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Leader (1850-1860), 2nd April 1853, Edition 1 of 1, Page 334, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      Madame Vestris vou withdraw her from the scene during a long act and a 2 S £ iXodudng Lw set of persons and a new - ^^ en ^ n But I want to know what has become of ChrisUne I . haven t the sH ^ Htest regard for that young Count in love with Estelle-Christuej z the person whose fortunes " I am following and you expect ^ to give my Lathless attention to Mr . Belton when it is Madame Vestris I want to see ! Then , again , no sooner have you opened a ne ; v story -nay two new sfcories-the story of Alfred and Estelle , and of Jerome , Nicholas and Nicotte-tkan you bring back Christine , and bring in another love

      story , that of AmedSe and Marguerite ! I lave said enough for the critical reader . If he sees the play he will be able to appreciate the defect here indicated . He will also appreciate the exquisite beauty of Beverl y ' s Alpine and Breton scenery Ihere is a sunset over the sea , which Alexander Smith , —the laureat of the suns and seas , —might have seen in poetic vision ; there is a rocky glen and waterfall which is , without exception , the most enchanting picture ever put upon a sta ^ e , and which excited the enthusiasm of a languid audience to the unprecedented pitch of dragging the painter on the stage to receive an ovation , before the act could bo allowed to proceed . There are seven other scenes , all wonderful in their way , and as regards the " getting up the authors have had every chance of producing a strong impression . But scenery will not suffice . One must have story , character , dialoguethve things in which this iece is unfortunate .

      p _ Nothing can be more pathetic , more domestic m its truth , than the acting of Miadame Vestris in Christine . In the second act how terribly true her fever-wildered manner , wherein memory struggles to recover clearness , as the vanishing glimpses of hope fade away into darkness and grief ! and beautiful also the forlornness of her voice and attitude as , m the fifth act , she leans against the trellis-work , looking out upon the sea , where villagers are crossing in their boats to happy homes , as tlie sun slowly sinks into the sea , and she alone is left homeless and childless . Charles Mathews plays a long part , with only two or three occasions tor «•« dianUv of his art . and those show him in a novel light . ±± e Has

      never , I believe , played seriousness before . But there was a simplicity , a manliness , and an absence of staginess in his representation ot emotion which were very effective . It is a living comment on what 1 said tne other day about throwing aside conventions , and representing actual emotionsf Frank Mathews and his wife , in small parts were highly amusing ; fcnd so was Hoxby in the snubbed but kindly Nicholas . Baker , always excellent , made the most of what he had to do . Cooper and BlanH—who are additions to the company—were of material service to the piece , Cooper playing the uphill part of the colonel and Bland the Snail part of the corporal . Miss M . Oliver , who had taken the part of Estelle , at a few hours' notice , played with quiet feeling and discrimination , which deserved the applause she received . Julia St . George sang charmingly , and looked charming ; but she failed in representing the coXgrlef of the situation in Act IV . A young ddbutante , Urss Mason , produced a pleasant impression by her singing , and her J ° y ™ Jf » f £ As to Hosina Wright ' s clancing , I must look up a dictionarY of ^ thet « to describe its gaiety , grace , abandon , devilry , aiumal spirits , aplomb , and ^* TherlT ' ' That is over ; now let me look in and see what is going on at THE ADELPHI . It is a *>* & » de circonstance , inaugurating _ the new ™ " ^™^™ Z bringing forward the new acquisitions to the bil of fare-three , removes in the shape of Kecley the incomparable , Leigh Murray the dega ° *' " $ Webster the versatile , ( who , by the way , can not imitate ^ c ^ 1 ™^ * his personation of Mac Scratchy is to be taken as a « PJ ^ * ™ a Scotch mull ! the joke is not mine . ) We are m the Adelpin green room Miss Wool ^ ar is there , Mrs . Keeloy , Wigan , laul femora Madame Cclcste-tlie whole troupe in short-and g ^ X fSfilaTte greenroom iokes , are " fast and furious . " The piece doubly luliils its purpose itCtroduces the « strength of the company" jo pubhc view Ld it makes the public laugh . There cannot bo a doubt thai Webslci has got the company ; how will he work it P There lies the Pi oblem . After this introduction , we had A ^^^^ ^ Zlv criScfscd ™ anan Misfl Wnohrnr was to play the part I recently criticised ifi * --j ---- - and as on

      „„„ u see , occauHc jvximm **« - »< - >; u . «« o ^ r , . -. , Mdllo . Luther for playing without proper diBcnmmatio ^ the same occasion I introduced a sincere tribute to ^ wa WooI ^ tb-talent , diaplayed in another direction , I was anxious she should justify my uraise She didn ' t . Tfs unpleasant to Bay bo , but I must say it . bho Fell into tt same egregious blunder of farcical f ^^^^ t Mdllc . Luther ' s performance . She feigned lovo for J ) amon not aa . a woman who meant to be believed , but an a lively so f f £ ^ £ ™^ and over-acting , a part . She fluttered her handkerchief , threw Jierw 11 on lier knees ? llunl out her arms , and raised her voice as if she wore playmtf

      in some terrible drame , —a sort of bourgeoise PUdre ! All this was very funny to the stupid audience , who laughed the louder the louder slie screamed ; but their applause should have warned the Artist that sne was not keeping to the tone of comedy , but rioting in farce . It is so easy to be farcical ! so difficult to be true ! And yet this charming sinner whom I now chastise ( out of very love ) can be tru . e , —ay , true to the nicest shades of feeling ; and in the early scenes of the Novel Expedient she showed it . Her quarrel with her husband , and her shy affectionate advances , followed by the abandon with which she threw herself into his arms , as he sat sulking on the sofa , were in the finest spirit of dramatic art . There I recognised the Miss Woolgar , whom a few weeks ago 1 singled out as an Artist capable of representing something more than outward conventionalities ! I haven't done my work yet ; there is BTJCKSTONE'S ASCENT OP MOUNT PARNASSUS to speak of , and you may believe me , that is not a perilous ascent . If there were Time and Space ( those abstractions dear to Metaphysicians ) 1 would discourse to you in a strain of agreeable erudition upon the glories and the curiosities of Parnassus , the " double-crested mount . 'I have lono- wanted an opportunity of saying something about the Viage at Pwrnasso of Cervantes , witn its magnificent immodesty of self laudation , [ among other things , he makes Apollo say that he is the Adam ot . Foets . 0 Adan de poetas , O Cervantes !] but erudition , dissertation , digression , and everything else ending in ion must « nve place to " Space ; " and want of . Space will thus displace all the grace I might interlace for the populace ! ( See what it is to approach Parnassus ; even its very name sets one off rhyming •) , Buckstone's Ascent is a not very ingenious imitation of what the . brencn call revues . The new manager wants to know how he is to propitiate fortune . The various theatres give him a " taste of the quality , and not approving of any , he ascends Parnassus to court the Sisters JNme . lhe best—indeed the only good hit in this piece de circonstance was the scene from the Corsican Brothers , in which Mr . Braid ' s imitation of Charles Kean convulsed the house ; it was as true and humorous as Mr . Caulfield's imitation of Albert Smith was feeble and unlike . I cannot say that the " good old English comedy , " Sheriff of the County , _ which preceded this revue , tended " to exhilarate my spirits . The platitudes ! the ignoble stupidity ! the want of art , of movement , of -character of probability , one is afflicted with in these " good old comedies" ! I declare 1 know of nothing more dreary than the fun which amused our lathers ; and if Buckstone has opened the Haymarket with any lingering respect for those " legitimate works , " I distinctly foresee the end—I see , as from a tower , the end of all ! Of the company at this theatre I will speak another time;—Sullivan ' s new comedy will give me an occasion . MARCO SPADA . Charles Kean is certainly a liberal manager . Nothing is lost at his theatre for want of attention to the getting up , and splendour in scenery and dresses There ia more splendour than taste ip his mzse en scene , but the public eye is not fastidious . Marco Spada is a languid drama , badly acted , but it is put on the stage with a prodigality and an attention , to " business" which will secure it a run . Had Charles Kean played the bandit , it might have given some life and effect to the piece , for there is no disputing his effectiveness in melodrame ; but Mr . Ryder wants dash , brio , lkht and shade , everything , in short , to give effect to the character Nor can I say a word in praise of Walter Lacy in the low comedy part of a cowardly captain ; he was not comic , he was not gay , and his terror was not in the least like terror . Miss Heath imitates the angular gestures of Mrs . Kean with painful precision ; in a debutante one might overlook this , but Miss Heath has now been long enough on the stage to hear a word of counsel . . Marco Spada has been transformed from an opera into a melodrame ; but it is rare that an opera will bear such transformation ; and in tins case the old incidents and old situations , which might bo acceptable vehicles for music , become tiresome when offered as the interest ot a clrame . Yet two theatres have pounced on Marco Spada as if it were a bonne fortune . The Olympic version I have not scon yet ; but next wcclc 1 will speak of it , if need be . When I add ROKKHT IIOUDIN'S PERFORMANCES to the list of Easter entertainments , you will have before you Hie programme of all I might have run away from this week Now t hat the . week is over T begin to think it was not so terrible alter all ! Robert lloudin has been at the St . Jambb ' s Theatre , while the French company has heen delighting the public of Liverpool . Next wcok the . French playsi re-open , and next week also you may hear something of the Opera . V 'vian . / : 11 i VVKKK i i iwv

      Untitled Article

      MONEY MARKKT AND CITY TNTKLLTfl KNOK . Friday KvoniiiK , April 1 , lH 5 : t . Duiuno tho paHtweok-from tho aocido . it »( itn hoinp Kiwtiiir week u » d tho Bottling of tho account , -thorn him l > oon •»<¦ v < 7 lilllo buuiucHH in in « r « ly upooulativo IraiiHiioMoiiH on tlio nuu . u-UxoIuuiko . OoiihoIm huvo >>< " >»» v « ry Una throughout l . lm -week , and closo to-day at tt » l to 100 for money , iii » t » l }*> for tho luiiioiiiil . Thorn luivo Ikioii » om <> |> un ) hiiH < m in HpuniH , lj Htook ; and tho noglontod Oonunittoo OitliiouloN aro now _ LU •—Bonio months ii ^ o thoy wero to Ins bought for i . " ! J " >»' £ 4 i . All Bouth Aiikoriuan Htoeka maintuiu tlusir priooo -Boino i > aoplo imuuiuu that thoro jruuui bo Htill a oonnidornblo riao in Meiioan tiiock . Bantu Anna , by thu laat ucoouutu , uooimug to

      ; ; i .. r , T ,. TZr . ZrJ " i . V , M 1 f . l . bo vorv Doi . ular , and iiioliniiif , ' to tho Lil . ontl parly Vrtmah 1 LVw , &Hha «« . » . aotl . orH « n . r of Kruno ,, Notw . tl .-Uml , » , B tho ^ inidablo array « f "an » oH , mimy indopondont m « n in Miociiy " , r . hh t , ¦ i ^ liHKUHt at , tho a . h . ktio .. . an . 1 , >«»|» 1 « ' ««; ound who Kwdly hiihii «« L that tho le . uh . rH and ori inatorH ol tl . o addroHH aro v ry lirwAly inti'n ^ tod in «« r « ain Fr « n « h .. ndortalnn ^ H , J . t ,. ally in » p « nilion , and in < , » .. «« HHi » i » tooomo , wlnoh may - havo Ld L'ri-at U Hui . ih !« On tli » " M « r « hant » , trailorH , and oUkth . A"l « ml n O . ilii «» r » i » ., Minos havo boon qu . ot , hardly any iZnZ a » i .. i » th « . n . Tho Laud Companion Ho . nowhat fow-r 1 » our own lUilway Kh . uo . s but JitJlo hiiHinoHH dono . I hoio Ir 11 rol ab y L littlo tond . n . y U , Kpocdution in th-o a . lvon-Jur « H until later in tho Hpriutf . Tho K r «« il mho o tho y . ar i& toL , >] -o i » tho « « , « ,,.., . » . and tho ^^ J ^^ ' tho Kroator Uin » liaii « o <> l a mlu . itioii i » I II ro ,.-, i . I l , « iiin , whidii will Imv . i l . li <» < ' »« ' <•• ' " I" i » al » i « K « v « ry <» tl' « 'i- kiml ol nivontmont iit , trucliv « i . CORN MA . HKKTH . MnrU Lano , Krid . iy ovoninf , ' , April 1 , 1 HW . Hkvkbai . <> fl . li « IUimA Hi > a and Moditon-an .-un « ftrK « MW ^ . J * J " r havo oomo round from tho oouhI iliiniiR tli « w «« 'k . W U tl h « ., o «]> ti » i > tho Hupply m v «» ry ... odorato . » n «< w a «; llri . ¦» » " « } trado vory « , » ii , t . I » ri «« -H aro ( irmly mam aux . d ¦» U . » H tu , > rtH , but little l , UHin «> HH doin ^ . Tho Bum » lioHoi > i . K liHh VV « at in tho ( loiiutry n . arkotH have l . oon mnalf , and pnooH w « r « nwn-Uinod , but , farvi Kn m ^ loetod . Uarloy doohuuH in vuluo hor * and in tho foreign ( dripping portH . Oatu linn .

      Untitled Article

      KORIOKiN KlINDK . ( La . ht OvinciAi . Quotation dijuino run Wkkk uniiiho Kill DAY KVKNINH . ) . , AuHt . riim IMh . fi p . CIh .... i >» i ItiiMniaii , 1 HU 2 ""'> l ) aninh : i por OoiiIh Mi Sardinian HoucIh •¦¦••• ]> ' ¦! K ,., uul ,, r f > 2 H |»« iiiHh : » i > . ( 3 tB . Now Del . - (> ( 4 roi « k , cxovor . du ( iCV ) Up . » HpaniHb Coin . Corlil . ol Moxcicm . ! l por Ot . A cot . Coupon iK . Uuiidod ... » , 1 April 15 .. 5 Mli Dutch 24 p or ContH .... 0 C | l ' oruvian Horip HJl »» . l > utoh 4 por Cent . OorW . »« i i ' ortutuobo 4 jior OoiitH . ' Mi

      Untitled Article

      HltlTISlE FUNDS FOR TK 'AHT . JJU 1 T 18 U- 1 ! UN I ) H I'OU llll ' I AH vv r- . ( Ol . OHINO J'llldKH . ) fiatitr . Monti . Tuea . IVedn . Thurs . IMrf . Dunk Stock 3 por Cont . Rod •; - ¦ 3 por Cont . Oon . Ahh . i ( M ) !«> J 0 !) J lOOJ- 100 'Ml OoriHolHforAcc-oui . l ... i ) i ) J » I ) J KM ) lOOfc KM > S ' ><> Hi por Cont . An Now C > por C ' oiitH ijong Aim ., 1 H ( H ) <> : < - !<( India Htook ;¦" Ditto UondH . UIOOO ' ^> ' » " v Ditto , undor . l'KKM ) ... 40 40 •«) 4 . > 4 j 5 ...... Kk . IlillH , . L ' 1000 ll )|) <> p » l » « ' 1 > " 1 > Ditto , . C f >()() 10 p Ditto , Hiimll 10 p 10 p f'V •••¦ _ •¦ __ ¦•¦¦¦ ..

      Untitled Article

      Tins CiruiHTiAN Hemoion . — 'Wie ChriHtiiui roligion is a gladsome religion—a gospd : and greatly must ; it have been misuntlcvHtood « r « any of its followers could hnve been brought into Biich woe-bogono plight . Triith they undoubtedly hnvo seized , but only in part—tlio Hour Hide of tho pouch . —From JJjiiaAH ' H Poetics .

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  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), April 2, 1853, page 334, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1980/page/22/