The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-21 00:00:00

Stratford-on-A.

STR4TFORD-ON•AVON, Tuesday Night,
The Festival that is to celebrate the 300th anniversary of
Shakespere's birthday in the town where he first drew the
breath of life, and also terminated his mortal career, will
not commence till Saturday neat, and few visitors have as
yet arrived in Stratford. Still, the whole aspect of the place
clearly indicates the approach of some event that will startle
the townsmen from their usual quietude, and the prepara-
tions made for the coming festivities are watched with eager
curiosity.

These are nearly all to take place in a huge pavilion,
which is built in the neighbourhood of the church, and is
to serve the various purposes of a theatre, a banqueting
hall, and a ball room. For upwards of three weeks has
this huge wooden edifice been in progress, and since it has
approached completion sixpence has been regularly charged
for the right of inspecting its interior. Its ground plan is a
regular duo lecagon, as may be easily seen by a glance at
the pointed roof, though the regularity of the figure is
somewhat interrupted by the stage; the proscenium com-
pletely covering one side, and extending to the middle of
each of the sides adjoining. During the theatrical per-
formances the large open area which is immediately in front
of the stage will be covered with chairs and form a sort of
pit, while for the boxes there are two tiers or galleries, the
one on the ground, the other raised to a considerable ele-
vation above it, all furnished with numbered seats. A
raised platform for instrumental musicians stands at the
back of the pit, the occupants of which will thus, it seems,
be placed between the stage and the music. When the
banquet is held which is to inaugurate the Festival the
large area will be occupied by tables as well as by chairs ;
and on the occasion of the fancy dress ball, which termi-
nates the programme, it is said that the raised orchestra
will be removed to allow additional space for the dancers.
The panels of the boxes, adorned with arabesque designs,
are already painted, and the interior of the pavilion pre-
sents a brilliant appearance, which even while it is yet un-
enlivened by song, play, or feast will reward the curious
investigator for the expenditure of his trifling coin. That
an edifice which has been raised at so heavy an expense,
and is so magnificent to look upon, will be destroyed when
the Festival is over is generally regretted, but that its doom
is pronounced there seems no doubt. Thus, the inscrip-
tion which runs round the top of the walls, and is extracted
from the never-to-be-forgotton speech which foretels the
ultimate fate of "cloud-capped towers" and "gorgeous
palaces," gains new point from its association with the
coming dismemberment of the sightly and substantial
fabric raised to celebrate a six days' merry-making and
then pass away.

At the last Shakespearean Festival, which was celebrated
in 1830—nearly 31 years ago, although it was intended to
have a grand commemoration every three years—a Pavilion
was also erected, the exterior of which, if we may judge
from the woodcut inserted in the account of the proceedings
published at the time by Mr It. Lapworth, of Stratford,
strongly resembled that of the edifice which now commands
the admiration of Warwickshire. Probably, however, the
resemblance does not extend to the interior, for the Pavilion
of 1830 was not employed for theatrical purposes, whereas
the present Pavilion is essentially a playhouse, though it
will sometimes be put to non-theatrical uses. During the
Festival of 1830 plays were acted at the regular Stratford
theatre, then opened by Mr Raymond, with an efficient
company, of which Mr Charles Kean was a very young
member. The theatre is still standing, but all attempts to
secure for it anything like permanent prosperity seem to
have failed utterly, and it is probably deemed insufficient
for the accommodation of the ardent Shakaperians of the
present day.
The office for the sale of tickets, which is in the High-
street may be regarded with some degree of interest by the
antiquarian dilettanti, as it stands near the site of New-
place, the residence of William Shakspere in his prosperous
latter days. Here also sits the committee, headed by the
Mayor of Stratford, the indefatigable Mr Flower, in
commendation of whose zeal and energy every tongue is