The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-28 00:00:00

Stratford-on-Avon Tercentenary Festival,

STRATFORD-ON-AVON, Wednesday Evening.
Last night the series of theatrical amusements
commenced, and the aspect of the interior of the
Pavilion was completely changed. During the per-
formance of the Messiah," on Monday, the appear-
ance of the building was nearly the same as during
the banquet, chairs being substituted for tables.
The principal singers occupied the site of the pre-
sident's table, the band replaced the newspaper
reporters and the boys of the choir, and the
portion of the upper gallery at the back, com-
prising three sides of the dodecagon, was filled.,
by the chorus. The tenants of the chairs
to the
arena or pit, which is the place of hon:oar, like the
stalls of an ordinary theatre, sat therefore with
their backs to the stage, whi".:a was directly oppo-
site to the orchestra. La`...g night the orchestra had
:
been removed and tb chairs all turned round, so
that the front of ',ne house on Tuesday was yester-
day the back.
. .
The v'Aors of the Festival had now ample op-
--
t) to admire the beautiful drop curtain,
sainted and presented by Mr. Telbin. It is after
the model of the drop scene at the Princess's, of
which, however, it is not a copy. The centre is oc-
cupied by the well-known statue of Shakspere, with
a view of Stratford Church in the background.
This is supposed to stand in a vestibule, which is
hung with a rich crimson drapery, studded all over
' with the initial letter " S," save when. there are
two medallions respectively containing the figures
of the Tragic and Comic Muse. The heavy colour
of the drapery is relieved by two curtains of white
satin, looped up at the topmast corner of the pic-
ture. To this drop-scene the proscenium forms a
massive frame, too large allegorical figures, repre-
sentiug " Genius" and " Immortality," standing on
each side.
Were I writing for London playgoers only I
should consider I had rendered myself sufficiently
intelligible if I simply stated that " Twelfth Night''
was performed by the Haymarket company with
Haymarket scenery, and was followed by ,4 My
Aunt's Advice (one of the innumerable versions of
" Livre 1.,' Chapitre III."), with Mr. Sothern in the
principal character. Since, however, for the pre,
sent week, Stratford, not London, is the theatrical
capital of England, arid the Warwickshire public
has not got Haymarket usages at its fingers'-ends,
it is as well to give the official programme entire :
" In the evening, at seven o'clock, will be represented, by
the company of the Theatre Royal Haymarket, London,
Shakspere's comedy of "Twelfth Night; or, What you
Will:"_

Orsino (Duke of Illyria.. • • Mr. Howe.
Sebastian (a young gentleman, brother to Viola) Mr
Wearthersby.
Antonio sea captain, friend to Sebastiar.) .. Mr Braid
Roberto (a sea captain, friend to Viola), Mr W. Gordon
Curio
Mr Clark
Valentina Lords attending on the Duke {Mr Worrell
Sir Toby Balch (uncle to the Lady Olivia) ..Mr Rogers

. 5
a
Sir Andrew Aguecheek..Mr Buckstone
Malvolio (steward to Olivia) ..Mr Chippendale
Fabian. i {Mr W, Farren
Clown . Servants to Olivia
Mr Compton
A Priest Mr Cullenford
First Offieer....Mr Coe. Second Officer ....Mr James
Olivia (a rich Countess) .. Miss H. Lindley
Viola (in love with the Duke) ..plies Louisa Angel
___ ...... ..._

Maria (Olivia's woman) Mrs E. Fitzwilliara
Lords, Priests,
Attendants.
Scene.—.A City in Illyria, and the sea coast near it.
After which,
Sailors, Officers, Musicians, and other
French of MM. Pierron and Laferriere, by Mr Sothern,
entitled 46 Mya Comedietta in one act, adapted from the
Aunt's Advice "
Mr Charles Arundel Mr Howe
Captain Howard Leslie Mr Sothern
Mrs Charles Arundel Miss Nelly Moore
Jane Miss Coleman.
The performance thus announced was honoured
by the immediate patronage of Lord Carlisle, who
oat in the centre of the front row of the arena,
with Lord Shaftesbury, Lord Leigh, Sir Robert
Hamilton, and other distinguished visitors already
mentioned in the report of Saturday's banquet,
ranged on each side of him. The audience was
more numerous than at either of the concerts. This
an ind
illustrat
was expected, since to a large agricultural pen.
lation resident in the vicinity of Stratiord a
Play acted
anythingedapnbry London scenery,oaching the London
manner,
such as is painted now, must be a wonderful ()alai.
bition. The Birmingham Theatre, it is true, holds
a high rank among provin-eial establishments, and
there is a theatre at L^,amington ; but Birmingham
is sufficiently distP.et to leave Stratford a public of
its own, and tt,e Leamington house, I am informed,
is not grea4dy patronised. Moreover, the magnifi.
cent Pavilion is in itself well worth seeing.
Tte play was well selected, for it not only suits
tile Haymarket company, but it has recently been
decorated with beautiful scenes iilustrating the
Illyrian country, in which the action noreineViy
takes place, and therefore widely dderent frola the
conventional pictures ordinaro.-_
y used in "provincial
theatres. The costumes ore partially of the modern
Greek kind; those of Sebastian and Viola (once
dressed as a conventional page) being more conspi-
cuous than the rest. All these Scenes and dresses
were brought down to the Pavilion by Mr. Buck-
stone, and by the inhabitants of a country tow-
, and
the rural dis47ict around it the perforr-
really be enjoyed as a series of re-
..iance might
Londoners, provided every ye, vmarkabie pictures.
sation scones, and violen' ..e with a stock of gen-
ing " effects," ep-• ..tay stimulated by astound-
which a r;
..a scarcely imagine the impression
de-
r.eee perfectly put upon the stage pro-
-.es on the inhabitants of an agricultural town.
Mr. Buckstone was received with especial favour.
During all the preparations for the Festival he has
been most energetic and judicious, as a sort of