Star.
London, England, 1829-10-02 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

Last night, his Majesty's servants of Drury-lane opened their
Winter Campaign. The new embellishments have much improved
the House, which we were rejoiced to find most respectably at-
tended—an earnest, we hope, of that public encouragement to the
Theatres, necessary to rescue them from final ruin. While
authority is occupied in improving the Street Police, it is
to be hoped something will be done to preserve order and
public decency in the lobbies, staircases, and saloons of
the Winter Theatres, without which they must sink—and
sink deservedly.—When an audience resorts to a Theatre
for other objects than that of enjoying the Play,—the Drama,
with such a people, is at the lowest ebb, and must necessarily
fall through all the gradual states of decay—namely, from totem
tion to neglect, from neglect to reprobation, and from reprobation
to obloquy and contempt, to which latter stage we fear our's is
fast advancing. We again assert, that the Theatres of London
must fail, unless those Abominable repairs attacked to them for the
convenience of the dissolute and debauched be forthwith shit up.
Their existence is not only a degradation to the drama, but a cry-
ing injury and disgrace to our capital. The improvements ffected
by Mr. C. Wasoitr, in distinguishing the box-keepers by livery,
creates a hope that other regulations will be resorted to for the
presentation of respectable appearances; and that proper constables,
or lobby keepers, be appointed to repress the unruly of both sexes,
who are wont to patrol in drunkenness and riot the various passages
and outlets of our metropolitanTheatres. A retovation of the " asps
dramatics's," is also indispensable. Our second-rate actors are
wretchedly deficient in talent. The practice of representing every
species of dramatic composition on the same stage is barbarous,
ruinous, and absurd. The little encouragement offered to play-
writers, is another great deterioration to the national Theatre : no
Committee being appointed, composed of competent persons, to
judge what dramatic offerings are to be received or rejected, few
respectable writers would choose to dedicate their time and talents
to the composition of a work, to be accepted or condemned at the
will of suck gentlemen as 'Minos or Renanaa—the hired critics
of Covent-garden and Drury-lane—whose proper productions are
not such as to qualify them to judge for the whole British public.
The Star system is another abuse which calls aloud for reform.
Half a dozen people, overrated for talent, and supported in their
pretensions by the trick of managers, tyrannize over the stage, and
impose upon the public. These must speedily be brought to their
proper level, if we would rescue the theatre. The system was
brought, we understand, to its present ruinous extent, by the pre-
sent manager of the King's Bench Theatre. Upon conducting the
business of Drury-lane, it was impossible to have devised any thing
more destructive : it is owing to the continuation of this abuse, we
are condemnedito behold the youthful characters ofSmaxseamtz per-
sonated by old age—" whistling through the teeth." It is from this
we were compelled, last night, to puff and halt with Young through
Hamlet t—to this, not long ago, did we owe the nausea and disgust
of witnessing that old man,ELLISPON. mocking our senses by person-
ating, in the decrepitude of old age, patched up in carmine. frippery
white lead, and a wig, the gay vivacity of high-hooded youths of
fashion. Such sights are fulsome and most lamentable. Yocno's
Hans/et was last night, as his acting has long been, " something
the worse for wear." On the subject of the new debutante, Miss
Fauns, we will abstain from further remark at present, than to
say that she is very interesting—still very timid—and has yet much
to learn. There was a Mr. BLOWS, who enacted, or rather but-
chered, the part of Palmists. We shall spare the Gentleman from
an impression that his appearance last evening was for the first
and last time. The tragedy of SHAKOSAIII was followed by that
spectacle of nonseose and show, named Mem na Oafor which
reason we escaped, with precipitation, at the close of the fit st
more I place. • • • • •

The Duchess of CUMBERLAND, accompanied by
Prince GEORGE, and attended by the Countess of
SCHLIPPENBACH and Miss COOPER, took an airing in
a carriage and four, yesterday afternoon, in Hyde Park.
Her Royal Highness alighted from her carriage and
joined in the promenade in Kensington-gardens.
Lord DUDLEY STUART had an interview with the
Earl of ABERDEEN yesterday afternoon.
The JUDGE ADVOCATE-GENERAL had an interview
of his MAJESTY on Wednesday, at the Royal Lodge,
in Windsor Park, and received the Kix G's commands
respecting the proceedings of some Courts Martial.
The Earl of ABERDEEN entertained the AUSTRIAN
AMBASSADOR, the Marquis and Marchioness of SALIS-
BURY, and a select party, to dinner, on Wednesday, at
Argyll House.
EXTRAORDINARY ROBBERY OF TILE PRINCESS OF
ORANGE.—lnformation has been received in this coun-
try of a most extraordinary robbery having been com-
mitted at Brussels a few days since. The Princess of
ORANGE had been robbed of all her jewels, amongst
which, it is said, an amethyst necklace of the value of
80,0001. sterling, given to her by her late brother, the
Emperor ALEXANDER, was the most valuable. The
loss is stated to be about 180,0001. A most rigid retch,
i
was made, and the persons of the passengers on ,hosrn
the steam packet from Ostend strictly examined on
em-
barkation.

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