The Sun.
London, England, 1822-10-14 00:00:00

DRURY LANE THE_VTRE.

The improvements in this Theatre—for the
alterations really deserve that name—are expected to be com-
plete by Wedesnay, the 16th inst. Seeing what remains to be
done about the house,we should think so early an opening, almost
impossible ; but the managers speak confidently, and their
means of judging must be better than ours. No less a sum than
20,0001. is said to have been expended in Drury-lane Theatre
since the close of last season ; this sounds like a great deal of
money, but certainly there is a great deal to show for it. The
Theatre, when finished, will certainly be the most convenient in
England ; and as far as we can judge of it in its present incom-
plete state, it bids fair to be also the most magnificently appoint-
ed. Mr. Elliston's plan, as regards the reduction, has already
been made public. The whole extent of circle composing the au-
dience part of the building has taken a step of 5 feet in advance.
The consequence is, that the house, as it now stands, will be
narrower from side to side by 10 feet than it was last season : six
feet having been cut from the stage and added to the pit, the
depth from the front boxes to the foot light is a trifle greater than
it was before ; but as the curtain remains in its original situation,
we lose only a portion of that platform, if it may be so termed,
which lies between the first wing and the spikes of the orchestra,
and which, from its too extended depth, as originally construct.
ed, placed the performers in the situation, if they
.wished to be
heard, of playing or declaiming between the wings and the
lamps, and so losing altogether the illusion of the scene. The
space which this movement in front of the boxes has necessarily
added to the ltiljies behind them, is differently. disposed of in
different ,pirfs'of , the theatre. In the dress circle, over and
above the five feet regularly obtained, a slice (which could be
spared) has been taken from the back of each box ; and the
combined result of- both these alterations appears in a range of
buildings yclept Family Boxes :—snug cabinets which are cal-
culated to accommodate eight persons each, and which take
their view of the • stage over the dress boxes which lie under
them. These family boxes, which are nearly or alto-
gether upon the plan already adopted at the English Opera
House, and at the Coburg Theatre, are to be let each for
2/. Bs. or 21. 10s., per night—about Is. per visiter over the
regular price of admission ; whether they are to be engaged
(of indispensable necessity) in the morning, or whether they
may be hired, without previous arrangement, when persons
come to the theatre in the evening, is a point not yet entirely
decided upon. In the upper tiers of boxes (that is to say, in
the second and third), the space obtained by carrying the front
of the theatre forward is filled up in such a manner that the
lobby remains unwidened—a very prudent measure. The Slips,
as they are called, which are diminished in number by an in-
crease of width given to the two shilling gallery, run, not
straight out as formerly, but diagonally towards the stage, and
a lobby is carried along behind. the 'back of the two shilling
gallery, so that persons in the slips rosy pass from one side of
the house to the other without being obliged, as heretofore, to
make the tour of the circle below them. As this passage is a blank
all round the front of the theatre, it will be necessary, to pre=
vent mistakes, that it should be particularly well lighted ; it
will then be convenient as saving the trouble of going up and
down stairs, and the lobbies now -added -to the one and two
shilling galleries (if care be taken not, to crowd them at half
price with persons who cannot obtain seats) will promote the
general convenience, and particularly' "the ventillation of the
theatre. The improvement of the stage, no less than that of the
audience part of the building, has been attended to. The roof of
the house, generally, has been lowered about 3 feet. The Pro-
scenium is carried in an arch 12 feet higher than it was before;
and'the aspect of the whole is amended by-the alteration. The
stage itself is now thrown open to the full (dirninished)"width of
the house. Stage doors there are to be none (the second time this
experiment has been tried); and the space which they Should occu-
py is filled by a pile of very splendid private boxes. The doors
(moveable) which are to serve the duties hitherto discharged by
the stage-doors, are constructed, we hear, upon a new and improv-
ed principle ; and its expected that they will have the firmness
and practicability (to use a technical phrase) -of stage doors,
without lying open, as those portals have done, to the 'constant
charge of incongruity. The thing, perhaps, one way or the
other, is of little comparative importance : if sufficient steadi-
ness for necessary purposes can be given to the moveable door,
no doubt the old, system is very ridiculous ; but we doubt a
little whether the requisite strength can be imparted. The
pit does not strike us as being very sensibly dimished in size ;
it must, of course, be narrower in some parts; but in depth, it
will perhaps have gained one,, seat ; and that addition would
restore it pretty nearly to its original capability. A variety of
alterations have been made in the private boxes, and in several
lobbies, avenues, and the apartments leading to them, of which-
it would be impossible, except from a plan, to form an ade-
quate idea. The most tangible change is- that in the location
of the Royal box, which is henceforth to be in the dress--that
is so say, in the lower—circle. The personal cabinet will be
formed out of the two left-hand boxes nearest the stage, which
by an operation of five minutes, can be thrown into one ;
the attendants will occupy the two right-hand boxes adjoining
(the two boxes, that is, running- onwards towards the centre
of the house), and a series of folding doors are kept ready for
hanging, which will cut off the Royal receptacle from the more
profane portion of the theatre. The whole of the machinery
applicable to this business appears to be very simple ; the
notice of half an hour, and the ministry of one carpenter, will
be sufficient at any time to complete the arrangement.
The decorations and ornamental appointments of Drury-
lane theatre, independent of the mere architectural alterations,
will entitle the manager to praise. As yet the embellishments
are not only incomplete, but in great measure,concealed by cov-
erings which protect them from injury as coarser works pro-
ceeds ; sufficient, however, is seen to warrant our predicting a
very splendid coup diced indeed, when the whole shall be expos-
ed to view. The proscenium rests upon columns of burnished
gilding, elegantly fluted, and with capitals of the Corinthian or-
der; and the most costly style of embellishment short of gaudi-
ness, is adopted from the very base to the roof of the building.
The ground tint of the house is a light salmon colour : and
the gold is most lavishly as well as very tastefully laid on.— ,
The edges of the boxes are of crimson velvet ; and the dividing
partitions of the private boxes, as well as the linings and dra-
peries throughout the theatre, are always of the same hue, and
in many parts of the same material. The fronts of the lower
boxes are embellished with paintings, and decorated with light
gold moulding ; those of the upper tiers are ornamented most
profusely with gilding, arranged in a variety of rich and fan-
ciful devices. The great chandelier in the centre of the house
is to have various additions,' and to be rendered more ornamen-
tal as well as more luminous than before. This machine is not
yet in a condition to be appreciated. The dress boxes, which
will contain only nine persons each, are furnished (an infinite
relief) with chairs throughout--a chair for the centre of each
row, being constructed upon some new system, with a moveable
back, instead of the stool without any back at all, formerly used
to admit a passage down the middle of the enclosure.--
Gas, on account of its great readiness and easy regulation,
is to "continue its services in the lobbies and behind
the stenes ; but oil will, in future, be used for the floats,
and a row of chandeliers with bell-glasses and candles.
is to be carried round the lower circle. Now all this is very
good, both as to conception and taste; and there is another im-
provement in the house, which is most creditable to the judg-
ment of those who are arranging.it : the seats in the pit are to
be furnished with railed hacks—that is, with backs to each al-
teniate row—in the same manner as, we have them now at the
Opera House. This is a convenience which has been much
needed for a long time ; a nap at a theatre is a delicious treat
inow and then, and every " appliance" ought to be affOrded to
t. Then the saloon, the rotunda, the fvholeof the noble stair-
cases and passages, are coming out fresh from the hands of the
decorater and of the painter. The green pillars in the saloon
are exchanged for columns of white material ; scarlet seats,
doors, and draperies, are called up in gay array ; and the look-
ing-glass is so abundant as to form almost a lining to the apart-
ment. Measures seem to he taking, too, in this part of the
theatre for supplying more light than was given last season ;
this is judicious; such a building ought to be well displayed. It
is impossible for us, in the present unfinished state of the house,
to form an 'adequate conception of its probable effect when coin-
pleted and illuminated ; but we shall endeavour, if possible, be-
fore it opens, whenever that may be, to devote a few lines to
some points which at this moment we have not room for.—
( Times. )