that part of the house
through which the spectators would have to retire.
The means provided for the extinction of fire, if it should
ever take place, consist in the application of compressed air,
by means of which water can be forced through pipes already
iaid to every part of the building. In the centre of the
ceiling these is a head of Apollo upon a circular board,
upon which the rays of the sun are painted, and which
hangs a little lower than the rest of the ceiling round it. To
this part of the ceiling a great pipe is conveyed, f:oin which,