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Leader (1850-1860), 7th April 1855, Edition 2 of 2, Page 21, The Princess's faster piece is on "wW^**...

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      Olympic Theatre. It Will Be A Long Time ...

      various scenes of the harlequinade the amateurs were successively put to . every test ofbantomimic art , excepting that talent for posture-making which is a modern innovation and passed victoriously through them all . The business-like manner in which ' they executed all the conventional movements , supposed to be the exclusive property of a small body of professional artists , was really amazing . The audience could scarcely believe that Harlequin was in earnest when he prepared to leap through & wall , but he was so notwithstanding , and , if he was not quite glib the first time , he went through the scene like a snot whenever he repeated the exploit . It could scarcely be expected that amateurs would interchange those violent assaults which make up so much of the comic business of pantomime , but never did Clown and Pantaloon belabour each other more heartily , or tumble down with more formidable truthfalness than Mr . J- Robins and Mr . Arthur Smith . The audience , inspired by the triumnh of the performers , at last forgot that they were amateurs altogether , and ' Hot Codlins The test gallantlacceptedand MrJ

      shouted aloud for . ' new was y , . . Kobins sang the famous legend of the ' little old woman' with all contortions of voice and countenance that would have satisfied the most rigid judge of pantomimic proprietors . Nor should we , while recording the excellence Of the principal characters , forget the accessories . A series of burlesque poses plastiques , executed by Messrs . Holmes , Ibbertson , and Hallett , in the dress of acrobats , were inimitably comic , and scarcely less so was the performance of Mr . E . Yates , who , as a careful tight-rope dancer , chalked a line upon the ground , and upon that , instead of a real cord , went through all the business of actual peril and precaution . Mr . Albert Smith , too , reappeared in the harlequinade , dressed as a showman , and sang the late Mr . Mathews ' s song of the ' Country Fair , ' with several modifications of his own . Some exceedingly clever balancing tricks were done by a gentleman who seemed to be unknown to the generality of the audience ; but Mr . Albert Smith , who was on the stage during the feats , called out that he _ was an amateur . ..,. _ ,, _„ . _ ¦ " ,.. __ . ¦ for shouts of lause and calls for the

      " The fall of the curtain was the signal app principal actors , and , as the audience left the theatre , one declaration might be plainly heard from many lips , ' This is the best pantomime I ever . saw in my life . ' " We are glad to hear that a second performance of the Pantomime is to be given after Easter . The following is the Prologue , from the pen of Mr . Tom Taylor : — PROLOGUE The Ghost of Shakspeare rises through a trap . Shahs . What ' s this ? Lights ! Ladies ! Gallants ! Sore I fear That William Shakspeare has no business here . In Sadler ' s Wells or Shoreditch he may show" Remote , unfriended , melancholy , slow !" But thus far West , how dare he venture forth , When he should serve his Phelps , in the far North ? But thus it comes : Ex-managers departed Have leave , when Cerberus is tender-hearted , To quit the grave , and change its earthy damps For that delicious odour of the lamps . - [ He sniffs .-Thus I , de facto ghost—stage king dejure , Incog ., in Covent Garden , or Old Drury , At midnight , may to the dim stage recal My subjects and creations , one and all . There Betterton treads Hamlet ' s wayward course , Richard , in Garrick ' voice , still calls "to horse !"_ _ . ¦ The grim Thane ' s wife looks forth from Siddons' eyes ; CoriOlanus moves in Kemble ' s guise ; . O ' er Juliet ' s balcony hangs sweet O'Neil ; In Kean ' s lithe hand old Shylock whets his steel ; Young , with Iago ' s bluffness masks his sneer ; Macready gasps the curse of heart-wrung Lear . Alas ! 'tis fancy all—that stately throng Yield to Bal Masque" and Italian song . But yet , ' tis sweet to tread the fallen scene , And think , though such things are not , they have been . Upon such errand bound I wandered here , Andfind . it is a _ play-night —< Aa { is clear—And , with such goodly audience , T incline * ~ ¦ To a faint hope it may be one of mine . Modern Drama rises . M D . A play of yours ! dismiss that hope—do—in the name of Fogy-dom ! Quit these Olympic regions , for the dungeons of Old-Bogy-dom . iShaha . What bold spark ' s this ? * j £ jr > Spark ! I ' m a blaze of triumph—Modern Drama ! Serio-comico-melodramatico-spectacle—Shahs Pray bo calmer ! M . D . Style , florid-illegitimate : blends each country , age , and fashion ; Cut and material chiefly French . - Qhafe I hoar it with compassion . M D Compassion ! come , old slow-coach , whate ' er you like to pit ' em at—? Gainst your Elizabethan I'll back my Illegitimate . I'd go in with you for horrors—for laughs—effects spectacular—Situations—ay , and language too-high ropes or slang vernacular . As Bell ' s Life says , I don't mean " bounce , " my money ' s always ready , At ev ry sporting house in town I ' m to be heard of —• Shales . . , , i y Compose yourself , my rapid friend , and know , In my day , too , wo had our " fast" and " slow ;" Know , too , by the old fogeys of the past , I , Shaksponrc , was considered much too fast . From Norton , Sackville , Marlow ' s mighty line , TJiey drew comparison , and pooh-pooh'd mine . With settled rulo and dignity at strife , King * jostled clowns , in my plays , as in life j My Tempest was a " masque , " Macbeth a " droll , " Nothing I wrote kept one tune through the whole . I startled grina witli groans—with mirth mocked mourning—Mixed proso nnd verso—crossed atatclinoss with scorning—In tragedy I laughed—in furco moved tears—In short , I broko all rulera , and won all cars . M . D . Upon my word , old follow , you sot thinga in a now light to mo ; I ' ve no doubt , if you woro writing now-a-daya , you'd come round quite It' 3 ° a pity you ' ro old fashioned , there ' s a great deal of good stuff in you , But , really , your worshippers do go such lengths in puffing you . No wonder , on tho other sido , if wo fust men talk nonsense ; Tip us your fist , old follow—so we ' re really friends . Shahs . ' Inonoeenao : . J As wo search life for themes , tako inon for models ,

      Consult , for rules , not books , but our own noddles . As we use Nature , serving while we rule , . So far—no farther—we are of one school . M . D . I don't quite twig , but I dare say you're right . Shpfa . But say , which of us two reigns here to-night ? Spirit of Pantomime rises between them . Pan . Neither ! For once , although 'tis Easter time , ¦ ' . . You ' re banished , both , for . reckless Pantomime . . . '' ¦ . ' Nothing is sacred now from amateurs , In my domain they seek to win their spurs . Volunteer Hamlets and Macbeths we ' ve plenty , No year but the Soho will find you twenty ; But amateurs , for the first time , to-day The heights and depths of Pantomime essay ; Shade of Grimaldi , watch our clown's raw tumbles ! Bologna ' s ghost , keep Harlequin from stumbles ! Old Barnes , reseek the glimpses of the moon , To guard our young and heedless Pantaloon . ' And you , kind friends , think , as you judge the trio , How hard it is to play the fool " con brio . " And let the cause that prompts , plead for our folly ; Our mirth may help to make a sad house jolly ; From sick and struggling hearts may chase some gloom , And lighten an inevitable doom . So I resume my silence , and my mask , While gentle Charity completes my task , To plead for all short-comings in our play . Shaks . Come—shall we seek this work ? M . D . Agreed ! All . Away ! THEY ALL THREE DISAPPEAR .

      Aran 7. 1855.T Thb Leader. 333

      Aran 7 . 1855 . T THB LEADER . 333

      Royal Italian Opera. Many Doubts And Fea...

      ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA . Many doubts and fears , of the war , the Paris Exhibition , and what not , have been set at rest this week by the advertisement that the Opera season is to commence on Easter Tuesday . The prospectus is on the whole very promising , although only two novelties are positively announced . One of these is the Etoile du Nord , which , we need not say , has never been performed in England , pace E . T . Smith . Meyerbeer has composed recitatives , and there is a reasonable hope of his " personally superintending the production of his work . " The other novelty is Verdi ' s Trovatore , which was performed some twenty-five nights during the past season of the Italian Opera at Paris . The Trovatore will no doubt prove an attraction , though riot so popular as Rigoletto . A third directors

      novelty is promised , should " time permit , " but we do not think the will have any call to produce it if they succeed in bringing out the Eloile du Nprd and the Trovatore atthe height of the season . Among the engagements , we shall be glad to hear again that exquisite singer Mademoiselle Bosio , and to welcome back to the land she loves so well , and to the theatre of her many glories , that esteemed and beloved lady , that illustrious artist , Madame Viardot * Her name is a tower of strength to the Royal Italian Opera . Mademoiselle Jenny Ney , from Dresden and Vienna , is favourably , heralded by fame . We are glad to find the rumours of Madame Grisi's reappearance for a few " positively last nights" as yet unconfirmed . There is an inevitable anti-climax in these reappearances . Madame Grisi took leave of us like the sun , in glory ; but after setting in the west , a great artist cannot , like the sun , rise again in

      elory in the east . Signor Mario will , however , Teappear " for a limited number of performances . ' This is a most welcome promise : no loss will be more sensibly felt than that of Mario , who , we have reason to fear , will not sing in public after this season . We shall be strong in tenors this year , with not only Tamberlik ( himself a host ) , but Gardoni . Signor Guazi ani , the new baritone , is a capital reinforcement ; his voice is powerful and sympathetic , and his presence is engaging . For basses we are to have Lablache and Formes , and Zelger ; Formes is designedly MEYERBKER-to play Peter in the . Eloile du JVbrrf . . Tagmafico , in every sense a superior artist , returns with Polonini , the useful and ever ready . Ronconi , the consummate actor , the finished and masterly singer , comes back ; contralto have heard since

      and so does Mademoiselle Didikk , the pleasantest we Alboni ; Luchesi , the accomplished but fatigued light tenor ; Mademoiselle Makai the fair Adalgisa j Mademoiselle Bellini , who made so decided an advance last year ; and last , but not least , the strident and sonorous Soldi . Xhe engagement of Cerito gives some eclat to the ballet . Mr . Costa presidos once more in the orchestra , and once more Mr . A . Harms will give " local colour to the business of the stage . Forty-six operas are already comprised in the repertory of the theatre , in a complete state of preparation ; but , if we mistake not , the Etoile du Nord and the Trovatore will monopolise at least the better half of the present season . Two other engagements are said to be pending . Can these be Alboni ( who is coming to England ) and Joanna Wagner , of whom our Berlin correspondent has reported so well ?

      Drdry Lane Opens On Easter Monday For Ge...

      Drdry Lane opens on Easter Monday for German and Italian opera . Last year the speculation was remarkably successful , until the directors , fatuously blind to the only possible conditions of their enterprise , issued a decree tliat visitors to the dress-circle and the stalls should appear in evening dress . ' This at playhouse prices , and at Drury Lane ! The consequence was , that the playhouse public , preferring liberty of costume to polyglot operas , gave Duija v J ^ nb a " wide berth , " and abandoned the luxury of evening dross to tho oflloials oi tlie theatre . Wo trust the directors will be better advised this year .

      The Haymarket Has A Capital Easter Playb...

      The Haymarket has a capital Easter playbill , with the Spanish dancers and an extravaganza , which has at least a good title , The //«^ « '" * ^^! " ? ™'' OS A season of English opera , with Mr . Simb Kisbvks lor tenor , is to commence soon afterIKltar , but theVst now * we have to tell of the Havmakkkt , «/!«> « - gagement of Mr . Cuarlks Matiikws , who , will appear at that theatre on lus return from engagements at Jiirniingham and Manchester .

      The Princess's Faster Piece Is On "Ww^**...

      The Princess ' s faster piece is on " wW ^***^™!^ . ££% < £ ^ 7 ^ xxr ^ , ^^ ^^^ £ ^ by Mr . Oscar Byrne , and in which Miss Carlotta ^""^^ . ^ tuxn ot t ^^^ SSS ^^^^ ^^^ X ^ SVu ^^ and Easter too .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), April 7, 1855, page 21, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_07041855/page/21/