The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-03 00:00:00

HAY AARKET THEATRE.

MR. BUCKSTONE'S ADDRESS.
Any night or every night at the Haymarket, the pub-
lie give ample testimony of the estimation in which they
hold the talented and enterprising lessee ; but it one
wished to behold him in all his glory, surrounded by
trove of friends and overwhelmed continuously with
plaudits and bouquets, one must go on the night of big
annual benefit, and having arrived betimes in order to
procure a seat, be will see an amount and cordiality of
welcome such as is seldom accorded to actor or manager.
Mr. Backstone treated his audience yesterday evening
to a varied and strongly-cast entertainment. Shale-,
epere's "Twelfth Night" was drawn from the theatrical
repertoire after a rest of eight years for the occasion, fol-
lowed by a new Spanish ballet and a dramatic sketcb, in
r which Mr. Buckstone and Miss Fane were most suc-
ce.t.sful in amusing the audience. But benefit nights are
not occasions for criticism, and the public will no doubt
be interested in bearing what Mr. Buckstone has to say
for himself, which will be found in the subjoined ad-
dress, delivered by him with "due emphasis and discre-
tion," and amid thunder s of applause :
"Ladies and Gentlemen,—lt is now three years since I
had the honour of addressing you, on the occasion of my
benefit, in July, 1853 when this theatre closed for three
months, in order to make certain alterations and repair,.
I then promised a new and enlarged stage, the elevation of
the scenery, a thorough re-decoration, and, for the first
time here, a Christmas pantomime. All these promises I
have fulfilled ; v hile the introduction of a pantomime has
for three year's been most successful, and which, when
Christmas comes again, I shall continue to present, in our
usual poetic and fanciful manner, aided by the masterly
painting brush of Mr. Wm. Callcott. lam happy, ladies
and gentlemen, to tell you that in adhering to the old pnr-
„poses and character of the Haymarket Theatre, as the
house for English comedy and farce, I have met with so
much encouragement, by chiefly keeping to that class of
dramatic entertainment, that will still continue to form a
principal source of attraction here ; though in making this
statement, being myself a comedian, you will probably be
reminded of the old story in the spelling-book, of a town
in danger of being besieged, when in order to resist the
assaults of the enemy, a certain shoemaker assured the in-
habitants there was nothing like leather.' Now this is -
decidedly my opinion as to what ought to be acted at the
Haymarket Theatre—for comedy is a shoe of the stoutest
leather hero, and one that I hope will never wear out. I
have certainly added the Spanish ballet, but that may be
called the toe and heel of my shoe ; and when the toes and
heels of Perea Nena and her company are displayed, I am
sure they are more likely to wear out the stage than your
patronage and admiration.
" It is a common custom to make use of common phrases,
and whether such phrases may convey the truth or not, we
sometimes employ them so often that they at least wear the
semblance of truth. 9. common phrase of the day is to
refer to the decline of the drama. Whatever may be its
decline elsewhere, I am proud and happy to say that it is
not recognised here, which may be proved by the fact that
when this theatre opened, in October, 1853, after the alte-
rations I have alluded to were made, it has continued open
and without any other interruption than Christmas-day,
Ash Wednesday, and Passion Week, up to this evening,
for 815 consecutive nights. Ido not know whether this has
been accomplished by any other London management; I
only know that it has never before occurred in this theatre;
and, as I still intend to go on, it is calculated that some
time in February next we shall have completed continuous
performances of 1,000 nights, and, life and health permit-
ting, we do not intend to stop there. I have plenty of
meterialand novelty of every description to present to you,
and hope for a long time to come to be enabled to welcome
and amuse you. under this tinee-hononred and most legiti-
mate roof; and, while thanking you for_the brilliant at•
tendance of" this evening, I shall not-say, on behalf of my.
self and the ladies and gentlemen of the company, I bid
you farewell till October or November next -I shall only, ,-••
ladies and gentlemen, bid you farewell' till - 7 o'clock to-
rorrow (Thursday) °Yobs. ' • _

yeas
pro'
The
tleti
busi
/her

,Th
the ti

direct
been
Per C
1.
Bills
1,5 A,•

flume.ln
'
1061;
COMA
are I
102 i,

1, viz
been i
Grano
ThE

Stook

CAD
67 9 ;
per Cc
25-1

The
to this

Barri

Bank F.
a ‘,„.
New 3
Pact

it
Ditt4
bittl

PI
Brazilii

DiLt~

Buenoe

Ditto

Ditto
Greußd

1 litti
Moxica

hitt,
Perirvi,
hitt,

Ditt4
Diu,
Russia]

Ditti
Ditt,
Sardis
Bpinis

Ditt,
SPanitt
Tarkie,
Ditt
Ditt

Diti,
Ditt

ereuel
Peruvi

depot
boor
Albei
the
the it
Over
E

presei
Mr. ,I

gener
eaUrti
lUgg(
dial,
0 nAI

Le
the 0,

r
~:.--.-, :f r
•...4.. -
1?-,...s.;4,k:',..,,,,,
1
j
, • -.•,.„.T
I :.