have remittances to fupply his extravagancies and indulge his appetites, is callous to the complaints or the claims of that establishment from which he draws his fupport-to maintain this affertion, we fhall make one remark, for the truth of which we appeal to every lover of the drama, and to the public in general, who we believe will agree with us, that there is not at this moment in the first theatre of the fecond city in the united kingdom, one actress capable of performing the character of Lady Randolph-(not as we have feen it played: for of that we difpair while the reins of manegerial power are vefted in the hands of its prefent monarch) but capable of performing the part with common decency. Perhaps to this charge mr. J-will, like fome other great little men, plead the order of the day, and juftify his conduct through the medium of imperious neceffity; but however becoming or pardonable fuch language may be from the lips of a G-f-d or a G-ft-, yet coming from fo decided a fervant of the public as the mana ger of a theatre, it must be confidered not only as unwarrantable, but indecent; and we truft mr. J has more grace than to adopt it—and the more particularly, as we can to a certainty demonftrate, that the fault does not originate in imperions neceffity,' but owes its birth to a parfimonious difpefition on the fide of the manager, blended with a good deal of prejudice and partiality, neither of which we beljeve, thould be fuffered to predominate in a cafe of this nature, where his duty to the public is concerned. Will mr. J be confident enough to tell us that it is not poffibe to provide performers of merit for the city of Dublin, (fome, it is true, of the immediate company rank highly in their refpective departments but the number muft be allowed is confiderably on the minor fide of the queftion ;) we know that many people of the first rate talents - would prefer an engagement in this city to that of one in any provincial theatre in England, but good perfor mers demand good falarie, and what performer of firft rate talems would facrifice their time for the paltry fum of five pounds a week, tor that is the highest falary paid in the theatre of mr. J. and that but to individuals. The inferior falaries are indeed wretched beyond belief, for if our information be correct, and we blush to detail it amongst others, one lady engaged as a Figurante, has the enormous fun of nine fillings and five-pence halfpenny per week, out of which the only finds gloves, fhoes, and ribons!! Dances every night, and attends rehearsal every day. It this be not doling out the widows mite' we wonder at it: but for the honor of human nature we will fuppofe, that the manager is, through the imperious neceffity of abfence, unacquainted with this and many other circumftances of a like nature: for however dead he may be to confideration as a manager, we will not imagine him fo callous to feeling as a man. Should this charge be unfounded, it is in his power to refute it; but should it be found really to exift, it is in his power to do ftill better, by making that reftitution which is incumbent on him as a Chriftian:-but an appeal of this nature will poffibly not reach him--he is playing the abfenter in London, and his poor vaffals in Dublin may perifh, while he revels on the fruits of their labours :-It is true, as the author of familiar epiftles has stated, the nett emolument is not much more than 5oool. a year, and that we confels requires every prudence and thrifty retrenchment to tender it an object worth the attention of an individual ! ! ! This, however, is an ungracious and unpleasant topic, and for the prefent we difmifs it to make way for Our our opinions of the performance of the tragedy in question. range of the drama a character more definitely drawn by the author then The part of lady Randolph recely that of Glenalven; and made up as ed from mrs. Mafon neither dignity it is of few paffions, and thou not the nor intereft; on the contrary, it was soft difficult to affume, we fhould evidently effective in both: that lady imagine that a performer of mr. Holmust be told, for the appears not to man's long ftanding and vaft practice know it, that grace does not confift and experience, would find little in the broad weighty step of affumed hardships in giving it that colouring importance, no more than the con- and effect which the writer meant it vulfive catch in the voice, amount. fhould appear in to an audience; yet ing to fomething like a fuppreffed hic- forry are we to fay, that mr. Holcup can be faid to be affecting or pa- man appeared in almost every fcene thetic.-We e pray her to reform it to have mistaken the character, and in altogether,' and the fooner the fets room of the crafty, fly, infinuating about it, the better it will be for her villain-who, as Lady Randolph de felf and those who are in future doom- picts him (and which thould have ed be her auditors. In fact, mrs. been a guide to mr. Holman, who Mason, so far from being qualified at this time of day fhould not need one by nature or art (for in fome cafes by the bye) fubtle and firewed, art will avail nothing) to reprefent offers to mankind a picture of the foft, the beautiful, and dignified himself.'-that is, he difguifes his Caledonian dame, that neither her real character under the garb of the perfon nor her powers entitle her to blunt warrior, and the faithful friend, appear even as mrs. Randolph if while he is in fecret meditating the fuch a character taken from humble murder of his kinfman and the pofdomeftic life, excited in the drama- feffion of his wife. In room then of as mrs. Mason, we have no diflike this artful, treacherous, well-practifto the lady, but coming before us in ed villain, mr. Holman prefented us this questionable fhape, we feel it with a broad unqualified affaffin, our duty to speak our minds freely above difguife in look voice and manand declare, we cannot admire her ner-he farted loudly from the post, profeffionally, at least in the first line and on his firft falutation of the con of tragedy, which has been, for what fidante, whom it thould have beeft his reason we know not, given to her in purpose to wind himself into the good preference to mifs Walftein, a lady graces of, exhibited such acountenance poffeffed of many very fine requifites of diabolical wrath and malignancy, for that line of bufinefs, which mrs. that the little girl withdrew precipiMason is fo badly calculated to fup- tately, and without much grace-for port. Probably mr. J has not feen the Farmer we give her credit, for the lady, but has taken the word of even a middle fized confidante might his deputy-or his deputy's deputy have been feized with fimilat apprefor her merit as an actrefs; or it is henfions; and on the score of her that mr. Jis ftill of opinion that fright we pardon her for that want of nothing can be too bad for those who addrefs which perhaps, on other occould at all bear what we have tame- cafions the may be mistrefs of. ly borne.'-Be it as it may, we are the aggrieved party; nor have we much hope of redreis fo long as the theatre remains under the influence of its prefent proprietor. a There is not perhaps in the whole Mr. Hertainly is bleffed with fome very happy requifites for his profeffion, and particularly with a fine manly fonorous voice, of vaft compafs but confined to few tones and lefs modulation. In fome-cha racters racters this bears him through with credit, but we cannot agree to the propriety of hearing it on almost every occafion wound up within a note or two of what Hogarth ludicrioufly called, the bull-roar of Whitfield !!! partridge-like man who fat in the middle gallery, and declared to a neighbour on the fame bench with him, in a half whifper, that the old thepherd was a mighty well spoken man, and took his time bravely' and then his neighbour remarked, that he was fure he must be a very pleafant old man, he had fuch a fmirking Smile upon his face all night." The Douglas of mr. Johnson has ftill vaft merit--his performance of the part, however, has fuffered lefs from an increased figure and more manly countenance, than it is evident it has done from the constant practice of performing in thefe extravagant pantomimic fpectacles which we prophetically pronounce bid fair to be the grave of natural and interefting acting. At a future day we fhall fay a fomething on that fubject One question or two we beg leave to put to mr. Holman, without a purpofe or a wish of offending himwhy was the part of lord Randolph given to a youth who to all appearance was much the junior of the blooming Norval? Did the compa ny afford no one performer, who in point of years might have been a fit reprefentative of the husband of lady Randolph; the head of an ancient houfe, and the chofen leader of the armies?-Or was it that mr. Holman goodnaturedly conceived, that mr. Johnson would appear to more advantage, and look more youthful by the action and the attitudes of the being placed by the fide of an almoft Caledonian boy are become too frebeardlefs fripling? We believe we quent,, too ftudied, and too extravamay boldly affirm, that in thofe days gant; at the fame time we know no in which mr. Holman was in the ha- one at prefent who could at all do the bit of treating us with the juvenile part equal juftice-we cannot howehero of the houfe of Douglas, he never difinifs the gentleman without one ver did from choice prefer the most blooming boy in the theatre to play the part of Lord Randolph to him. On other occafions we can perceive that mr. H. is tenacious enough in match ing his heroines, and cafting the parts according to fize, inftead of appro priate qualification; nay, we have been informed, that on fome VERY NICE occafions, he is not above reforting to the medium of fergeant Kite, and applying the ftandard with a fcrupulous exactitude; but all this is fair, and tlie ladies are furely en titled to the but we can do for them. Mr. Simpfon fpoke the part in gene ral very correctly and well-that he did or look it was not his fault: fome twenty years hence he will be better calculated for the character. Of the Old Norval of mr. Foote, we shall give no opinion of our own, but merely detail one which was applied to him on that night by a grave remark, which we likewife fubmit to his own judgment, and that of his most judicious friends; and almost believe that he and they will agree with us that it was neither confiftent with the undiffembling, gallant Norval's temper and difpofition to kneel to Lord Randolph, at a time when he confidered, and knew him, as an ufurper, and was meditating a purpofe of driving him from his unlaw ful poffeffions. Yet, under thefe citcumftances, mr. J-, for a moment, we believe, forgot himfelf as young Norval, and knelt to the fpoiler of his birth-right. Mr. J will collect the circumfiance and the paffageto the liege lord &c. and perhaps mr. J will not be above taking advantage of an opinion which is given with the very best intention.. [The play was followed by a pair of fpectacles, which afforded m. St. Pierre and mifs Lupino an opportu nity nity of exhibiting their profeffional the delivery of mr. Foot, accompa powers to a delighted and applauding audience-while every now and then, the poor figurantes ran the gauntlet through the hiffes, hootings, and execrations of both pit and galleries. Oh mr. J-, mr. J-, how this would delight you!!!! On Wednesday, the 27th, The School for Scandal, with the melodrama of Ella Rofenberg. nied with an unimpaffioned caft of countenance which did him no fmall fervice on the occasion. In fact, his Jofeph appears to us to be his chef d'ouvre. Dawfon, was a great piece of acting. In the hands of mr. Simpson, it was divefted of every Trip was hands of George excite Pretension to hu Mi. 1.ee evidently has no pretenfions to the part of Sir Oliver. The molt we can fay of him is, that he was perfect, and did his best to please in a good-humoured and eafy man Of the former we fall only ob- ner; but we have feen old Mitchel ferve, that scandal feemed to have de- make fo fine a part of it, that we ferted that rank of life which we cannot remember him without prehave been accustomed formerly to judice to its last night's representa have feen her affect, and take her tive. abode amongst an inferior order of fo- the ciety. Little remained but the name of that malicious junto which was wont to fet the audience in a roar; and we could not but look back with regret at the days of Daly and of Ryder, when every character in the piece had fo fuperior a reprefentative: We would not be gloomy but we must remember that fuch things were as were moft dear to us." Nor can we forbear faying, that with the exception of two or three characters, the performance was flat, infipid, languid, and uninterefting-in particular thefe fcenes which we have hitherto known to be the very fiddle of the piece, were, to fay truth, most wretchedly defective. mour-it excited not even a fmile. Mofes was well conceived by mr. 4 Johnfon-well dreffed, with the ex ception of his hair, which in its uncombed and ragged ftate, excited. fome unpleafant fenfations. His face was rather fqualid and dejected. Mofes might be Jew enough ftill, i and yet be more refpectable in his appearance-he fpoke the part capitally. Mr. Norman was eafy in Old. Rowley-much more could not be done for him. Of the Charles of mr. Melvin, we The Crabtree of mr. Williams had fanguine expectations, perhaps was four enough in confcience-nay, we fuffered them to carry us too far it was bitter bad-we could not fwal--and that in fome measure may ac low it. Sir Benjamin Backbite was a mere dawdelling attempt at fomething like foppery and fashion, but very unlike either-we trust it is the last time that gentleman will come forward in fuch a caft-he is utterly unfit for it. Mr. Foot was certainly more at home in the hypocritical Jofeph than we have feen him in any other character: not that we would infinuate that it is more congenial to his nature for we are taught to believe the leverfe; but there is a tardiloquy in count for the exceffive difappointe ment which we fuffered on the occafion. With regret, indeed, we learn that the gentleman's health is at prefent much impaired, and on that fcore we fhall lean as lightly as poffible on his performance of the lively, fathionable rake which the author has fo happily prefented to us, but of whom mr. Melvin afforded us laft night not even a fhadow. Charles-the volatile, animating foul of fociety, was not there-all was languid, fomEre, and inconfequendal. Neither the MAIK bargain, the figure, voice, face, nor manner uninterefting. The author has not of mr. Melvin are calculated to fup done much for it, and the young laport the part: the former wants dy made the belt fhe could of a bad height and dignity-it wants grace and fashion-the fecond is deficient in compafs and variety: his face requires an expreffion which nature has denied him, in this line at leaft and his manner is boyifh and unfi nifhed. No: Charles was not there and the gentleman himself appeared to feel that it was the cafe. Still, བསམ however, fome of the minor fcenes had much merit-they were eafy: natural, and gentlemanly; and mr. Melvin, in his native walk of comedy, poffeffes talents of a very fuperior order. on If fir Peter Teazle be not the we beft, it is one of the best parts which Fullam fupports the tage is natural, chafte, and affecting; and we have feldom received more pleasure in this way, than we did last night from his performance of that character-he got full poffefon of our heart; and the tear and the fimile which he involuntarily drew from us, is the best proof of his exenfive powers in his profeffion: his whole fccnes in the 4th act were iniesthe mitable and the applaufes which were beftowed on him were no lefs honorable to him than to his auditors, who fo liberally paid that tribute which he fo highly meritted. We cannot however avoid thinking that he was rather plainly dreffed for the part, and that his hairdresser did not st do him juftice. Mrs. Mafon played mrs. Candour and with our ufual candour we muft fay, we were not delighted with the lady. Mrs. McCullogh, looked and poke the part of Lady Sheer well, but that is not the line of character which that lady is now fit for-her's is a different caft, and in that caft the has no equal in the theatre. Maria, by mifs Sheridan, was what Maria generally is, tame and We have feen mifs Walstein, to much advantage in the part of Lady Teazle, and we wonder under what circumftance it was taken from her, and given to mrs. Edwin who laft night appeared in the character.-The lady cannot fufpect us of prejudice, or partiality, as the has few more fanguine admirers of her dramatic powers, than we are and few who have come more warmly forward to pro claim their excellence to the world, but we fhould be unjust to ourselves, and to the public, were we in this inftance to belie our judgment, by apparently approving that which we innately condemn or beftowing that applaufe which was not meritted. Inthispredi cament we ftand at prefent, and we will fpeak our opinions freely, and as becomes us. Mrs. Edwin then, though highly gifted with inimitable powers to teal. away our hearts' in lively, and animated comedy, and in that the has no equal-at leaft on this ftage-Yet, as the reprefentative of a more dignified and graceful order of life the cannot ftand in competition with miss Walftein-whofe figure, addrefs, and elegance of manners, give her the molt decided fuperiority. On this account, the Lady Teazle of mrs. Edwin did, by no means, fatisfy us we looked for the fine fashionable courtly Belle which the appears in the hands of mifs Walstein; and fuffer. ed no fmall mortification in the 'difappointment. Of late we are inclined to notice an unpleasant change in the voice and enunciation of mrs. Edwin-perhaps it may be the order of the day to adopt a breadth of utter ance, in fome cafes approaching to a brogue; on this we cannot decide, (though we have been informed it has the fanction of the queen of comedy, mrs. Jordan; and if so, it will shortly |
