The Sun.
London, England, 1832-09-24 00:00:00

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

Preparatory to its opening under the new management
this theatre is undergoing interiorly complete renovation,
and, in many respects, very considerable alterations. The
present appropriate devices, the national emblems of the
the three United Kingdoms, are retained, but the interior
will in other respects assume an entirely new fsce. The
prevailing colour• is a French, or pearl, white, which con-
trasted with the highly-burnished gold, has a very light
and tasteful effect. The ceiling has been entirely new
painted, and ornaments in gold relief, interspersed with
wreaths of flowers, make it harmonise with the front of
the hosts, and give a completeness so the whole which has
not been hitherto achieved. The most important of the
alterations is the conversion of the ten centre boxes
of the dress circle into stalls, neatly and commo-
diously fitted up into single seats, which may be
secured at the box-office, and, if not previously
iet, are to be thrown open to the visitors of that part of
the theatre. These will consist of four, instead of five
rows of seats, as at present, and will thus allow greater
accommodation to the legs of visitors than heretofore, and
will also render easy the egress and regress to and from
the seats. The passage directly at the back of the dress-
circle, in which, it will be remembered was a bust of
Milton, is now converted into a retiring room for the occu-
pants of the stalls. It will be brilliantly lighted, and hand-
somely fitted up with drapery and ottomans. In the centre
is erected a place from whence refreshments of every de-
scription may be obtained. A box on each side of the first
and second tiers has been converted into four private boxes,
which, if unlet, are to be used under the same regu'ations
as the stalls. Toe King's room, now so seldom used, is
to be opened as a retiring and refreshment room, for the
accommodation of the visitors of the dress-circle Over
the pit, in the centre of the ceiling, an entirely new and
splendid chandelier, at the cost of 1,2001. is to be affixed.
It is so constructed as to be raised or lowered as occasion
may require, and is expected to obviate the necessity of
having any other light before the curtain. The whole of
the seats in the boxes, pit, and galleries, have been restaffed
and are also newly covered with scarlet cloth. The fronts
of the boxes will be newly cushioned, which will be co-
vered with scarlet plush, and the backs of the boxes will
be newly covered with a richly embossed geranium-coloured
paper, relieved by gold mouldings. Besides the audience
part, the entrance halls, staircases, saloons, and passages,
have been repaired and painted throughout, and the dingy
imitative drapery which surrounded the pit has been painted
in imitation of granite. There is a call of performers for
this day, and on Monday next the theatre will open with
the Merchant of Venice, in which a young aspirant for
dramatic fame will essay the pact of Shylock. He is said
to be a native of Glasgow, by name HEDDERWICK, and,
although but seventeen years of age, report speaks highly
of his talents. In this play Miss SYDNEY, from the
Olympic and Haymarket, will make her first appearance
here as Nerissa, and FORRESTER, from the New Strand
Theatre, as Gratiuno. The play will be followed by a
new military spectacle, by PLANCHE, founded on an inci-
dent in the early life of JOHN CHURCHILL, afterwards
Duke of Ma at.noao', called His First Campaign. In
this piece LAPORTE himself will appear, and the cast em-
braces the favourites of former seasons, and amongst whom
may be mentioned Misses TAYLOR, H. Cawsr, and
POOLE; Messrs. BARTLEY, WA RDE, &c. On Wednes-
day, The Hunchback is announced, in which SHERIDAN
KNOWLES will resume his character of Master {Yalta,
and Miss ELLEN TREE is announced for the first time as
Julia. It is not true that a Christmas pantomime is
abandoned ; there is one in preparation. One of SHAKES-
PEARE'S comedies is also in preparation, with music, in
which Mr. JONES, after an absence of some years, will
make his reappearance.

During the last week the thermometer in
London fell as low as 41 : in the country there have been
two or three nights of severe frost.