The Sun.
London, England, 1845-09-23 00:00:00

MISS KELLY'S THEATRE.

In generallt should be made a point of principle not to notice an
amateur performance in any public journal. If a party of gentlemen
choose to hire a theatre for their amusement, and invite their friends
to witness them, it is as unfair to select them as a mark for reprehen-
sion as to write a critique on the turbot or the haunch of mutton
with which the giver of a dinner party regales his private guests.
We have, however, found an occasion to depart IYem this general
principle. The remarkable nature of the performance we are about
to notico might of itself be almost a sufficient excuse, but we find
our fell justification in the fact that there was nothing that could
incur censure even according to a severe standard of criticism, And,
further, in the belief that publicity will not be disagreeable to the
persons immediately concerned.

The fact is, that a party of gentlemen, well known to the literary
world, performed Ben Jonson's admirable comedy of Every Man in
his Humour on Saturday night. We subjoin the cast, which is a
complete curiosity :
Kitely . .
Knowell • • ...• • • • . Mr. Mayhew.
Captain Bobadil .• .. • • .... Mr. Charles Dickens.
Brainworm • • • • • • •
Edward Knowell
Downright .. • . ...... Mr. Dudley Costello.
Master Stephen
Master Matthew Mr. Leech.
Thomas Cash
- Oliver Cob ........
Justice Clement
Roger Formal .. .. Mr. Evans.
Mr. a'Beckett.
James ......
Dame Kitely ...... Miss Fortescue.
Bridget }
Tib • • • . Unknown.
To all persons conversant with the current literature of the day,
the above names will be perfectly familiar. Mr. Forster is celebrated
as a connoisseur of the drama; and as the biographer of the repub-
lican statesman whose lives were published in Lardner's Cyclopmdia.
Mr. Charles Dickens is the immortal " Boz ;" Mr. Mark Lemon is
the writer of several successfhl pieces, and, if report be trusted, the
editor of Punch ; Mr. Dudley Costello is the author of several popular
tales ; Mr. Houglas Jefrold is one of the most powerful supporters of
Punch, and the first comic dramatist of the day ; Mr. Leech is the
caricaturist-to /loch ; Mr.
,Mayhew and Mr. Leigh are contributors
to the same periodical, the former being, moreover, a successfhl dra-
matist, and the latter the author of the " Comic Grammar." Miss
Fortescue is the intelligent and interesting actress of the Haymarket
Theatre. The performance was" strictly private," and the audience
was perhaps the most select that could have been found in the
English metropolis. Not only did it comprise individuals of the
highest rank, but it consisted of the real aristocracy suited to the
occasion—of the persons who by profession, education, or taste,
were completely qualified to appreciate the entertainment that was
offered them. A less "green' assembly could not be imagined.
Amateur performances always go off well in a certain sense, be-
cause the privilege of expressing disapprobation is not allowed. But
the triumph achieved on Saturday was far beyond the negative kind
of success. Not only did the audience applaud with the utmost zeal,
and call for all the actors, but their conversation among each other
showed how sincerely they approved what they had witnessed. A
higher reward than such approbation from such an audience could not
have been obtained.

It must be distinctly understood, that the gentlemen did not play
" well for amateurs," but that they played well absolutely ; that the
comedy was sustained with a degree of animation and intelligence
net often attained at a regular theatre. Mr. Forster adopted what
may be called a Macready view of Kitely, but it would be the height
of injustice to ascribe to him the merit only of a successful imitation.
The wavering manner of the suspicious husband, the agony of in-
cessant doubt, the feverish retraction of a proposition almost before
it is completely uttered, were evidently the result of a pro-
found conception' and acute' discernment. The part of Kitely is not
one of those that can be picked up lightly,. and as it were act itself,
but every phrase, every gesture Must be weighed, if the actor would
give it proper force. The energy with which Mr. Forster brought out
the character was fully equal to the elaboration with which he ex-
hibited its most subtle turns. Bohan, an excellent, though a less
difficult part, was played with admirable spirit by Mr. Dickens. He
assumed the swagger of the " Paul's man" with an ease that be-
longed to a stage veteran rather than to an amateur. The perfect
change which he brought over the whole manner and bearing of the
character after the beating, the substitution of a sneaking, pitiful-look-
ing Wretch for a gallant flaunting boaster, was a masterly transforma-
tion. He was excellently supported by Mr. Leech, as the empty, fri-
volous and forpish Master Matthew. Mr. Jerrold's Master Stephen
was a fine study—the conception of the by-play was perfect. The
only objection was, that the real intelligence of the man could not
be completely concealed in the "country gull." The many-formed
Brainworm found a most adequate representative in Mr. Mark
Lemon, who, in the disguise of the soldier, assumed an aspect of
quiet distress and humility that made us forget that Brainworm only
puts on the garb for the nonce, and became really pathetic. To sum
up all, we have never seen a play rendered more truly interesting
than this comedy was by the gentleman who sustained it. It was
followed by one of the versions of Passe Minuft, called a A Good
Night's llest, excellently played by Mr. Dickens and Mr. Mark Lemon.
A better play than Jonson's comedy could not have been selected
for this occasion. There are so many varieties of character, or, as
old Ben would have said, so many " humours," that a scope is af-
fer,do for a greae.numbef, of actors to display their peculiar talents, ,
Ilistead of beit4l.4 mere satellites to some single luminary. Let us
hope that; if they' give us 'another performance, they will again
look to this neglected author. It would be a great exploit to bring
Volpone on the scene.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
• TATTERSALL'S—YESTERDAY.
The town settling was not more satisfactory than the one
at Doncaster. Two rather heavy accounts stand over alto-
gether for future arrangement, and in many others consider-
able balances are yet unpaid. Great inconvenience arose
from the absence of several parties, of whose ability and dis-
position to pay no doubt can be entertained, and great was
the grumbling thereat. On the whole, although we retain
our opinion that the settling ultimately will be good, we
must admit that up to the present time it has been of a very
Opposite character. The betting, such as it was, commenced
late in the evening, and requires nothing more than a quo-
tation of the prices :
C/ESARWITCII STAKES.
Even on the field agst thirteen
7 to 2 agst Kent's lot—taken
8 to 1 agst Lord G. Bentinck's My Mary
12 to 1 agst Mr. Watt's The Baron—taken
20 to I agst Lord Exeter's Wee Pet—taken
20 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's Jenny Wren—taken
20 to 1 agst Mr. Wigram's Keshing
20 to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's General Pollock
20 to 1 agst Lord Sandwich's Plantagenet
20 to 1 agst Mr. Wyatt's Remorse
20 to 1 agst Lord G. Bentinck's Clumsy
20 to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's Pantasa
22 to 1 agst Mr. Carr's Deodara
23 to'l each agst Remorse, Lady Wildair, Agis, and
• Wee Pet, in one bet.
20 to 1 agst Lord Albemarle's lot— taken
50 to 1 agst Mr. Wreford's West Countryman—taken
50 to 1 agst Mr. F. R. Price's Kismet.
The following 13 were taken against the field in two or
three bets of 500 each :—My Mary, Discord, Lightning,
Egis,'Nottingham, The Baron, Wee Pet, I-am-not-aware,
Lady Wildair, Remorse, Jenny Wren, Ma Mie, and Hope.
DERBY.
11 to 1 agst Lord E. Russell's Sting—taken
20 to 1 agst General Shubrick's Brocardo
20 to 1. agst Mr. E. Peel's Spithead.
The sale of Sting to Mr. C. Gill having been cancelled he
has been purchased by Lord Edward Russell.

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FATAL A CITHINT ON THE RIVER FROM FOOL-
IIARDINESS.—On saturday evening Mr. Baker held an inquest at the
ire's Mead, Shakspcare-walk, Shadwell, on the body Of
V:iaukns,i)ti4 watcr, aged 25. The deceased was a single woman, and
rrshksl at No. 7, Gush:lnd-street, Golden•square. On Saturday night
last,
about a quarter past twelve o'clock, the deceased and a female
named Costien, together with three men named Dobson, Boyes, and
Salter, who had been drinking together all the evening, agreed to
have an hour's ride at that unseasonable hour, and went and hired a
boat of Mr. Tomlinson, of the Adelphi. They all got into the boat
and proceeded to Vauxhall-bridge, when they agreed to return and
go together to Greenwich and. spend the day. 'they accordingly did
so, and when about midway between Blackfriars and bridges, the the boat was carried by the force of the tide against some
barges and upset, and all the persons in it were thrown into the
water. All, .however, were saved with the exception of deceased,
whose body was net recovered until Friday.morning, when it was
found floating off King James's-stairs Shadwell. The coroner and
jury commented in strong terms upon
the conduct. and foolhardiness
of all the persons engaged in the transaction, and a verdict was re-
turned of " Accidental death."
CAUTION
TO ~.UCTIONEERS..-21.t. a sale on Satur-
day last, in Russell-mews, Mr. Dixon, the ' celebrated horse auc-
tioneer, wa.s accosted.by;a person who stated that he wassa Excise
officer, and deinanded to see hie license.- Fortunately Mr. Dixon
was provided with the necessary document, or there is no doubt he
would have been fixed with the penalty. We cannot believe that the
Commissioners of Excise sanction such proceedings.