The Sun.
London, England, 1824-10-23 00:00:00

THE THEATRE.

HAYMARKET.—The heir-ah Law was repre-
sented ,last night at this Theatre, and, as the
opening of Covent-Garden Theatre has deprived
the Haymarket Manager of some of his per-
formers, we must make some allowance for the ,
want of adequate ability in several of the substi,
tutes in the characters assikued. to them. LISTON,
of course, was a good representative of Lord
Duberly, but his severe hoarseness was a great
drawback on the general effect of the Comedy.
HARLEY'S Pangloss was also entitled to a favour-
able notice, but as we cannot say much in favour
of the rest, we shall advert to a new Farce which
followed the Comedy, under the name Hide and
Seek. The following is an outline of the Plot :
" A Page (Mrs. T. HILL) of a Prince, (Mr. MELROSE),
from his love for Flora (Miss KELLY), the daughter of Bud-
stock, a gardner (Mr. AiriLLlAsis), neglects his patron's ser-
vice, and is compelled to conceal himself in the green-house of
his love's father. By Budstock it is thought that a fox infests
the grounds, while his nephew, David Dibble (LasTos), is sa-
tisfied that it is a ghost. To free the grounds, however, from
the nuisance, he applies to the Prince for the use of his hunts-
men and dogs, that an effectual search may be made. The
Page uses every effort to escape, and at length takes refuge even
under the table, where the Prince, together with his host Bud-
stock and family, are to take refreshment. The Prince becomes
smitten by the charms of Flora, and she consents to an assig-
nation. She informs the Page, who is to be stationed within
hearing, and when the time arrives she pleads her real lover's
cause, obtains his pardon from the Prince, who presents her
with a dower and a husband. David Dibble has long been
attached to his cousin, but he is necessitated to console himself
with a solitary kiss, and the piece concludes."
—This Farce, which is understood to he a trans-
lation from the French, is ascribed to the author of
Family Jars, and Fish out of Water, two Farces
that have been deservedly successful. We can-
not compliment the author on having exerted his
talents with equal success on the present occasion.
It is proper, however, to observe that LISTON'S
hoarseness operated as a drawback against the
new Farce, as it did against the comedy. But the
piece itself is not intrinsically strong, and is by
no means very probable. Yet LISTON was a
main prop, notwithstanding his infirmity, and
Miss KELLY was another. We were sorry to see a
male ,part assigned to Mrs. 'l'. HlLL.—This-
is an offensive practice at the Theatre : a
female should never assume virile attire, except
when the structure of a Drama requires it as a
disguise. Nothing could be more ridiculous than
Mrs. YESTRIS as Mac' heath, the head of a banditti.
It is not necessary for us to enter into a critical
examination of the new Piece, because it is
merely intended as light summer wear. Off the
conclusion, LISTON came forward, and; stating
that his illness prevented him from doing justice
to the Author, he hoped that the audience would
permit it to be brought forward on Monday. The
major part of a numerous audience assented to
the requisition, and they were abundantly recom-
pensed by the Putertainnoyut which they after-
wards received from DOWTON and Miss KELLY,
as Jobson and Nell, in the diverting but absurd
old Farce of The Devil to Pay, which nothing
but good acting in those parts can now render en-
durable to a rational audience.