The Sun.
London, England, 1813-11-16 00:00:00

COVENT GARDEN TIIP:ATRE.

The Tragedy of -..liitony 01211 Cl4.loptifra :WA;
brought forward last night at thisTheatre, not as
originally written by SitAKEsrEATIE,•nnr as alter-
ed by nityprol,but With a mixture of both, ariA
such omissions and transpinitionS as were taleu.,
hated to sustain the, general interest' of, the ,story,,.
and 4elieve it by a varie,ty of incidents.. ThiS, pia?,
was altered by, Sir Cunitt,E3 SitnEys as we.Was..by
DavozN, and was alio abridga,for renresenta7;
tion.hyeapEad.,, with the assistance-of G autog..
Indeed DRYDEN'S could hat'lllybe calk' an alt era -
don, for though be, of course, Could tht•ow
new lights on the characters, of Anthony moi Cleo-
patra, the sentiments and the general struetyre,of
the piece were his own.: That he thought Mighty
of his work is evident., fin., be said that " ho
had ‘vritten. this, piece for Nana/J.,. the rest,,he had.
given to the people."—ln the .d,ranm of last niglrt,
there was certainly a strong interest, ,so far as ,i‘n-
mediately concerned the Hero and the
hut on. the whole it was heavy,:.and required all
the show and magnificciace,,which !nark its revival.
In one respect the .raociVkt of last night has not
'been very skilful, for iriste'ad of introducing the
two. characters Of Enobarbus and.Vciradius. which
are little more t ban counterparts 01 each otiv!r, he
shOuld, have blended
,theta into tine eonspieuotts.
character, which might give scope to. the powers
of some disrtngukbed actor. As, jt is, :11141-
'rciz;t and Trmar. may almost be said to par-.
form- different portions of the sainc ..charactt•r.7-•
.Tbe part ofelittorty was:sUpported with great jmig-
, lima and -feeling by Y0ut“..;,..;. and it his 41e1.son
altogether were better fitted to gr;itii'y the. yoagi-
nation with nn external portrait of this ce!ebratetl,
hero and lover of antiquity, the W effect would:ye
been such.as to leave us nothing to wish

k very 'evident that he had deeply stilled the part,
and he has• certainly added to his reputation by
ltis perforatance of it. The,samei observation is
applicable to Mrs, FAUCIT, OS to personal
ante, iu •Clegpiara. Hcrligure. .i 4 1.07 t comman,.ling
enough foi• the character, nor is her face
ciently handsome. 1.-hr conception of the charac-
ter we do not Think just, Instead of saying 0f
her, as is said of ricopittra, •!‘ uie cannot stale her
infinite variety,'"ape gave the character too much .
the air of a modern capricious vim' 0, or• fine lady.
Yet she gave „some passages expressive Of grief,
and her love of 4ntoity, „with pa thos .aud
Mrs. ill'cliaßoN gave' sufficient' interest to. the
little part of Octucia. - Arraot acquittetd- biurielf
ably in Octavius ; and. TFIIIIY r,Tel vet! ' great
applause in I%entidius,. Upon the widole, this; 1)1.17
has been restored to the stage in a waillitYr very
well calculated to render it an.httractive Speer: via,
independently of its dra...tat;c merits, .The
rations,
.processions, obsequies, &c, &c. in the
Roman and ;Egyptian costume, alford
and variety. The chorusses,,compoeil by I>l !fur,
were grand, solemn, and apprqpriate_ The sc/4.
fight 1.4 rictiumi however, will hardly admit of a
comparison' with similar warf;ire in these (11v3',
and.does not add to th grandeur of the
.drama.
The house was crovded, and the.play,warmly.ap-
plauded.