The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-04-05 00:00:00

THHATRE.ROYAL,

Wo briefly alibunced, in our pnblication of Tue disp last;
that OW:spare's play of " A Midsummer Night's Dream "
had been produced on the previous evening. Those who are
conversant with this exquisite creation of the poet's fancy
must have at all times been fully aware of the difficulty that
exists in putting it effectively on the stage. The student,
with a fervent love of the immortal author, feels, while he
pores over the pages, his own imagination glow, and create
pictures wherein the fairies revel and sport in all their ethe-
rial brightness. He will depict them as diminutive creatures
with graceful and fragile forms, well suited to attend to Ti-
tania's bidding—beings that can
" Hang a pearl in every cowslip's ear."
When the student sees these fairies appear before him on the
stage, good flesh and blood, of stature like his own, instead
of being small enough to
" Creep into acorn cups, and bide them there,
"
he cannot but feel disappointed that his own conception is
not worked out. If we cannot have talented people of fairy-
like size, we must be content to find them as they are, more
especially when we meet with them capable of understanding
rightly and appreciating the great bard's silver-toned num-
bers.
That " A Midsummer Night's Dream " has been better
put on the stage than on the present occasion, we doubt. It
has never been excelled, or perhaps equalled, in the provin-
ces, we may safely affirm—whether for novelty and beauty
of the scenery, appropriateness of costume, or care in the
general getting up.
" A Midsummer Night's Dream," as a play, is not want-
ing in interest; but it reads better than it acts. There are
in it four plots, if they may be so called : there is one in
which Hippolyta and Theseus are concerned ; one in which
Hermia and Lysander, Demetrius and Helena, are engaged ;
another wherein we become acquainted with the fairies, and
lastly with those droll fellows the hard-handed men which
never laboured in their minds till now." The play is strange,
wild, and irregular. Although the scene is laid at Athens
and its neighbourhood, we find events detailed by Plutarch,
Ovid, and Virgil, mixed up with the fairy tales of early
English time, made racy by the introduction of Manager
Quince and his operative company. But what of this strange
mixture of character ? We are too much delighted with the
playfulness of Puck, the philosophy of Theseus, the spark-
ling and exquisite imagery of Oberon, and the humour and
simplicity of the actors, to care about the mode in which it
is conveyed to us. We take it as it is, and feel thankful that
such a drama adorns our country's literature.
There is in the " Midsummer Night's Dream" an airi-
ness, an etheriality, in the treatment of the subject. It re-
in!nds one of a garden spangled all over with flowers : stoop
where we will, we cannot but pluck one of surpassing beauty.
The working out of the story is singularly felicitous and in-
genious; and though we are not kept in suspense as to the
result, the mind is held captive, and feels interested from
the opening to the close.
Having thus briefly mentioned the play itself, we now turn
to notice it as placed before us by Mr. Hammond. The
first scene represents a view of ;Athens, from the colonnade
in the palace of Theseus. In-the distance is the proud City
of Minerva, the seat of ancient literature and fine art ; to
the right is the Temple of Jupiter, the plain stretching widely
to the left ' • the middle ground is occupied by a lake. In the
foreground we see the cupola of a portion of Theseus' palace,
statuary and gardens occupying the stage. The next scene
worthy of notice is the " Fairy Haunt." Here we are in-
troduced to the rulers and subjects of Fairyland. Some very
beautiful groups are formed ; after which, the scene changes
to " Titania's Bower," painted by Messrs. Parker and John-
son. Some very striking dioramic effects are produced in a
scene entitled A Wood near Athens." It is first shown
by moonlight, and afterwards by sunlight. A purling brook
occupies the right of the stage, an old and thickly-foliaged
tree the middle, and to the left is a sloping bank leading to a
thick green alley, through which the light appears to stream.
In this scene is a well-conceived and cleverly-executed dance
of fairies. Some pretty groups are here formed. One is
remarkable for its novelty and effect : we allude to that in
which Oberon, standing in the centre, appears by means of
scarfs as if in the midst of a party-coloured shell. The
Hall in the palace of Theseus" is very chastely designed
and well executed. This scene is by Mr. Johnson. In it
the episode of " Pyramus and Thisbe" is performed. The
last scene is very novel : the background is occupied by the
palatial halls of Theseus, brilliantly lighted ; in the middle
of the stage is an illuminated gallery, thronged with the
fairies, holding various-coloured lamps in their hands, who,
by continually passing to and fro, produce a curious and
pleasing effect. At the conclusion, the scene is lit up by
coloured fires, and is magnificent.
We can hardly estimate the labour in the getting up of this
play, but the expense may easily be calculated as being con-
siderable. Mr. W. J. Hammond has put all his energy to
work, and, we must say, succeeded in placing one of Shak-
speare's finest plays before the public in a manner that re-
flects the highest credit on his talent and ingenuity.
A great outcry is always raised for the legitimate drama.
It is now placed before the public in a style totally unprece-
dented out of London; a large sum of money has been laid
out. labour both of mind and body has been expended, and
what is the consequence ? Here we have Shakspeare's most
fanciful and beautiful play acted admirably, and for the first
time, with splendid scenery and appointments, and none will
go to see it !—and yet we believe the Amphitheatre has been
crammed ! Yankee mountebanks versus Shakspeare—John
Bull presiding as judge and jury—verdict for the plaintiffs !
Talk of public taste !—it makes one sick to think on 't.
We now speak of the acting. Miss Gardner looks Oberon
extremely well : her handsomely-formed figure is displayed
to advantage. She sings the difficult recitations and airs
with great sweetness, expression, and ability. The duet
with Miss Honner, " I know a banks" has been encored
every night. The glee, "Ye spotted snakes," has been ex-
cellently given by Mr. Travers, Messrs. Lunt, and Miss
Honner. Miss Honner, as the " first fairy," sang abomi-
nably out of tune on Monday. She has improved since.
Her opening air, " Over hill, over dale," would be better if
sung more carefully and with greater spirit. Mrs. Barton,
as the'' second fairy," moves about really like one. She sang
on Friday the recitative, " Lo ! Night's swift dragons," and
air, " But we are spirits of another sort," very sweetly. Miss
Ellen Chaplin has greatly improved since she was last here.
She played Titania very steadily. Miss Bennett gave the
impassioned language of Helena with fervour and pathos.
On two or three occasions she drew loud plaudits from the
audience. Miss Cleaver acted Hermia very cleverly, giving
great expression to the language. Mr. Nantz appears likely
to please : he possesses good figure and voice : he recited,
as my Lord Ogilby says, with " good emphasis and discre-
tion." Puck was very cleverly and humorously personated
by Miss Webster. As for the " hard-handed men,"—Bot-
torn (Mr. W. J. Hammond), Quince (Mr. Baker), Flute
(Mr. Slaiter), Snug (Mr. T. Lee), Snout (Mr. Vivash),
and Starveling (Mr. Bellingham),—they carried all before
them. We have seldom heard such shouts of laughter as

CI —713 Pyramus an This e elicited. Baker's Quirice was
inimitable : his delivery of the prologue was very rich. Mr.
Lee's Lion not only set the " spectators on to laugh," but
those on the stage could not restrain from a broad grin.
Mr. Hammond, as Bottom the Weaver, played admirably
throughout. When wearing the ass's head, his comical
voice and odd appearance set the house fairly in a roar. His
Pyramus was extremely laughable. Mr. Mude as Theseus,
and Mrs. Baker as Hippolyta, had little to do, but that was
done well. Indeed, all parties seemed to exert themselves
to the utmost to make the play go well. It is altogether a
very fine production, and reflects great credit on the ma-
nagement.