The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-01-02 00:00:00

THE TH I,,ATRE-ROYAL.

On Tuesday evening, the Theatre-Royal was opened for
the season, under the able management of Madame
Celeste and Mr. Webster ; and, judging of what the
season is likely to be from the state of the house that night,
the lessees are certain to reap a golden harvest.. Every
part of the spacious building was crowded to excess ; the
doors were eagerly besieged for admission ; and many h
reluctantly to leave owing to an absolute want of even
standing room. Opening nights are generally prosperous
nights ; but still it is much to be doubted whet her upon any
former occasion the pressure from without was felt to be
so overwhelmingly great as it was at the Royal on
Tuesday.

The house, when crowded to the ceiling, presented a
most imposing aspect. Recently it has undergone some
most extensive improvements and embellishments, which
contributed to the general effect. In form and proportion
no change whatever has taken place ; but much has been
done to render it commodious and comfortable. In front
of the second tier of boxes ships of all burthens are repre-
sented—some on the stocks, others in coarse of being
launched, and others again in full sail ; while the building
has been painted throughout, and a drop scene has been
added, which for brilliancy of execution has never been
excelled in any part of the provinces. _

The performances commenced with a poeliminary
address, delivered by Madame Celeste, and Nritten for
the occasion by Gilbert a Beckett, Esq., the celebrated
author and contributor to Punch. We subjoin a, copy :
• KIND friends, for such you've ever been to me,
To-night I come before you as lessee,
Though but a woman, is it not eonfess'd
The women, very often manage best?
True I'm a foreigner—at least in name,
But I relationship with England claim :
American by marriage, I'm allied
To England on her brother Jonathan's-side..
With credit from America I came,
And to your bills I boldly put my name.
Those bills with favour from the first you saw,
And doing so enabled me to draw;
You did not hesitate a single night,
But with acceptance honoured me at sight.
The confidence that Liverpool had shown
To London credit was the stepping stone
You fostered my American success ;
Whatever capital I now possess,—
In Iroprs box, pit, and gallery to please,s—
I here invest in the Dramat'e
But if I were imported fresh from France;
Reasons for coming here I could advance:
Upon the drama's custom can it trench.
If managers are " taken from the French ?"'
At all events you'll find me I'll engage,.
Closely "adapted to the English stage."
In friendship may they closer still advance—
America to England, both to France ;
Love and respect I owe to all the three,
Their standhrds joined my tri-colour shall be..
What shall I do your patronage to gain,
My future management will best explain;:
But in myself alone I don't confide,
For with another power allied :
A manager, who now for many a day,
BIS been in constant sunshine making hay
He has experience, and will embark it
By bringing here hay from the London market..
But, though. I am a manager, Town
I. at your will, must hold my mimic throne;
'Tis you are sovereign over all my measures,
I, but prime minister wall your pleasures;.
Your new dramatic premier humbly stands,
Ready on taking office, to kiss hands V

`• A palpable hit," it is evident, has been made not only,.
in the choice oflessees and of manager, but in the change
of prices as well. We are not in future destined to see
good acting marred, and the spirits of playgoers depressed,
by the chilling sight of empty benches, and, worst of all,
of empty boxes ; and we are almost sanguine enough to
entertain the hope that, discouraging as has been its
prospects for the last few years, the legitimate drama may
yet be revived amongst us, and put down by its superior
attractions those tawdry and immoral exhibitions and per-
formances- which have lately formed the only amusements
of some classes of our population. Should such a con-
summation ever be fully realized, we may date this first
week of Celeste's management as its commencement.
The drawing up of the curtain on Tuesday night, and
the commencement of the first piece—the melo-drama of
" St. Mary's Eve, or a Story of the Solway"—was the
signal for applause as hearty as we ever remember to-have
heard within the walls of a theatre, and which was kept
up, at intervals, to the dose of the piece. The beautiful
acting,of Madame Celeste herself, as Madeline, was espe-
cially the object of admiration to the whole audience. Of
the other characters in• the piece—an incident of the time
of the Pretender—the best sustained, was that of Bags. the
postman. by Mr. Compton, who, from what we have seen
of his acting, is likely to-occupy in the favour of a Liver-
pool audience as high a position as he has earned for him-
pelf on the London boards. The entire piece was excel-
lently put upon the stage, with most beautiful scenery,
dresses, &c., and warrants fully the expectations enter-
tained of the management that no expense will be spared
to render the performances effective.

Lover's extravaganza
,of " The Happy Men," intro-
duced to us, in the person of Mr. Leonard, an aspirant
to the station occupied by poor Power as the best repre-
sentative of Irish characters. We cannot,—and we have
seen NJ r. Leonard before now in this and other, characters,
—flatter him that he has as. yet any pretensions to such
pre-eminence ;, and although applauded throughout, we
are rather suspicious that it was the drollery of the piece
itself, rather than the tuetit of the actor, which was thus
rewarded.

The concluding piece. was "The Work] of Dreams, 01

the Man in the Moon," a kind of fairy spectacle, got' up
in a most gorgeous style, and well suppoPted throughout—
Celeste herself taking the part of Vio2ette, the daughter
of a widow (Miss Cleaver), who is borne by spirits into
the world of dreams—and falls in love with, and ulti-
mately marries, the man in the moo&. The scenic repre-
sentations throughout this piece are first rate ; but there
is little acting to remark upon, with the exception of
that of Madame. which was chaste and pleasing, and the
grotesque tricks of Mr. Mitchenson as the Spirit of
troubled dreams. The whole of the performers executed
the little that was assigned to them, in a piece which is
more of the nature of pantomime than any thing else,
well; and some of them so wen as to lead us to expect
great merit when they have the opportunity of display-
ing it in more legitimate dramatic efforts,

LIVERPOOL PROVISION MARKET, JA.N.I*.
in price of 2s to 3s per cwt. would, be submitted to. The stpcic
for the
ter and:,
st continuestin d nevas
keithsto without
rtcheel
prospect of a serious reduction therein ; at any rate, as,loog as
is heavy, (about 350 . firkins.)—nor do we see any immediate
the present open weather continues. Cork p.ckled Butter mai
bought about is cheaper, 66s to 67s being now the asking price.
Irish Provisions are very dal/ nevertheless holders of anything
iTaasfrMurthernranredTtinoaa
(except Otrß
very prime do not take less money. Beef we quiota.B2s 6dto
BTs 6d per tee. Pork 48s to 55s per barrel. Bacon is in mode-
rate demand at 33s to 34S per cwt. for fine Belfast The cons'
petition between Irish and Foreign Provisions is e]tcessive;---O,`,
the later, the great bulk here is but of indifferent quality, an.
the prlcs at which it is offered is very low. Some of the Beef.
is however very fine, and shipmasters have no hesitation id
supylying themselves with it; but they still continue to give •
decided preference to our Irish Pork, which, is in all respects
superior both in feeding and handling,
consequence by our present quotations,
that prices are and it will be seen as
supported.