The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-11-29 00:00:00

THEATRE-ROYAL.

Miss Mitford's noble tragedy of " Rienzi " was pro-
duced here on Friday last. It has not been represented
on these boards for twelve years,—consequently it came
before us with all the freshness of a nesy production.
In Rienzi Miss Mitford has presented us with a man of
fine, sensitive feelings—alive to insult, and woke to sny
show of tyranny in the conduct of rulers. The same
spirit that actuated Brutus of old on seeing the career of the
" lustful Tarquin," pervades Rienzi's breast ; his is the soul
that opposes
" Th'ioppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely."
A ma❑ who sprung from the lower classes of life, raised
himself to be the " friend of Petrarch," as he tells Angelo
Colonna—

" Sir, I'm the son
Of him who kept the sordid hostelry,
In the Jews' quarter : my good mother cleansed
Linen for honest hire."
Mr. Wallack played Rienzi. Amongst the fine actors—the
very few of the present time—Mr. Wallack may be reckoned
as standing in the highest position : taking his great range of
characters, his versatile talents, his ability in shadowing forth
the grave and gay, lively and severe, we may place him as
an artist before even Mr. Macready. In many characters
Mr. Wallack is equal to Macready, in others superior, and
in melo-drama he is altogether unapproachable. Where is
there a better Hamlet ? Mr. Wallack is in it chaste, refined,
and intellectual—his readings in many portions are strikingly
novel. Is there any man on the stage can play Dick
Dashall, Alessandro Massaroni, the Old Sailor in " The
Foundling' of the Forest," equal to him ? He is incontestibly
the best Don Felix on the stage—while his Rolla has been
admitted to be a fine performance for years. Other charac-
ters in plenty might be named in all of which he can be truly
said to be excellent. Reinzi is amongst the foremost.
In him we find our fancy embodied of the " last of the tri-
bunes" : his expressive features, gallant bearing, and grace-
ful carriage, all assist in the completion of the picture. Of
Mr. Wallack's acting we can speak in terms of high praise
—he takes nature for his model, and speaks and moves ac-
cording to her rules and laws. The scene with the people,
in which he stirs them up, and strikes down the soldier,
was full of fire and energy; his scenes with Claudia, (Mrs.
Seymour,) were charmingly acted, especially that where he
presses her to acknowledge her love for Angelo Colonna.
The fatherly attitude, the encouraging voice, the gentle pat-
ting of the back, and the bent head to listen, while Claudia
sighs her admission of affection, on his bosom, were beauti-
fully done. The scenes with the nobles—the discovery of
the plot—were replete with character and vigour. Indeed,
the performance throughout was such as may be pleasantly
remembered as one of the very few good things on the stage
at present—it was artistical, easy, and natural ; and those
who saw it, will in some after time, when told of the merits
of some new Rienzi, exclaim,—"Ah ! you should have seen
Mr. Wallack's!" What a pleasant thing it is to praise, and
praise where it is due. In this time of humbug, pretension,
and mannerism, to see such an actor is quite refreshing.
While we laud Mr. Wallack, we must not forget Mrs. Sey-
mour's Claudia. Miss Mitford draws her fair heroine as a
lovely, loving, and loveable creature, in all the freshness of
youth and innocence—and such she appears in Mrs. Sey-
mour's hands; her picturesque attitudes, her sweet voice,
gentleness of action and manners, the evident taste she pos-
sesses, all combine to give character and effect to what she
undertakes : nor are her scenes of passion wanting of due
energy—they are forcible without being too strongly coloured.
The following lines were beautifully recited,—
" Mine own dear home !
Father, I love not this pew state ; these halls,
Where comfort dies in vastness; these trim maids,
Whose service wearies me. Oh, mine old home!—
My quiet pleasant chamber; with the myrtle.
Woven round the casement ; and the cedar by,
Shading the sun ; my garden, overgrown
With flowers and herbs, thick set as grass in fields,—
My pretty snow-white doves,—my kindest nurse,
And old Camillo. Oh, mine own dear home !"
This passage, as well as others, but this more particu-
larly, the audience welcomed with loud applause ; being
really an exquisite bit. Those who love good acting, and
those who pretend to want to have fine acting, instead of
scenery and spectacle, (though when they had stars enough
to make a milky-way, complained that they wanted specta-
cle,) should, by all means, see " Rienzi." There has been
nothing like it put on the boards this season. Mr. Nantz
we did not like as Angelo Colonna; he was cold and artificial.
Miss Cleaver made as much as she could of Lady Colonna.
Mr. J. Lunt played the little part of Old Camillo with a
good deal of feeling. " Rienzi " was played last night, and
will be repeated on Wednesday. We may here remark, that
the part of Ursini was originally played by Mr. Mude. We
perceive that the " Wife," " Hunchback," and other lead-
ing dramas, are to be produced during Mr. Wallack's sojourn.
We have been told, his Shylock and Mrs. Seymour's Portia,
on Thursday last, were admirable impersonations. The de-
livery, by the latter, of the passage, " The quality of mercy,"
was perfection.

THE THIFORIUM IN THE TEMPLE CHURCH.—Returning
from the penitential cell, and ascending the winding stair-
case of the turret, we reach a small doorway which opens
upon a Triforium, or covered gallery, formed by the " lean
to," or sloping outer roof of the Round Tower. Into this
Triforium have been removed the greater part of the monu-
ments which disfigured the walls and columns of the interior
of the church. Previous to the recent restoration, the huge
monuments and monumental tablets had increased to such
an extent as to destroy the beauty of the building, and se-
riously endanger its stability ; for, in order to fix these vain
memorials of departed mortality, incisions had been made on
the walls and columns, with a reckless disregard of the con-
sequences. When these monuments had been taken down
from their places, and the church had been repaired, it was
found that to replace them in their original positions would
utterly destroy the beautiful architectural effect, to produce
which so much money, care, and labour, had been expended,
and it was, therefore, determined, after many schemes for
the location of them had been proposed and rejec►ed, to place
them in their present position in the Triforium. These mo-
numents were erected to the memory of distinguished lawyers,
members of the honourable societies of the inner and middle
temple. Among them will be observed the monuments of
numerous lord chancellors, councillors of state, chief justices
and judges, barons of the exchequer, attorneys and solicitors
general, masters of the rolls, masters in chancery, members
of parliament, baronets, knights, serjeants-at- law , treasurers,
readers, and bencbers of the inner and middle temple, pro-
thonotaries of the Court of Common Pleas, clerks in chan-
cery, barristers, authors, poets, clergymen, and chaplains of
the Temple Church, and fellows and students of the two
societies; and amongst all this goodly company may be ob.
served the monuments of many pious, noble, and distin-
guishedladies.—Addisoieg " History of the Temple Church"
(just published).