Aug. 1. The Africans.-Love laughs at Locksmiths. 4. Ways and Means.-Id. 5. Ghost.-Id.-Cheats of Scapin. 6. Africans. Music Mad.-Follies of a Day. 10. Id. Seeing's believing.-Hunter of the Alps. Aug. hend that the sentiments, though dignified, and in human nature, are not always strictly African. The piece was received with universal applause, and promises to continue to make the town wish this theatre a little bigger. * Mrs. Bellamy appeared at her own request in Little Pickle. All people ought to know their own powers best, but what we are naturally or actually (as we instanced in a drunken man, No. XV. p. 267) is not the only, or the prime qualification necessary to a successful stage representation. Her singing of “Since then I'm doom'd,” was pitiful beyond comparison, and the whole enaction quite destitute of the charm, which it has experienced, and without which the part itself is intolerably stupid. She certainly wears the breeches, or trowsers, as if she was used to them, and they became her so well, that we could not help singing Mr. Mug's verses, "with a difference," Oh! your white legs they peep, thro' this dress mighty smugly, But you should hide your mug, 'cause it looks so damn'd ugly! Mr. Mathews' Tag was full of original comic humour. We say original, because although the character, or rather caricature, has been well hit off by Mr. R. Palmer, and by Mr. Knight, with more merit, a prodigious quantity, Mr. Mathews adopted the style of neither, and still produced an infinite deal of applause. + In this, the most delightful of all the things called melo-drames, Miss A. De Camp made her first appearance in the character of Edmond. It would be invidious and unfair to compare her performance of the part, with that of her sister, Mrs. C. Kemble, whose excellent powers enjoy all the advantages of maturity. Miss A. De Camp is very young.-She is, however, an actress of promise, and played the Blind Boy in a very interesting and pretty manner Aug. 13.. Africans.-Plot and Counterplot.—Music Mad. 15. Id.-Recruiting Serjeant."-Tom Thumb. 16. Blind Boy.-Plot and Counterplot.-Valentine and Orson. (Mr. Farley's benefit.) 17. Africans.-Ghost.-Escapes. 18. Five Miles off.-Review.-Hob in the Well. 19. Id.-Blind Boy. 20. Revenge. Music Mad. Village Lawyer. manner-pretty, because it was too much like the performance of a young lady, and wanted a greater degree of firmness. As Miss D. will shut her eyes, and open her mouth, and see, &c. we must send her our impertinent wish that it had been just the reverse, for her eyes are very, very pretty! The best of the principal characters were acted by the original performers in the piece (see Covent Garden, No. XII. p. 441). The remainder, except in Mrs. Mathews, suffered by their summer excursion. -Mr. Thompson played Rodolph.-Why will he be so ridiculously precise and important upon all occasions? Is he envious of Mr. Carles, Stanislaus, King of Poland? The Elvina of Mrs. Mathews had, we think, in some respects, the advantage of Miss Norton's-there was more in it of the simplicity, and delicate and affectionate feeling of the character. This is revived by the taste of Bickerstaffe's Recruiting Serjeant Mr. Winston. It is inconceivably vapid and dull. The piece is in one act, and that act is one scene, the persons four, their language recitative, and the plot, the temptation and refusal of a boor to become a recruit. The singing of Mr. Taylor and Mrs. Mathews in the serjeant and the wife, could do nothing for it-to which were added the comicalities of Mr. Treby and Miss Leserve, the clown and the mother! If Mr. Treby's voice be fit for a chorus singer, let it keep within that cirele, for it is fit for nothing else. THEATRICAL CHIT-CHAT, Mr. Hook has an opera preparing for Drury. Mr. Colman's Africans is to be acted at Covent Garden. On the 12th of August the furniture of the theatre, Tottenham Court Road, taken in execution, was sold by auction. Some of the valuables— "Lot 84. A stage dresser. 86. Sundry tin sheets. 93. Two rope stretchers."-Query, two of the company? "97. A ladder and stage box. 119. Animal basket work, consisting of a Bull, Goose, and five Penies. R-VOL. IV.* 129. Eight Spanish jackets and one pair of breeches. Mr. Williams' Catalogue. So passeth away the glory of this world! Another Mr. Taylor, a singer from Liverpool, is engaged at Drury. We only want seven more. KING'S THEATRE. The opera closed on Tuesday the 2d of August, with Semiramide and La fille Sauvage, in which the divine strains of Catalani, and the airy form and graceful movements of Miss Gayton, seemed to leave nothing more exquisite in singing or dancing, to be hoped for or desired. Whatever the advantages of the season, the principal part of them is certainly ascribable to the wonderful powers and attraction of Madame Catalani. D'Egville's management, however, has been very liberal and satisfactory. By next winter, we trust that the feuds here will have ceased, and Naldi, &c. return to strengthen the operatic corps. ROYAL CIRCUS. Since our last notice, Mr. Cross has founded on Cowper's Johny Gilpin, a very laughable estravaganza, under the same title. The vulgar joy of Mrs. Gilpin on the projected tour to Edmonton, and the breakneck horsemanship of her spouse, were excellently well supported by Mrs. Hatton and Mr. James. The victories of the Spaniards, have also given occasion to a temporary piece, called, Andalusia, or the Spanish Patriots, in which the song, the dance, and love and murder, contribute to make a splendid spectacle. The author has, we perceive, availed himself of our "Bar ber of Seville," (see No. XIV. p. 121.) and the Don, who sings it, seems to have dressed after the humorous engraving of the subject, by Whittle and Laurie. These exhibitions, with Mr. Bradbury's Clown in the Witch and Wizard, bring crowded houses. It is fit to observe, that no haste can excuse the disgrace of exhibiting scrolls with such spelling as "Bretheren" and "heither.” VAUXHALL. This land belongs to the Prince of Wales, and it is said, that the lease of it expires this year. Mr. Barrett, the present lessee, is therefore resolved to make the most of it during his term, and thinks it no harm, as it respects himself in future, to kill the geose before he quits the farm. He has consequently increased the price of admission, and decreased the expence of every sort of entertainment, except that of supping, which is now rendered so exorbitant, that few parties like to pay so dear for making work for the apothecary. We augured something better in the beginning, but we are compelled in justice to the public to say, that the fire works were never so wretched, and the hands neither continue so long, nor are they near so numerous and excellent as last season. To these defects we may add, that the extra-price paid for admission, which was exacted on account of the value of oil, has been expended in extinguishers, rather than in improving or keeping up the illumination, now considerably "shorn of its beams." Mr. Barrett, however, has sterling reasons for this sort of management, and will not of course be without the means of gilding the disgrace of his retreat. ASTLEY'S AMPHITHEATRE. The disposition of Mr. Astley, junr. being in the highest degree patriotic, his genius took fire at the conduct of the Spaniards, and he, as well as his neighbours, has had a touch at the Spanish, in more senses than one; for, by the production of a grand spectacle, called, The Spanish Patriots, or a Country in Arms, he has crowded his house, and of course filled his pockets. A variety of other entertainments, none wanting in ingenuity, novelty and expence, concluding with his superb pantomime, The Magic Pagod, renders the whole a treat to all ages and conditions. PROVINCIAL DRAMA. Theatre, LIVERPOOL.-Allow me, Sir, to communicate to you, the present situation of our corps dramatique. We have Mr. and Mrs. H. Siddons, Mr. Elliston, and Miss Bolton, from the London theatres, upon whom it would be equally unnecessary and impertinent, to trouble you with any remarks; suffice it to say, they have not derogated in the least from the reputation they enjoyed, and have received that applause to which they are so well entitled. On the inferior part of the theatrical performers of Liverpool, I shall however, sir, hazard a few observations. I shall commence with Mr. Rae. This gentleman, sir, plays nothing but first rate characters, and seem to think it a disgrace to play second, even to the metropolitan performers. To particularise all his defects, were indeed a Herculean task; suffice it to say, he plays without judg ment, screws his mouth into a thousand contortions, which no doubt, he conceives to be elegant, and with regard to his appearance, though neither mis-shapen nor deformed, I may safely say, no one ever trod the buskin with a worse grace. I wish unreservedly to state this gentleman's defects, for it really is absurd, to see a young man enter on the stage when, as an actor, it is evident if he even attains mediocrity, he he can never surpass it. Such is Mr. Rae. Mr. Terry comes next: his qualifications as an actor are few, his voice is miserably bad, which precludes his shining in any but a few characters: in the Apothecary in the Poor Gentleman, he does well-in Miesco, in the Mysterious Bride, he received considerable applause. His judgment is far from correct. Mr. Jones is likewise a young actor. In one word, in tragedy he is the most contemptible performer in the world; in comedy, as a dashing young fellow, he is tolerable. Mr. Middleton might have made an expert shoemaker, or a fashionable tailor, which fair prospects he chose to spoil by becoming a bad actor. He is a great clumsy fellow, and brings up his words like old saws from his mouth. He dresses in the most absurd way in the world, only conceive the man, in the Belles Stratagem, came on the stage in the character of a man of fashion, dressed in a pair of old stockings, pantaloons, whole boots, old coat, dirty waiscoat, and a chapeau: his appearance is generally such as to excite the risible faculties of the audience, though Mr. Middleton is not the worst performer in the company. Mr. Tayleur has a comic face, ludicrous expression, and a tall lank figure: he is passable in farces. Mr. Turpin is a most excellent low comedian, sings a good song, plays countrymen to the nature, and is particularly good in Jaques, in the Honey Moon, and Flutterman, in Ella Rosenberg. Mr. Lewis and Mr. Knight, the managers, often play, and always in the first style. The females labour under defects, which I am afraid they can not obviatethey are all very ugly, and act most miserably ill. Miss Grant is sometimes respectable. That Mrs. Weston has a good foot and ancle, is all that can be said for her, and for the rest, there can not be said even so much. If this, sir, should meet your approbation, I shall every month transmit you an account of the theatrical manœuvres that take place in Liverpool. July, 28th. Your most obedient servant, J. H. Theatre, WORCESTER.-Mr. Editor.-It is now, I believe, some years since I troubled you with a critique, bearing my present signature, on the state of our theatricals, (not highly favourable I confess, but nevertheless just ;) and which you honoured me by inserting in your Monthly Mirror. The remarks I then made, were accompanied with a promise that should an improvement take place, I would, on the instant, bestow the meed of praise, and with more willingness than I had exercised the lash of criticism. I have since then attended the performances pretty regularly, the representation of new pieces invariably, and have seen every fresh performer that has been introduced. By directing my observation thus closely to the stage, I am capable of |