Haymarket Theatre.
The Times, 1824-08-11T00:00:00

Mfr. Kenny's new operah as n so long expe&ted, mga last night brought out nere. The story, as the title of the play f(The Aiaid) hasd safflidentlv announced, is Spa=mh, and the plot is as much o7mplicated as if ft had been constrescted by one of she old, Spanish dramatists, instead of one of the bznt and iveL,est of those of our own day. We cannot bitthink that is no less unluckyf lrfmr. Kenny than for the audienlce, arnd we believe, that if far less pains had been bestowred on a more fasufliar subject, and in paunting man., nets more like those which now exist, they would have told much better. Nobody eares for Alcaids, and Algufals, and browa mantles, and blaik masks, and serenades, and all the me.oat.of. mitind contrivances of Spanish cosmedies, unless thev hzve somyethin better to back then. The plot is so involved, that it i diffct to comprehend it in the action, and, of coarese, the atiet to describe it mnust be infinitely more so. The penage w so gives the namie to the piece is the chief magistrate of a city of Spain. He is, although a man high in offie a tnost noable fool, and this part of his eharacter ist - ,pattul well known to his wife (hrim Glover), hbs niece (Miss Pirot,8 bis eon (Mfsdame Vestris), and bis servants ( Liston and Harley). JEt kzt a propensity to Interfere with everv body's business, ar d in the ple. nitude of his wisdom, fancies even the most minute affairs of al the inhabitants of the city are known to him, While he is the dupe of every one about him. Ilis son affects to set out for Salamaenc to complete his studies, while, in truth, he stays at home to finish a course of natural philosophy, which he has begun by serenading an inwog7ita, Dorra eFiasseesa (Mrs. Garrick). His wrfe and niece pretend to go to bed, but really go to a mas9uerade. Hig servant Jabez (Harley) promises to obey his injunctions niot to speak toa woman, and by way of keeping his promise gets marred. Hiis subalternit, GCregm'io and Juan (Writliams and Lt"thm),in whcm he confides, plot to deeprive him of his slfice and his most faithfl secretary, Pedroso (Liston), takes bribes from evecy mDember of his family to help their several intrigues against his wittol of a rnitter. The designs of all these facions, each diffrerent in itsel?, but all tendinK to the same end, produce some very odd situations, in which, and i1! the means adopted by the adroit FPcdr4so to extricate the in. trigucrs when they are on the L?oint of detection, all the force of the comedy con)sists. Thee situations are more ingenious than they are either sn.-;kig or comic; and they are so numerous, that tl,ev crowd the play oft^n to the perplexity of the audience, and mnore often to the dialoyue. It would be impossible to dei scribe them all within any reasonable compass, and it would be ea. ~ier to write mho play over again to make thenl intelligible. Tbev, tow, vcr, strve to carry the busintss of tite ulav to the adrr,;Cw soe,a, where the younig people are married according to their desire, and the Alcaid reitiains as great a fool as ever. Farren made this magistrate, as the author intended, a very imbecile old nan; and, as we supp'se the author did not intend, very like Justicc 1fWoodrock, in e-'ery thing but the Spanish habit- DIM. Glover made just such a wife as such a husband might be expected to have. Miss Pawn, as his niece, sang very delightfullv, was fre quently ancl deservedly encored, and particularly applauaed in hier last sone, " Youth in ardour proud :" she had nothing at all to act, Ila(lame Vestris made a dapper Don Fclir; and although she was sufficiently unlike a student of Salamanca, yet, as she sung better than any male the establishment could produce, one must be cor.- tent. I,iston's part, which is theheat in the piece, was very care_ filly and cleverly acted: there is no man upon the stage v,ho tells a lic and takes a bribe w.ith a better couttenance than liJr. Liston. Harley's character is that of a very foolish footman, who is married; the materials are rather scanty, but his humour and talent ekethem out most amusinglv. He sings a song in the Lackadey style. bat hard) v so good. Jablez_s often.repeated excLamation, "I can't help thinking of rny wife," from the universality of its applica. tion, is perhaps destined to very extensive popularity. Mrs. Gibbs, as the wife of Jabcz, has very little to do, and it would not hurt the plv if that little were made less. The passport scene is rather too ross. AIl iss Love being aflected with one of tiose threats to which singers are so eften subject wlhen thev have nev par's, Almrs Grarrick pleved it for her, at a very short notice. Am apologv was itiade f r this, which seemed hardly necessary, as the audience lost oxily one song by the exchange. Alrs. C. Jones sang a prettr song. The other parLs were all very sufficiently fiUed. WVe thinit it vers likely that some alterttions will be miade in the play after the trial 6factifig it, which, even to experiencedi hands, is the only test of its strength,andwe think that itinaybeamended. Itschief faultis the complication of the plot. There is a dance in the third act, wtich could be spared, because, although it is just of that sorL in which one might like to join, it is the most tri4te affiaire in the world to look at. The music of the opera is composed by Nr. Na- than anti withoat being very good or very new, is well adapted for tbe purpose to which it is applied. It would be a little dangerous to sav any thing against it. for we could hardly blame Mlr. Nathan without striking at bome of those old aund deserved favourites of whose nasistance be has so liberally avaied himnelf, and behind whome he is so safel v ensconeed. The house was crowded; and the play very favourabl'y received. HAYrARgET THUMPR.