The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-03-05 00:00:00

THEATRE-ROYAL.

It is rather amusing to hear the outcry made whenever any
illegitimate dramas are produced at royal theatres, and it is
equally remarkable to see the crowds that generally honour
such performances with their attendance. It is curious to
remark, that when legitimate drama is produced it is gene-
rally to empty benches. Which is most profitable it takes
"no ghost" to tell us. What inducement, then, have the
managers of patent theatres to bring forward those fine old
' dramas and sterling comedies, if the gentle public will not
come and see them? If taste is depraved, it is not the fault
of managers : the sin must lay elsewhere. An instance of
this is found at the Theatre-Royal at present. On Monday
the boxes were empty, although the pit was full, when
" Othello" was performed ;. and we can confidently assert
that " Othello" has not been better cast than it was on that
occasion for years. On Tuesday, the " Merchant of Venice,"
equally well cast, was played to a very scanty audience. The
fact is,,novelty, and novelty only, will draw full houses; and
however praiseworthy it is in• a manager to produce that
which time has stamped as excellent, he is not justified in
continuing his course when his interest is damaged by it.
The company at the Theatre-Royal is improving ; some va-
luable acquisitions have been made to it, although Mr. Geo.
Vandenhoff and Mr. Elton can only be considered as tran-
sient; yet Mr. Hell is a most excellent substitute for Mr.
Howard.

On MondayMr.Elton appeared as Othello, to Mr.Vancien-
hoff's lago andM r. Hows Cassio. Mr. Elton is not so dignified
as we have seen it ; but it is more fiery, and perhaps more
vigorous than others. Mr. Geo. Vandenhoff's kill° is very
clever. He depicts him in what we consider a true light, as
a bold, daring, remorseless, but gentlemanly villain, with a
touch of sarcasm and humour about his composition, which
occasion only requires him to exhibit. Mr. Vandenhoff s
reading is excellent, and we can safely predict a brilliantca-
reer before him. Mr. Holl's Cassio was judiciously played,
as was Mr. Ball's Roderigo.—The " Merchant of Venice,"
on Tuesday, gave us an opportunity of judging of Mr. Elton
in Shylock. He pleased us much, and though not, perhaps,

" The Jew

That Shakspere drew,"
he gave us little to wish for. His first interview with Gra-
tiano was marked with deep caution, and he appeared in ear-
nest while driving his bargain. The scene after the discovery
of his daughter's flight was well and vividly played, marking
clearly those transitions from joy to sorrow on learning Bas-
sanio's losses and his daughter's flight. The trial scene
was cleverly done, without any of that savage exhibi-
tion of hated revenge which we have frequently seen
pourtrayed. Mr. Elton threw enough into it to mark
that the registered vow would be religiously kept. In nice

touches—in bye play—in clever readings in slight passages—

which serve, however, to heighten the scene—Mr. Elton is
remarkable. Mr. Holl's Gratiano was evenly played: we
did not like the casket scene —it was decidedly over-
acted. :Mr. G. Horncastle's Lorenzo was abominable; Mrs.
Percy Crowe's, if any thing, worse : instead of Shaksperian
doves, they cawed like two rooks. Mrs. Bland's Portia was
about the worst we ever saw, her delivery .of the sublime
passage of " Mercy is not strained," came tardily off—
Mrs. Bland, instead of lecturing the Jew, lectured the au-
dience. Mr. Gray's Bassanio was quietly given. Little
Miss Chaplin looked spruce as a clerk, and played her
little part very archly incleeed; while Mr. Balls performed
Gratiano with considerable humour, and in his usual and
vivacious style. To-night being the last of Van Amburgh's
performance for his benefit, those 'who have not yet seen him
should lose no time in doing so.

LIVER THEATRE.—A round of laughable farces and
amusing dramas have drawn in the lieges. On Tuesday the
folks shouted at Rayinond'ps 0 Didimus—or " Bailiffs and
Blunders." Mrs. Raymond has been Mrs. Waylett's sub-
stitute several evenings. Her Aladdin is a smart perform-
ance. Last Monday the performances were for the benefit
of the charities, when the curtain rose to two in the pit ! and
the house was but shy all the evening. Every night since
the house has been well up to the mark.

CASE OF JOHN DENTON HOLT.—The remarkable case
of this prisoner, clerk to Messrs. Hall and Co., who was
committed for trial for absconding with a large amount in
bank notes and sovereigns, nearly all of which was after-
wards recovered through his own communications and assis-
tance, must be fresh in the recollection of our readers. He
was yesterday brought up at the sessions, before the recorder,
and pleaded guilty. Mr. Murphy addressed the court in
mitigation, detailing the whole of the facts, and dwelling on
the circumstance of the prisoner having done all he could
to make reparation, when he came to a sense of his crimi-
nality. Two other counsel also spoke in his behalf, and the
prisoner was put back, the recorder expressing his intention
to see the prisoner's employers before he passed sentence.
THE MINISTERIAL MAJORITY.-It is reported that three
out of the grand ministerial majority are to be immediately
rewarded for their valuable votes. Sir Gilbert Heathcote is
to be made a peer; Mr. Barron, of Waterford, a baronet;
and General Sharpe is to have the first vacant regiment of
cavalry.

MEDICAL PROFESSION.—Mr. Hawes, on Friday last, ob-
tained leave to bring in another bill, in lieu of the one he
previously withdrew, " for the better government of the
medical profession in Great Britain." Mr. Hawes and Mr.
Warburton were ordered to prepare and bring in the same.
It was afterwards brought in, read the first time, ordered to
be read the second time on Wednesday, March 10, and to be
printed.
DEATH OF MR. CARTER'S ROYAL BENGAL
TIGER.—
We are sorry to learn that Mr. Carter, " the lion king,"
has sustained a very serious loss, by the death, on Wednesday
night, of his famous Bengal tiger, which was caused by Suf-
r brethrenttu jeri
iGd Trinity: ei
D'so' r 0 y a l
hlress
as
focation at feeding time. The animal was one of the finest
we ever saw, and had attained a great degree of docility, un-
der the tuition of Mr. Carter. The skeleton, we understand,
will be presented to the Royal Belfast Academical Institu-
7heAna"aEstiteTr..a—nd°nelSdaer-
tion.—Belfast paper.
evening
there It T Ar NwMa Es NaT
cToouPr
tR loNf
efnEtiiie corporation of the Trill'
House, Great Tower-hill,
of
of the elderbrethren, in the
place of the late arquis of Uarnden,ity House,
holden at
K.G:
for the purpose of en-