Star.
London, England, 1818-04-03 00:00:00

ENGLISH OPERA HOUSE.

Lad night Mr. MAl'llt%Vd commenced a species
of Performance at this Theatre, not unknown to the
Public, but in its nature most arrluous, and particu-
larly hazardous to a comedian of his high reputation.
He undertook to amuse an audience by his own un-
assisted efforts with Songs, Recitations, Ventriloquy,
and Mimicry, and it is but justice to say, that he
succeeded in his task to an extent which his warmest
friends could scarcely have anticipated. We conceive
that the whole exhibition was confined strictly within
the letter of the law, as there was no change of scene,
nor any alteration of dress, except the addition of a
cap and a silk wrapper, when he mimicked an old
Scotch Lady in telling a story. The only music was
that of a pianoforte. On first coming forward he was
warmly greeted lay the audience. lie opened the
business of the evening with an address, in wt ich he
very clearly stated his reasons for having thrown up
his commission, as one of the regular dramatic corps,
and joined the standard of those who may be termed
theatrical Cossacks ; who sleep this night in Bosworth-
field—but, •
Content, and careless of to-morrow's fate,"
give themselves little troub!e as to the place in which
they shall next repose. But a truce to simile. Mr.
MATHEWS stated that he was strongly attached to
the legitimate drama—that he venerated the name
of SHAKSPEARE, and of all those great men whose
works have raised to eminence the character of the
, British stage—and that he had always been most
anxious to appear in characters, and in some he
trusted he had successfully appeared, which had
'emanated from their guilts. During his different
engagements, however, it happened that an idea was
prevalent amongst those at the head of our national
theatrical establishments, that his forte was merely
that of a mimic. Aud, during the last seasons in
which he performed at one of them, it would be
found that characters of this description were ex-
pressly written for him—some of them of a pointedly
personal nature. Finding. that he could not reason
the parties out of their opinion, knowing that fresh
characters of this kind would be manufactured for
him, and being aware that a refusal to act them
would prodire his dismissal, he determined to retire
—" like a well-bred dog who quietly walks down
stairs, when he sees preparations are making to kick
him out of the drawing-room." He meant, however,
to impute no unfair motives to those individuals to
whom he had alluded. Such were the circumstances
that led to his present undertaking, for which he en-
treated public indulgence and public patronage.
The Address having been loudly applauded, he
commenced his history, entitled, Mail Coach Adven-
tures, which he continued to render amusing in the'
highest degree, by a variety of jokes and songs, but
above all by those extraordinary powers of imitation,
in which he stands without a rival. The recitation
commenced with a sportive enumeration of the vari-
ous vehicles of the road. This was followed by the
well-known song of the Mail Coac.h. The pa-aen.
gets were then.pictured by some humorous outlines,
and a great deal of laughing. was given to the por-
trait of the French traveller toiling to promote a con-
versation which he was incapable oh sharing, and
committing formidable breaches of politesse through
his innocent misconceptions of the language. The
Royal Visitors, a song on the arrival of the Sove-
revs in England, and in imitation of the Four-
and-twenty. Tailors, followed with immense ap-'
plause. I'he usual incident of English travelling,
the breaking of a spring, introduces the literary
butcher, a singular character, who appears to have
found his renown in a vigorous attention to his
professional toils, combining with it a disastrous
passion for misquoting Ilosisfs History of En.
.
land. The company return to the coach, and a
conversation occurs on the authorship of the French
Theatre. This an Englishman protests to be all in-
tolerable, and says that the French Hero, whether he
has to make war, or apple-dumplings, makes them
all in rhyme. The Frenchman, in his ardour for the
glory of rhyme, offers to sing an English song,
which, low as he confesses the subject to be, ha,
struck him with extraordinary delight by the har-
mony of its closes. He sings the old song of .4 cob-
ler there was, and he liv'd in a stall ; and the jest is
capitally pointed by his mistaking all the rhymes.
—The last part of the this very agreeable Entertain-
ment opened with pleadings in an ac brought
for damage done by a pig. The exartissati :n of a
Jew witness was inimitable; and the imitations of
two celebrated Counsel and a Judge seemed to be
perfectly recognized. In the supper room of the
teach company a drunken farmer makes his
ap-
pet ;he has laid a wager to snuff out and light
a candle; and here Mariraws went through hi,
drunken drollery with the strictest and yet must
sportive resemblance. The mention of Netts brings
in numberless puns and plays upon the names of
the principal Papers, and a song. We may say of
those exhibitions generally, that their merit had al-
ready received strong proofs of approbation in vari-
ous private circles, where they afforded great delight,
and that the reputation which they acquired for him
there, received strong public confirmation last•night,
in the applauses of a mixed audience. The interest
never languished for a moment. The variety was
absolutely surprising. His imitation of the Scotch
Lady was succeeded by three rounds of applause.—
The Drunkest Farmer was represented with equal feli-
city, and the Experimental Lecture on Ventriloquy
had some points of excellence which promise to resi-
der it popular when he has practiced it more, and
enlarged it further, as he promised, in the event of
its success. But the topic which gave the greatest
delight was his imitation of several performers, both
tragic and comic, in which he supposes them all to
repeat a passage from Hamlet's advice to the Players.
KEMSLE, COOKE, KEAN, YOUNG, POPE, MUNDEN,
INCLEDON, BRABANT, &c. &c. were brought before
the audience, as happily characterised as to he re-
cognised on the very first glance. The laughter was
excessive. In the course of the evening he gave some
good specimens of Lottery Puffs. The songs were
spirited, and we need scarcely add, that they derived
considerable advantage from his mode of singing.—
The House was filled in every part ; and we never
witnessed any exhibition at which the audience seem-
ed to feel so much unmixed and uninterrupted plea-
sure. It was altogether a delicious treat, because it
made every body merry and happy. Mr. Baissis-
rest, late cf Drury-Lane Theatre, was among the
numerous auditors.