Surrey Theatre.
The Times, 1824-01-13T00:00:00

A piece called the The Garnblers was re-produced at this theatre last evening. We believe it is the same dma that was formerly represented here, and was withdrawn at thie instance of Thurtell's legal advisers, who objected to the er-parte evidence of the horse and gig. The reason for this objection having now been obviated, the managers of the Surrey 'Theatre, feeling themselves, as we suppose, at liberty to regale the public with alively representation ofthensur- der, have fortified their* drama by the addition of " the table-on which the party supped, and the sofa as described to be slept on, with otler houschold furniture as purebasetI at the late auction." An audience, more numierous than select, was assembled to wit- ness this interesting exhibition. In the commencement of the drama, we are intr oduced to IFoodville and Bradslta , (the murderer and his accessory) in the act of arranging. the perpetration of the crime. They propose to do this deed of blood in the neigh- bourhood of Alordaunt's cottage, whose necessities they suppose will readily engage him to assist or to shelter them. Mfordaun,t is a ruined gatuester, of whom Frankly (cense1 Weare) has won large sums at play, whiich are sectired by his bond. He is a sort of wbin- ing rogue, with a wife and a large family of small childrcn, vvho stakees his last shilling at a hell in Pall-mall, which the audience is permitted to see through transparent stone walls. Fr.mkly is seen to rise fronm thc gaming table, and is met hv Woodhille, the mnir- derer, who invites him to accomiipany him t ithe house of afriend in the country. Frankhy aecepts the invitation, and thev are seezi on the road in the " identical horse and gig ;" thev drinkf brandy and water at the 2ald faced Stag, in the mnst natutat marmer ;and in Gill's-hill-lane, painted to the life, the murder is commliitted in the very face of the au(dience ! The murderers afterwvards take refuige in Mordaunt's cottage, whose secrecy they engage, by giving up to hium his o wn bond which thxey have taken from the murdered man,and whichl iss-ained wviti his blood. To incretst the interest of the piece. 31ordaunt's wife, dressed in wvhite miuslin, is introduced, and wreeps most pasthetically over the misery wlich she enduTes in, conscquence of her husband's propensity to play. Then we see the twvo honest mnen who were employed to meinie tic road in Gill's-hill-lane, of whom thc murderer and his companiion conic to inquiire after the weap-onsrwhich they liat lost. Immediatelv after the dep:rrture of thelatter persons. the labourers find tile pistol airil hlood-stained knife,.whhi-h, after displaying a stifliieint pOrtion of horror, thev carry to a magistrate. In the next scene Morda imt is discover- ed persuading his wife to mix a phial of poison in somc wine, to be administered to the whole ftamily; andalthough sire seems perfectiv willing to comply vith his wishes, so fatal a catastrophe is prevented by the enitrance of the police.nfficers, who, after arrestitig Mfordanut, hi(le tlieinselves until the real muirdlerers cnter. The offiecrg then appear: the assassins arc denounced bv ilfor- dantt, at ilhom Woodr'iuc fires (or ivoiild fire, buit that has pistol only burns the priming), and Mordazunt falls at the same momilent wit?, the cuirtain. As the object of this *Irama is to convey sonie .dea of the persons of the mor4lrer, the managers are most un- licky in having selected a little gentleman to plav the 7Thurte1h who is not quite five feet high. A similar want of vraiseiniIance- pre- vails throughout the piece, and, with the exception of the horse and gig and sofa, each of wvhich wvere rapturoush- applauded, it contains verv little to interest :ny audicnce. Some disapprobation was ex- pressed, when its repetition was announced, by several gentlemen in white hat s and drab great coats in the pit, but three chinmney- w-oepets in the gallery, who had from the beginning of the piece testifled their love of jutstice by their oud plaudits, snon drowned the oiposition, and brought over the onajontv to their side, and in favour of the new piece. The affhir is aftogether so insignifi- cait, that it, di%gushiur features are scareely to be observed. 'SURREI- THEATRE.