King's Theatre. -The Opera closed on Saturday, the 4th of August, after one of the most brilliant seasons ever known, with respect to the combination of talents employed, tho' the proprietors report that they have lost 30001. and Mr. Goold means to reimburse himself by having no comic operas next season. Bolla, therefore, and Morelli, we understand, are discharged. Under such an indefatigable manager, the next season will, if possible, outshine the past. They have already written to Paris for a new serious male singer. Billington and Grassini are re-engaged. Poor Laborie, by laying by a season longer, will be able, it is said, to tread the stage again. ROYAL CIRCUS. The Mysteries of the North, or the Maid of Lochlin, the Coat and Badge, and Pedlar's Acre, are in the list of entertainments now exhibiting at the Circus with unusual eclat. It is hardly possible for us to extend our report of the exactness with which Cross produces his novelties, or of the success that attends them. ASTLEY'S NEW AMPHITHEATRE. Astley, like a judicious general, has re-engaged the admirable Richer; whose surprising feats on the tight rope, have, again and again, received our praise. The revival of Upton's Spanish Armada, at a crisis like the present, is well calculated to inspire British bosoms with enthusiastic ardour to repel a menacing and desperate adventurer, when he shall dare to attempt the invasion of our shores. This is a moment when national spectacles, similar to the present, should be encouraged; and it is a strong proof of the unanimity of loyal sentiment that they are so. SADLERS' WELLS Still attracts, nightly, the most crowded audiences, to witness the grand naval spectacle. PROVINCIAL DRAMA, Theatre Royal BATH.---Proposals are issued for erecting a new theatre in this city, of larger dimensions, in a more commodious situation, and with better avenues. The proprietors have purchased, from the different owners, houses, together with the adjoining ground, and the fee of the same, centrally situated, viz. below Queen Square, and betwixt St. John's Court, and Beaufort Square ; containing, in length, from East to West, about 200 feet; and from North to South 110 feet, perfectly suited to the intended object. On the scite of this ground is to be erected an elegant and commodious theatre, improved from the plans of the various theatres on the continent, and those lately erected in England; and as the purchases already made, and the expence of building, &c. will amount to a very considerable sum, it is proposed to raise 20,0007. (as a part thereof) by tontine annuities, with benefit of survivorship; and for the duc and regular payment of the same, to make over, IN TRUST, free of all incumbrances, the present purchases, together with the new theatre, its wardrobe, seenery, furniture of every description, and the patent. The number of tonține annuities" are not to exceed 100, nor the subscription more than 2007. each. The prince of Wales and the Duke of York are among the first subscribers. Theatre Royal RICHMOND.---] ---Mrs. Jordan has performed here for a few nights, but not with very great attraction. She had a crowded house, however, at her benefit; when Mr. Bannister, jun. performed for her Mawworm, in the Hypocrite, and Bowkit. Messrs. Russell and Powell, and not Mr. Cherry, (as," by mistake, we observed in our last) have the management of the theatre, which has been tolerably well attended this season. Cinderella has been got up in a creditable style, and Valentine und Orson, under the direction of Mr. Farley, who played here a few nights, with great applause, brought several good houses. Besides Farley in Valentine, Du Bois was engaged to play Orson, and Mrs. Dibdin looked and acted the character of the Princess Eglantine, in a very admirable style. Theatre Royal BRIGHTON---Continues to go on prosperously under the respectable management of Mr. Brunton, who has performed Shylock and Penruddock, with excellent discrimination and effect. Each night's performance is bespoken by the nobility, who express the highest satisfaction at the able manner in which the several pieces are represented. Miss Brunton has distinguished herself greatly in a variety of important characters, particularly in Lady Townley, in which she is very much admired. Several of the new pieces have been acted. The Caravan has been brought out with a splendour and accuracy which are seldom witnessed on so small a stage; and the Carlo acquits himself so well, that it is expected he will be engaged by the Drury Lane manager to succeed his deceased namesake. Mr. John Brunton performed Octavian, for his benefit, to a crowded and fashionable house. Theatre BIRMINGHAM.---The YOUNG ROSCIUS has been playing here, Douglas, Hamlet, Richard, Romeo, Rolla, Achmet, Frederick Wildenhaim, Octavian, Osman, &c. with prodigious applause, and to crowded houses. From this place he goes to Liverpool and Manchester, and, from thence, to the metropolis, where he is expected to cause as great a sensation of astonishment and delight, as was excited at the appearance of GARRICK, SIDDONS, and COOKE. It is reported, in the country, that JOHN KEMBLE has been discharged from Covent Garden, to make room for this surprising child; and that, afraid to encounter so formidable an opponent, he has purchased a share of the Dublin theatre. Whatever truth there may be in this report, it is on all hands agreed, that the boy is the better actor of the two." Alas! poor Turlygood!” Theatre EXETER.---The Exeter theatric amusements closed, August 10th, after a long and tolerably successful campaign. Dowton exhibited his very respectable talents, during the assize and fair weeks, in this, his native city; and has been greeted with general approbation; his last characters were, Farmer Ashfield and the Village Lawyer. The company has been very respectable. Sandford, the acting manager, takes the lead both in tragedy and comedy; as a general actor, few performers can equal him---his Macbeth, Hamlet, &c. are excellent pieces of acting. The rotundity of figure and genuine humour of Mr. Sheridan, admirably fit him for the comic old men, &c. he left us about the middle of the season, respected as an actor and a man. Mr. Clarke has an excellent voice for tragedy; this, with a good figure, and a discriminating judgment, bids fair to advance him in the profession. Mr. Farren is a very genteel, spirited actor; he is yet very young, and improves rapidly. Mr. Hague makes a re spectable stand in the sentimental old men. In low comedy and in the Yorkshire boys Mr. Weston is quite at home; he never fails to please the gods of the gallery, though I am sorry to see him often "over-act his jest."---He is, likewise, our harlequin. Mr. Miller is the best clown we have ever witnessed, and he very often indulges us with a comic pas seul between the play and farce. It must be here remarked, that a nonsensical pantomime will fill the Exeter theatre, whilst the best tragedies our stage affords (though well-acted,) are generally performed to empty benches. Mr. Neylor joined the company towards the close of the season: his proper sphere is low characters, country boys, &c. but, in the absence of Mr. Sheridan, he has been sustaining, with success, a range of characters entirely new to him. Of Messrs. Worsdale, Grant, Bretton, &c. I have only to say, that the characters assigned to them are represented with propriety. The female characters are ably supported by Mrs. Farren, Mrs. Neylor, Mrs. Worsdale, Mrs. Margerum, (vocal), Miss Logan, Miss Hague, and Miss Grant:---take them" for all in all," we have not witnessed better actresses on our stage for several seasons. Of their individual merits, I shall forbear to speak for the present. The only novelties produced this season were,---The Soldier's Daughter,---The Wife of Two Husbands, and---Raising the Wind. Sandford was honoured with universal applause in Frank Heartall, Count Belfior, and Diddler. Clark was respectable in Malfort, junior, and Fritz; as was Farren in Captain Woodley, Fainwould, and Carronade; nor must Weston's Timothy Quaint and Sam be forgotten. Upon the whole, the business of our stage is well-conducted, the scenery and dresses are good, and I feel happy in having no cause for censure. AN EXONIAN. Theatre BLACKBURN.-We have, at this time, a double application for a display of theatricals in this town; a new theatre is intended to be built, and it is supposed Mr. J. Stanton's company will be preferred. Our last Thespian campaign commenced in January, under the management of Mr. Collier, (Mr. Quantrell, deputy,) and continued ten or eleven weeks; but not with such success as was generally expected, owing, chiefly, to divisions in the company; which was composed of Messrs. Collier, Mason, Welch, Slaney, Weston, Collier, junior, Norman, Thurston, Mr. Mrs. and Miss Quantrell, Misses Collier, Parsons, and Weston. During the benefits Miss Collier was taken ill, and unable to perform for Mason and Miss Parsons, and a report was industriously spread that her sickness was feigned, which produced a hand-bill from the acting manager, and a long paragraph, in the Blackburn paper, in the lady's vindication. Much credit and praise was obtained by a pantomime prepared by Mr. Quantrell, which was performed several times, and for splendour and correctness was very superior to any thing ever performed under that denomination here. Report speaks highly of Mr. Stanton's company, and they will, no doubt, be well attended; as this place is very able to support a well-regulated company throughout the season. August 10. POLYDORE RVOL. XVIII, Theatre, MARGATE.---Miss Duncan, whose merits have been so conspicuously distinguished in the north, is added to the corps dramatique of this theatre. We have so frequently spoken in praise of this lady's theatrical talents, that very little of eulogy remains for us to add upon the subject. But whether the persons who reside at, or visit Margate, are insensible to merit, or the library and the auction are "metal more attractive," the theatre, since this lady's appearance, has not been so well attended as it ought. Mr. Faulkner, from Edinburgh, and Mr. Lovegrove, from Bath (an excellent comedian), are among the principal performers. Theatre, CANTERBURY.---During the races we have been visited by our admired favourite Dowton, who performed his principal characters with unabated effect. Mrs. Baker must have weakened her Tunbridge Wells Company to provide so ample a bill of fare for the amateurs of the drama in this city. Theatre, STAMFORD.---The following very animated lines, addressed to the Volunteers, written and spoken at this theatre by Mr. Seymour, were received with the most unbounded applause. While now fell Discord's brand aloft is hurl'd, Stands singly forward with undaunted mind, Sees round her shores the threat'ning swarms advance, By freedom wafted, and by valour led, O Britain! may thy hallow'd toils succeed! Latium, unnerv'd by indolence and crimes, All firm advance, and to the world make known, Theatre Royal, WEYMOUTH.---The absence of royalty is severely felt in this theatre, where "the king's name is a tower of strength;" and, luckily, the manager will very soon have the benefit of his Majesty's illustrious patronage. We should ill requite the impression made upon us by that improving actor Mr. Farren, were we not particularly to mention him. Much, however, as we admire him in characters of low humour, we think elegant comedy and the youthful heroes in tragedy better suited to his style of acting. ever, Theatre, TUNBRIDGE WELLS.--Mrs. Baker has this season collected together a more respectable company than on almost any other occasion. Still, howthe dull promenading visitors, who are more partial to the walk and the pan-tiles, remain insensible to this rational pleasure; for though the theatre is rendered as commodious as any provincial house in the kingdom, it is not frequented as it ought to be. Mrs. Dowton is a most useful actress, whether in tragedy, comedy, or farce. Mrs. Field is also a favourite, and in characters similar to Phoebe Whitethorn appears to great advantage. Mrs. Helme and Mrs. Lee are very respectable, where considerable exertion is not necessary. There is a sterling character in all the performances of Mr. Lee, calculated to give dignity to sentiment, and leave a due impression on the audience, where impassioned personification is requisite. We would really entreat Mr. Giles to peruse Walker's Dictionary, as the best work upon the subject of emphasis and pronunciation. Mr. Cushing possesses a good person and a powerful voice, which we would advise him to keep under. The dancing of the children of Mr. Dowton, in the pleasing entertainment of Paul and Virginia, is entitled to our best praise. Quick has been performing here a few nights with his usual excellence and success. THE JUVENILE ROSCIUS. Theatre Royal, Edinburgh.-Before entering upon the immediate subject of my letter, permit me to correct one or two very trifling errors, which had by some means or other crept into my last theatrical report. The character of Mrs. Berry applies to Mrs. Baster, there being no performer of that name worthy the least regard. Of two inferior actors, the name of Ward was used for that of Roberts. In every other respect, my report is correct: I abide by it verbatim et literatim. The desire of witnessing the exhibition of my favourite comedian Munden, with the fame of an extraordinary theatrical character, who shall be almost exclusively the subject of this letter, attracted me to the metropolis some weeks ago, Master Beattie, a boy hardly thirteen, a native of Belfast, has far exceeded in attraction,* and eclipsed in popular esteem, the vis comica of Munden, and the spirited efforts of Mr. H. Johnston. A few dozen of spectators at our theatre royal, a still smaller audience at an almost equally public place, to the comic exertions of the former, and the animated recitations of the latter, established the veracity of my statement. The splendour of our northern star has for a time been diminished by this meteor of the west: the young Roscius of Belfast, in the latter's own hemisphere, occupied the station of the Roscius of Scotland. The people * In eight nights he brought 8601. more, by near 150l. than Mrs. Siddons at her first appearance in Edinburgh. |