Drury-Lane Theatre.
The Times, 1824-01-06T00:00:00

.A new "t.igie play,",in fou,7cts, besides a pageant, founded upon Sco t c roma5nce of Keni rDortk-w vas produced last night at this tbeatre.- Thc authorofthe-pieces w kg name has not reached us, keeps, except in onFe icident, Pretty close to the original story.- NYe 'b'egib at'Gi1i Cioi6ag's Inn, with. the return of MicTicl1acl Lea-nbouzne from the ,ov* Countries; and are carried, ai in the noveIto Cumnor Mlanor-house, where we have the.fight between Yoarvey atid2' resiR- on., A dfny Ro&sart. escajies froni Cunnor to Kenilworth - -a*id is s-ent back froin thence by the Zari,of Lciceser, .with orders for hlier'death; but Varne 's arrangemjent, to throw her Jiogs the broken gallery, is frustmted by Antony Forrtcr's dpugbiter, wrho sets the trap before he is aware ; and the- fate (by this accident) which he had intended for the Countess, deroies upoit tefq hrice worthy secretary himself. Kenll,orth as a novel, is. very far indeed ftom being the best oltSir NValter Scott's pfo- ductions.; and this play taken fiom it, at Drrury-iane, wants the musical force -which liftel Guy efannering and .Rob Rov,; still there are scenes in it, here andi there, not- devoid;cf stage effect., and but for the stupid " pageant" nith 'wvhich it couicludes, it might lave escaped without disapprobation. Mrs. Bunn .plays very cleverly; and Qucen - Elizabet& is- always a great gun with thegalleries. Mr.-. -Bunn's, acing bas. power ;- and at the same time-there is a quality of ]Ighthess about it. She does justice to "Good Bess's" absolute tem ber; hut there is feeling- mixed up with ber rage; and, abore all, she getsquickly over the ground. lt is a terrible trick, when ladies (and gentIemin) will re;,ularly stop in the niddle of a scene, toect_holding anaudience, as it wvere,-by the button, 'thUl they do three or four things, evidehtly meant to -be superfine. Mrs. Bunn excuses us fror a good deal (as -regards her Queen L izeth) - of. -vhat we sometimes have to suffer in ti way; and one or two of her scenes with Wal- lack,mand Mrs. WVest (tho plays- the- L'cns- 'of Leicester very sweetly and feelingly), obtained, as they deserved very general a- plause. Mr. Archler acted r icha-d Varney.- ihis gentleman.9 voiceis an affl`ction to us. If-he could but change the key, even once a; week J-though it were only intc- a wbrse ! justIorr the sake of vsnety! rMtr. *Vallack, i% Loid -Leewster, was - well dressed, and lo6k-ed well. The 'scenery, - however, throughout the play, is very happy indee& - Several viewvs of Cuimnor;- and the exterior of Gzles iodling's inn; Kenilworth Castle, and its outwork-s (as it stood previous' to the rebellion); and the last chamber (within Cumnor-house), with the oak staircase, and the long window; aU these are features that tell.: And then we have Illr. Terry and MIr. Harley, though they have neither of them a great deal to do; and Miss- ooth, against whom we neither can, nor wish to say.any thing, except that she slouild put on another cap. And, altogether, what with Ml. Browne (who should bealittle moie firm) in Zfichael Laiuiboui-ne,and dlr. (attie (though heismorbpre iosterousthafi comical)inNic7ho;asBdnunt, thepieceniighthaveggne -off (in spite of the last scene) without much opposition; but tl,at tbe Cpageant" came (after half an honur'sdelay) to put-the peoeout of temper. They seldom exhibit-tmuch good taste in these -"ashowvs at Druy-lane; and, withal; if they. givc you half-n-crwn', theFx a Ways-swear that it is seven and. sixpence. -The whlole afibir rn the." Tiltsard," at Kcnilwortb, is ill- eviied, and il- -au Tie morris dance is wr:etched-; and-the " ight with-sticlis" was toot bad for tfi galleries. The combate on foot are extravaganteven to burlesque ;--and the squadrons of horse charge one another, like rival flocks of geege upon a common.. Tben the heithen ddiies descend to pay their respects to Queen Elizaeth: Britan#h comes in -a cloud, and brings her lion and the sun along with her. The linn and the sun go up again, but Britanniza (Miss Povey) remains. Inr the end, theback of thestage becomes iUuminated, and shows a large letterli; the corps de ballet (one of whom lost his shoe)-hold up nosegays, wvhich form the word " Elizabeth ;" a grand flouzishin of trumpe,s and tratiping of boofs announces that the " sportsF' have come to a conclusioii; and, with a reverence to her most brazen- Alajesty, the curtain fdlls upon the ths'order-lAfter thi., it is hut. 3ustice to state that the house wras filled in all parts; but when Ar. walDack gave out the play for repetition, the disapprobation Wa. very cousilderable.l _- DBUERY-LAhE YhEJATFRE.