Star.
London, England, 1809-09-21 00:00:00

TREATRE, -COVENT GARDEN.
,
Last night the contest '
this Theatre and the advocates
newly adopted prices of
tenfold violence. At a •

ties of the Managers' F•
petted to act as such,
in every part of the house, .
chestra, but their opponents
such forrhidable array,
tirely abashed : they howeier ra...
the front of the Pit, a post of which, by a quick march,
they had taken early posssession, and maintained their
ground manfully for some little time ; the first advan-
tage gained by the " Reformers" was in silencing the
overture, and obtaining "Rule Britannia" as a sub-
stitute ; at the close of which, and at the rising of the
curtain, a number of popular placards were immedi-
ately displayed : one of these was verylarge, inscribed
i 4, Resist the imposition every night until abated !"
This was hailed with a tripple shout of applause.
`Among numerous others were 44 NOFamilyCompact!
! —.4 No Italians"—" Native Talent"—" Old Prices,"
&c. &c. At the commencement of the Play,
• Richard the Third, the usual uproar began, hissing,
hooting, shouting, groaning, whistling, squeaking,
clapping, &c. so that not a syllable could be heard.
The uncommon beauty of the scenery, all from new
' designs, and the brilliancy of the dresses, uniformly
correct as to costume, made scarcely a momentary
; impression :—the storm continued with increasing
violence through all the early acts of the play, but
when CIIARLES KEMBLE appeared as Richmond it was
louder than ever—and here it was, we think, the tide
of battle turned decidedly in favour of the popular
party. A great number of those who came to sup-
port the other side of the question, fled from their
colours, and either went entirely over to their late
opponents, or skulked out of the conflict, under the
mask of neutrality.
To the death of Richard (admirably performed
in pantomime by Coerce) the complication of dis-
cordant sounds continued without intermission ; as
also through the Farce, The Poor Soldier, and the
business terminated nearly as on the preceding
night, by the victors occupying the field of battle
long after the enemy had quitted it. A number of
boxing matches took places in the boxes, and several
severe struggles between the Police Officers and 1
some of the more refractory of the opposition, whop
manifested a disposition to commit acts of violence'
upon the property of the Theatre : these instances we
are, however, happy to state, were not numerous.
' At half-price we observed, though a number of
persons presented themselves at the doors for ad.
mision, their money was not taken, as they were told
there was not room—this was perhaps better policy
Ithan admitting so many at an early hour who cone
as friends, but acted afterwards in direct hostility to
the Manager's plan.
After some interval, the audience was addressed
by Mr. SMITH, the barrister, who, by a few impres
sire observations, succeeded in obtaining their una-
nimous promise, that if Mr. Kamexa were to corns
forward, and be told the cause of their discos.'
tent, that gentleman should be attentively heard.
I Wr..Siarru, therefore, requested a gentleman in the
manager's box to communicate this to Mr &mime,
who accordingly came forward, and spoke to the LA-
; lowing effect :
LADIES AND GAIVILESIENA-1 wait upon you to know your 1
Wishes.

• One man indeethin particalar t noticed, who is, I ant
assured,"a fdrihnin in a particular department of the
works, and who, with his coat off was striking at
every one in his way, challenging any man to fiat
him who dared to oppose the wiR of the managers:,
,In this conduct I lamented to perceive that he was
'encouraged and supported by those constables who
were professedly called in to keep the peace, but 1:1:a
only distinguished themselves by protecting and' each
ting every rioter in favour of the Manager;, and
treating with valence every one who differed froa:
them. Several Gentlemen indeed were dihred
to Bow-street, and some, I am told, detained in
ches
tody for the night. Let us hope that among those
gentlemen one at least will be found of safficientepirit
to make these officers account for such outrageous
conduct—to try the question at LILY with .thenl—..r
have no doubt that they have acted illegally. But,
however, that question ?pay be decided, the public
must ever consider it as an aggravition of the rniseoe.
duct of the Managers to attempt the tetablisimeta or
their imposture by such means--to force a suites.
sion to it. I know of several of.their .expedients ha
this unworthy purpose. I can state facts which I cal
prove.—Upon the firsvniglit the Theatre opened or.
ders were sent to printing-offices and to trades peopla
who haul many persons in their employ; reqnestina,
that such orders should be disposed uf 46 to the bC--
, nefit of the Managers." But it will amuse you to
hear that many of those orders were used against
them. This was a trick of war, and not ttafasr. It
i was h biting the biter." Last night, and to-night also,
the use-of orders was glaring.—lndeed Money has
been refused where order s have been adlnittld j
! myself was refused admittance at one of .the doors
last night, being told that there was no room,
f while there was plenty, and while, at the same
time, paper orders were received. Probabli this re-
II fusal was the consequence of n:y observations Lest
I night—but the object of the refusal did.not answer.
1 I am here still, and shall be here again to-menthe
Inight, to assist your opposition, aye end next night
also, if the Managers will provoke the contheiance of
i opposition—[Applause].—The causes assigned to
; justify the imposition we complain of are insufficient,
1 while the real causes are utterly inadmissible, and the
Managers know that, therefore they do not venture
to state -them. You are told that this theatre has
! been long a losing concern. What ! do you not know
that John Kemblc paid £25,000 for a share of this
concern ? and do you believe that John Kemple does
not know the value of money [A laugh].—.-I wish
! that some Manager vh old come forward who does
I know, or who would not ! .::. nd to be ignorant of
what we want—[A laugh].—lf such a one dial ap.
pear, I would point his eye to the alacards about the
House ; if he were so deaf as not to have heard our
cries since the opening of the Theatre ; and if ite were
to say the advance complained of was rendoel neces-
sary by the money borrowed to build this Theatre, I
I would tell him that which I calk prove, that the rent of
the private boxes alone, upon the api eadages t , u hich
I shall not now observe, is more than suffic ice: to pay
the interest of the whole of the lean taisA, and also
the salary of MadameCatala:i.
lo edo
Havingl,. meleitiporncesi;
1 this Performer, 1 hope I m,y Catalan i.
al
1 the general discontent at such :r: exorbitant gra:v. L;)
I
1 a •foreigner, sviile native talent is overiociced. J3ut
if the day should ever arrive when that Stage is to
be contaminated by Raw' depravity and French du-
plicity, I trust this audience will feel and act as it
ought."--[Loud plaudits.]
The Gentleman, after requesting a clap for the
Performers, in order to show that no offence was in.
tended to them, which request was promptly and eui-
versally acceded to, concluded with exhortinghhe
audience to conduct itself as it had hitherto done,
promising, if it continued to do so, that-he would
attend this night, and teem rig:t.p:i night, until
the public cause was triumphant.
This spee:h was saluted at every sentence by ac-
clamations of applause.
Soon after eleven o'clock the whole of the cam-
-1 pang had withdrawn.

To which a voice replied—
Our wishes I shall tell you in three words—" Tar OLD
' PRICES."
Mr. Ka\IBI.E then proceeded—
,. LAD] CS AND GENTLEMEN-4 feel most gratefully impressed
by the attention with which you now honour me.—The propos-
ed advance in the price of admission to the boxes and the pit, is,
if I am not mistaken, the cause of your objections—{What afft c-
tation—you know it is ! exclaimed several voicesl.—You have
been told, that the former prices were
.quite su cient-1-were
amply abundant to remunerate our expenses, to reward ner ex.
ertions ; but I beg you to reflect, that the price of adndsslon to
the pit was_ §s. so far back as the reign orclireeii
land some applauies] —The galleries were the same rate then that
they are now ; and In these we do not propose any advance. For
a century back there has been no advance in those rates of ad-
mission, although every article we had to purchase was advan-
cing in price, and although, I can assure you, that for the last ten
years, the Proprietors of this Theatre have not divided sit per
cent. upon their capital. I beg you,
,Ladies-and Gentlemen, to. Mr. SHERIDAN has made a coalition with Mr. GM
take this circumstance into your consideration, and to combine
with it the known precariousness of this description of property, VILLE and Mr. ARNOLD, to perform at the Lyceum.
the expellees to which we are daily exposed, the ha;airdoue ape- 'Colonel GttEviLLE furnikhes the licence, Mr. SHERl-
culatiohs in which we are obliged to engage, the certain loss to DAN the company, and Mr. ARNOLD is to be the
which we are subjected by the ruin of a single play—[Hisses and Manager.
applauses].—lt was said by a Gentleman, I understand, last night,
that no part of the proposed advance would ever go.into the poc- THE LYCELII.—The En:tlish Opera closed, for 01.3
kets of the Performers, and that if ildid, you would not be se season, on Tuesday night, on a b;ch occasion an ad-
disposed to complain. I tan assure that Gentleman, that he is dress of thanks was delivered by Mr. RAYMOND.
mistaken in his view of the subject; for, in point of Let, the per-
formers are, and will be, materially benefited by this advance, Sunday, the Royal Party attended Divine Service,
and they are ready to come forward in a body to testify it. To at Weymouth, after which the Princesses Nlaer and
benefit them, indeed—to entourage talent, by securing it an ade- AMELIA took the benefit of the sea air in the Royal
spate reward-rto promote the interest of our profession---to pro-
vide suitable performers and performances for your entertain-
ment, was the principal motive which suggested the propriety of Occasion, and the PittscE of WALES and Duke cf
this small advance—[Hisses and applauses].—When you, l.adies CAMBRIDGE, with Dr. Pore, Sir HARRY and Lai,
and Gentlemen, reflect on those points with your accustomed BURR MID NEALE, and Lady G. MURRAY, joined the
candour ; when you consider the immense openee, no less than
Royal Sisters, and were rowed round the frigates and
(1 50,000, which has been laid out in providing for you the finest
-- -
yacht for near, two hours.
theatre in Europe—when you take into account the still further They landed at thiee,
expense which must be incurred in purchasing a suitable ward. o'clock at the Pier, amidst an immense concourse
rube and scenery, together with the numberless articles necessary people that the day had drawn from all parts of the
to a theatre, which have all of late years been enhanced in price, country.
I can have no hesitation.in trotting to your liberality and justice,
and to the liberality and justice ofthe country, fur a decision in A Gentleman lately arrived from Rio Janeiro, and
our favour." who was some time in the Rio de la PlAta, informs
A gentleman then\ addressed the audience from the ns that the people of Buenos Ayres are now enani-
lower boxes, whose name we understand to be LEIGH, mous in favour of LINIERS'S government, bc:ng re.
Inspector of Forged Notes at the Bank. This gen. spected by all ranks for his mild government and ex•
tleman spoke in the following terms : cellent private character. The deserters and wounded
" I took the liberty of addressing you last night, I who were left behind by General WHITELOCKE, have,
because I feel a common interest with you upon this to the number of about 1500, planteel themselves on
the left bank of the river, neatly oppo,ite to Buenei
occasion ; and from the attention with which you ho-
noured me lam encouraged to address you again to- Ayres, where, we are sorry to say, report states that
night. Last night, as well as this night, you actetheir manner of living is by no means to their credit.
as became a British audience, and as you are entitled. Accounts are said to have been received from
to do. Peaceably but firmly you exercised your right Prince of Wales's Island, stating that hostilities had
to mark your opinion of those who breathe upon your commenced between two of the native Chieftains on
favour. •In the way admitted from time immemorial the Slake River, in the interior of Sumatra, in conse-
in a British theatre, you manifested your feelings, and quence of which a considerabi.e flotilla of prows and
you acted legally. It was therefore with sorp, ise I. other small cr.ttt had been destroyed, ant great da-
witnessed the conduct of those who are employed to mages had been sustained by the .iiihabitants on the
thwart your wishes. I saw last night a parcel of bauks of the above river. It is said to be in contem-
Bow-street officers insulting every man who evinced plation of the British Government to depute a confi-
any disapprObation of the imptasture attempted to be dential servant to attempt a mediation between those
prac t:seti upon you.. In the Pit, I saw these officers,:: powers, whose disasters have seriously interrupted the
seconded in their rudeness and siinienc.: by a number . navigation of the river, by i,vhich timber in large quan-
of those who are rtOtot iously 'hired—who are in the re- tities is usually' trans orted to the extremities of the
L.,aallar employment of the Proprietors t f 4 Theatre. -151 E -

.~!

A sprinkling of ladies were present, and a few
Fashionables were scattered in the private boxes, who
seemed to enjoy the sport, though they pa: ucipated
but little in it.

:•• •

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est between tlAyroprietors: of
advocates for a reduction of the
of admission was ieriewel-with
a very early hour numerous par-
Friends, or those who were ex.
occupied conspicuous situations
use, from the cieling to the or-
onents exhibited themselves in
that for awhile they were en-
however rallied, particularly in