The Sun.
London, England, 1826-03-17 00:00:00

THE THEATRES.

DRURY LANE.—Last evening was performed
at this Theatre, " a new operatic play," called Benyowsky ;
or The Exiles of Kamtschatka. It is founded on a German
drama of KOTZEBUE, which was translated into English
and acted at this Theatre nearly thirty years ago, and which
in mawkish sentimentality, in extravagant and unnatural af-
fectation of passion, exceeds almost any other production of the
same' author. Nothing, for instance, can be found more
Childish or ridiculous, even in farce, than the 'wane in which
the GoVernor's daughter is exhibited as falling in Jove at the
first sight with Benyowsky, or that in which she is represented
as becoming his pupil, and learning to tell bins in French that
her heart palpitates. The following is the manner in which
this scene terminates, as described by. the author, for the direc-
tion of the performer:—" Athanasia looks after him for a
long time silently, walks up and down in much agitation
—takes up the book turns over the leaves, and throws it
away again. She then goes thoughtfully to the chess-board,
and plays mechanically with the pieces : then sighs, lays her
hand upon her heart, and exclaims, le eceur palpite." The
whole character and conversation of the IJetman of the Cos-
sacks is 'a piece of uninteresting imbecility. There are, how.
ever, some beautiful and effective scenes, and one or two cha-
racter; strongly sketched and consistently maintained. The
drama performed last night does not pretend to follow implicit-
ly the play. of KOTZEBUE. It follows the German plot in
most of its interesting points ; it bus the same prominent cha-
racters ; and in several of the best scenes it adheres pretty
closely to the dialogue ; but it never approaches, or professes
to approach, any thing like a translation. Some of the scenes,
characters, and incidents, belong exclusively to the English
author. The story may be shortly told. Benyowsky (Mr.
BENNETT), a Polish nobleman, banished to Kamtschatka, be.
comes the object of attachment to Athanasia (Miss Fotrirr),
the governor's daughter. having formed the design of resets.
ing Himself and his fellow-exiles from their chains, he is de-
clared chief of the conspiracy. . Stephanoff (Mr. Wm.r.Acx)
his rival in Jove and his competitor for command, is disappoint-
ed by the success of Benyowsky in both, and vows against
bins the most rancorous and deadly hostility. Athanasia pre-
veils upon her father to view the exile Benyowsky as a friend,
and even to offer him his freedom, with the hand of his daugh-
ter. Stephanoff makes use of this good fortune of his rival to
convince the conspirators of his treachery to their cause, while
he betrays to the Governor the treasonable plot of his intended
son-in-law. In an interview with his mistress,which is borrowed
in a great measure from the German play, Benyowsky discloses
his designs, and defends his conduct. The Governor, however,
ascertains the conspiracy only from a paper given him by Ste-
phanolf,who, having in vain attempted to excite an interest in the
breast of el thanasia, declares vengeance on her intended nup-
tials. I;enyowsky is arrested by the Governor as he is about to
lead his bride to the altar, and makes his escape to his com-
panions through her assistance. Weary and exhausted, he
meets Stephanoff near the haunts of the conspirators, and re-
ceives front him the succour necessary to restore his expiring
nature. Without knowing his benefactor, Benyowsky de-
nounces his treachery; and after a struggle with himself; whe-
ther he would now take advantage of the power which he had
acquired over his rival, Stephanoff reveals himself, and is
forgiven. They then proceed to the meeting of the conspire.
tors, and agree in their plan of attack. A party of Cossacks are
sent by the Governor to apprehend the hand, and are themselves
captured. The conspirators then proceed to thellovernor'a house,
where Benyowsky entering, meets wills Athanasia, and is
threatened with death by her father. She stands between her
lover and the pistol of the Governor, when Stephanoff like-
wise bursting into the apartment, receives poetic's' justice, by
being shot. This is the only blood that is shed on the occa-
sion. The Governor is prevailed upon to give orders for the
cessation of hostilities, the marriage is concluded between the
hero anti heroine of the' piece, and the whole party prepare to
embark fora happier climate in search of better fortunes. In
thellerman drama Benyowsky is already married, anti of course
is obliged, like the pious AiN EAS, to sail without his Did°.
Among the characters introduced into the piece (which are not
to be found in KoTzEn OE'S) is that of Tristram Shark (Mr.
Ilmti.Ev), who professes to he a man of letters and a poet,
exiled to the snows of Kamschatka, on account of an epigram
which, after all, was stolen from the English. If he had es.
caped punishment for the libel, therefore, he ought to have
suffered for the theft. The bustle and buflbonery, the mis-
placed situations and disproportioned grief's of this epigramma-
tist, gave animation to several scenes, and excited a good deal
of merriment in the audience. By his banishment, he had
to lament the loss of his " select library," which was behind
his window shutter, and "comprised all the Russian Pmts."—
Upon the whole, we think this " Operatic Play" very credit.
able to the taste, good sense, and dramatic talent of the author,
and may venture to predict for a considerable run of success......
Miss FooTio performed her part with more energy and effect
than ordinary. In the impassioned and pathetic scenes she
reached an excellence whieV thateaklwnias4.4nr. -14-woasklasol.-
less to part/cUlarixe the merits of the other performers, who all
did their tiuty well towards the author and the audience. Two
of the scenes were particularly striking, and the imitation of a
fall of snow commanded general applause. The music, which
was selected from various composers, was of pleasing character
and well adapted.

COVEN T-GAItDEN.--GOLDSMIT WS Comedy of The Good-
natured Man was performed at Covent-garden Theatre last
night., It is a play containing more wit and genuine humour
than would sawed into quantities"—to make up half a
dozen of the paint anti pasteboard extravagances that people
run after in the present day; and which was worth reviving
with a stronger cast than the managers have bestowed upon it.
It is one of the peculiar features, however, of theatrical arrange-
ment just now, that there seems to be a great apprehension
lest the public should be surfeited with ton much talent at a
time. 11 hen a play is acted which is neither new, nor for
many "revived,' with a long puff at the bottom of the bills,
about " costume;" or, is Al. Mazuntzn, the monkey ;" or
some other gentleman that is expected to be a " star"—half the
characters which are recollected as valuable and entertaining
upon its first production, sink into insigficance or down-
right -stupidity. Thus Alr. FannEw's Croaker is one of
the. finest pieces of acting ever beheld--.-one of the most
laugh-able, and yet the farthest front mummery or caricature.
This gentleman's power—as he !becomes more end more fami-
liar with his audiences—seems to increase almost every day.
When he first came to London, he was an eminent, but all.
suited, actor; that is not the case any longer. 116 Croaker is
even better than his Foresight was, in Love
,tbr .Love. In his
passionate old men, though of a different stamp, he is as power-
ful us Tunny or DOWTON ; and we don't recollect at this
moment whether he has played the part in Modern Antiques—
Old (.:(' ickletop; but,even before those who recollected M u NDE sr,
and admired him most, he might play it successfully to-morrow.
Nothing in the world can go beyond his aspect in Croaker. The
Living Skeleton is the only creature (above ground) fit to be nam-
ed in comparison ; and he looked like a jolly companion cow-
pared to hint. He has a voice like the murmuring of the north
wind through a damp passage, and in at a cranny. Hite shines,
it is as a grave-digger might smile—a country gravedigger—
who heard that there was the small-pox, or a second apothe-
cary, afloat in the village. And his dancing, in horror, when
ho gets the letter stating that his house is to be blown up; it
was like that of a hyrena, upon a hot plate, takiitg his first
quadrille lesson at Exeter 'Change. But then Mr. FARDEN,
with all this good fortune in Croaker, can hardly keep the
whole day up by himself; and particularly probably, because
t Abuts rather scanty matter for five acts at best'..-he has very
ittle indeed allowed to help hint. Besides Croaker, the two
bailiffs and iloneywood are the only three strong features in
the piece; anti one of these is left to do neither good nor harm,
while the two others area disgrace to the theatre. 31r. Wattbs:,
in Honeywood, is just respectable; he does not offend, but he does
not lift the piece a point,—and this is weak acting for the leading
character of a comedy, in which leading characters are inclined
to be a little scarce. But the orown of villany is the putting
the two bailiffs, Twitch and Flanigan, who used to be repre-
sented by SiSIMONS and Eat Ettl-, Into the hands of tenth-rate
performers, who totally destroy the very best scene in the play.
Twitch and- Flanigan are two of the richest conceptions
in the drama : and it seems quite astonishing how any
manager who had seen.EstElt Y and Slat sroxs play those parts
in the scene where they are introduced to Miss Richland as
Honeywood's friends, could find in his heart to commit them
to atlas people as played them last night. Mr. JONES played
Mr. i Lofty, which is a very weak anti unprofitable character,
so well as almost to render it amusing. Mr. BLANCITAIM was
Brood in the old servant ; and the man who played the
trheev
drunken footman detestable: there is it Mr. Coveney, who
acts at the Haymarket Theatre sometimes, who does these
little things creditably well. Mr. COOPER, as Leontine, had
made himself conspicuous by a very gaudy and 111-judged.
praise in
itno have been have
not much oppOrtnnity for intellectual display; but he need not.
coat. It is a great pity that, with so much excellence in FAR.
alantod4rietghreerawt
was
seawl
etiol
As to the ladies of the play, none fth. m stead very forward ; in
bailiffs were not played by Mr. FAore.EeTT and Mr. KEELY......
twoved
would be more pleasant in three acts than in five
and music; it
ve;
all the female characters might have been acted by
and
• . without any abatement of their value. In its present
singers,
shape, however, only reducing
the
two representetiven of the
the
bailiffs, there are large portions of it that would be in the
;14:: acting,
p.ieee
highest degree entertaining; and Mr. FARREN's Croaker alone
is worth the trouble of gog to see,