The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-06-15 00:00:00

MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.

MISS VANDENHOFF'S NEW PLAY has attracted full
and fashionable audiences to the Theatre-royal (luring
the past week, a gratifying evidence that the town has
appreciated the production of one who is entitled to rank
among the most gifted in the land. The piece has been
so often described at length, that we need not here give
more than a sketch of the plot, the whole pith of which is
intended to pourtray the constancy of "Woman's Heart."
A blind girl (Isolina) has been brought up by a peasant,
who knows nothing of her parentage, beyond the circum-
stance that he one day picked up a lady and child, who
were destitute and famished. The lady died, so we are
afterwards informed in the course of the piece, and the
child is left to the peasant's care. At the commencement
of tne piece we are intronucea to ner at Lt.. wnen
she is just budding into womanhood. The peasant's son
is an artist, (Angiolo) and the blind girl just his model.
They have been betrothed, but royal recognition of his
genius having awakened the artist's ambition, he casts
her off. Two years elapse, and in that interval great
changes take place. The blind girl has been recognised
as the daughter of a noble, the Marquis of Albrizzi, and
has had her sight restored ; and the artist has become the
companion of princes. The beautiful Isolina is sought
in marriage by the highest in the land, but the first
passion has still possession of her heart. The great
artist is sent to paint her portrait, and this occasions
the great scene in the piece. Isolina has never seen her
betrothed, and he has not known the change which
has taken place in her fortunes. The consequence
of this unexpected meeting was a natural one ; they are
discovered to each other, are again separated, and, after
enduring further trials, are at last united to each other,
the proud marquis being reconciled to the nuptials by the
pleadings of his daughter, and the fame and genius of her
lover, whose infatuation was only momentary, and who
had paid dearly, by two years of remorse and misery, for
the heartlessness of his ambition. The piece is well
wrought out by the introduction of several characters
and incidents, all of which have been ably sustained by the
members of the company. To criticise the acting of the
leading characters would be superfluous • their talents are
too well known and recognised to need any superficial
praise. The piece has been put upon the stage with the
aid of every accessory which science and artistic skill could
produce. The appearance of Miss Vandenhoff, Mr. Van-
denhoff, and Mr. Barry Sullivan has nightly been the
signal for the most enthusiastic plaudits. Well-selected
farces have been played, as second pieces, in a superior
manner, Mr. Copeland having engaged a clever company
of comedians, in addition to the other attractions.
" Woman's Heart" will be repeated this week, and we
should advise all lovers of the legitimate drama to go and
see it, and go early, lest they miss one of the prettiest
effects in the piece—the opening scene.

ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.—This house has been twice
occupied during the past week for public meetings, and
on the intermediate evenings the Bateman children have
delighted good audiences with their genuine and correct
acting. They played here for the last time on Saturday
night. This week Mr. Davenport and Miss Vining, who
were so well received a short time ago, are engaged, and
will appear in a series of favourite characters.
ADELPHI THEATRE.—On looking in here on Friday
evening we found a goodly audience listening with rapt
attention to the tragedy of Othello. Mr. Falconer, albeit
a little too violent even for a jealous Moor, gave the pas-
sionate scenes very effectively ; and Mr. Smythson, as
" lago," did not follow the common error of wearing the
villain on his countenance, but bore himself with all the
outward semblance of that " honesty" for which his vic-
tim gives him credit. This lattergentleman seems to have
established himself here as the favourite leader ; as also
has Miss Marriott, in the female department.
THE THEATRE ROYAL, MANCHESTER, has been
thrown open for six nights' performances, in order that
the gross receipts may be devoted to the benefit of the va-
rious charitable institutions of Manchester and Salford.
The performances commenced on Monday evening, under
the distinguished patronage of the Queen, Prince Albert,
and of most of the influential inhabitants of Manchester
and its neighbourhood. In addition to the members of
the dramatic corps of the Theatre Royal, who at once vo-
lunteered their assistance, several performers of eminence
have given their gratuitous services for the occasion.
This " Festival week" was brought to a close on Satur-
day evening by the performance of Miss Vandenhoff's
play of " Woman's Heart," in which the fair authoress,
with her father and Mr. Barry Sullivan, gave their gra-
tuitous services. The play was followed by the farce of
" Raising the Wind," which was realised at least on this
evening, the receipts amounting to £220. It is expected
that about £9OO will be added to the local charities by
these performances.