July 9. Five Miles off.-Plot and Counterplot.-Tom Thumb. 11. Iron Chest.-Plot and Counterplot. 12. Wild Oats *.-Plot and Counterplot. 13. Fatal Curiosity t.--The Cheats of Scapin.-Agreeable Surprize. 14. A Tale of Mystery.-Escapes (first time at this theatre.) Katharine and Petruchio.. July in Mr. Sheridan to prevent the performance of it on this spot, where they will bear the latter part, which is always hissed at Drury-Lane Theatre; and it is not praise-worthy in the manager of this house to deprive, for any reason, the town of Mr. Mathew's Sir Fretful Plagiary,' the most genuine piece of acting his present company is capable of exhibiting. * Mr. May, from Belfast, made his debut here in the character of Rover, In figure he is a perfect May-pole, and his pronunciation what is called vulgar, but he bustled through the part with some degree of liveliness, and was received with great favour. We must see more of him, however, before we can subscribe to all the applause of his first appearance. The Jane of Mrs. Gibbs in this pleasant comedy was delightful. + Lillo's Fatal Curiosity, originally played here în 1736, was on this night disturbed from its repose of twenty years, and, as we think, cruelly; for, to make Mr. Lillo get up and dress himself, merely for the purpose of putting him to bed again immediately is, suivant nous, rather hard. We are told that it met at first "with a very favourable reception," and the critic adds, "the play is, in my opinion, equal, if not superior, to any of this author's other works." In almost every point of view, however, this tragedy appears to us to bear no comparison in merit with George Barnwell. The first and second act may be said to be flatly preparatory to the last, in which the working of Agnes, the wife, on Old Wilmot, to relieve their poverty by the murder of Young Wilmot, who has trusted them with his property, and through fatal curiosity concealed that he is their son, is, without doubt, tremendously operative on the feelings. In these afflicting scenes, the temptation, a d after the murder, Mr. Young was very impressive, and the sensibility of the house was most painfully agitated, but the curtain dropped immediately afterwards with some marks of disapprobation. The character of Old Wilmot is that of a ci-devant philosopher, for his philosophy only lasted during his better days— Aux cœurs heureux les vertues sont faciles. July 15. Battle of Hexham. Seeing is believing.Love laughs at Locksmiths. 16. Surrender of Calais,Cheats of Scapin. 18. Hunter of the Alps, Review, Escapes. - 19. Mogul Tale.-Five Miles off.-Plot and Counterplot. July -In his misfortunes, all the glorious bubbles break, and he sends his Seneca to be sold, saying, that the worst copy of the philosopher would sell for that, which would produce more relief to them in their distress, than all his philosophy. Shakespeare, who has said every thing, has told us, that "there was never yet philosopher that could endure the tooth-ach patiently, however, they have writ the style of Gods, and made a pish at chance and sufferance." Mr. Young performed the part with much judgment and effect; but it can be played better, though we never wish to see it. In a white wig, his face, without any assistance from art, was a perfect representation of age. He was poorly supported by the rest of the persons in the drama. We may say that Mr. Palmer, in Young Wilmot, Mrs. St. Leger, in Agnes, and Mrs. Bellamy, in Charlotte, were respectable, but that is “damning with faint praise," indeed. Mrs. Bellamy is a clever woman, but unhappy in her cast of characters-somebody is always to be raving mad in love with her beauty. After stabbing Young Wilmot, the old man is to perform the same good office on Agnes-this was a puzzler. We have no doubt that it took Mr. Young some time at rehearsal to determine where he should stick Mrs. St. Leger; the heart used to be the place, but in this instance that fortress was so protected by breast-work, that the attempt at a breach there was abandoned, and he stabbed her between "those hills of snow," with a three inch dagger, which was as sufficient to reach her heart as the sting of a gnat-however, she died on the spot, and we were content. After this tragedy in three acts, The Cheats of Scapin, was revived. It has not been played, we believe, since the Drury-Lane Company performed at the Opera House, when Mr. Bannister appeared in Rider's favourite character, Scapin. This farce is a translation of Moliere's Fouberies de Scapin, who borrowed the plot from the Phormio of Terence. It is printed at the end of Otway's tragedy of Titus and Berenice, in three acts, and was "probably," says Baker, " destined for a joint performance." The relief it afforded to Titus was equally seasonable to the Fatal Curiosity. Mr. Mathews undertook the part of Scapin and acquitted himself admirably. He has made some judicious alteration in the language used while he is bastinadoing Old Gripe in the sack—that which stood before is either unintelligible to the million, or utter nonsense and did not give him the same opportunity of mimicry, which he July 20. Mountaineers. Mrs. Wiggins. Tom Thumb. now seizes to display an astonishing variety of imitation. If the alterations had been a little more extended, it would have been better-the simple translation of French law technicals is bad an adaptation to out forms would have been easy and effective. The piece was received with bursts of applause, and will, we expect, be often repeated for the sake of the Cheats of Scapin. The remainder of the dram. pers. deserves to be put on record. Messrs. Grove, Wharton, Carles, Treby, Atkins, Noble, Menage, Truman, Miss De Cump, and Mrs. Stokes ! This farce is in the bills said to be with alterations and additions from Trick upon Trick, or the Vintner in the Suds, from which piece merely a single incident is taken; the shaving scene in the first act. Plot and Counter-plot was not played as advertised, Mr. Liston being ill.* Though there are some characters which nobody can play exactly like this comical actor, Pedrillo is one, which no performer could perform without exciting nearly the same quantity of laughterthe drollery consisting entirely in lying prostrate in a white night cap, and starting with alarm at stated intervals. * Octavian was undertaken by Mr. May, his second appearance... After Mr. Kemble we have seen the part performed with various de grees of inferiority, but nothing so bad as this ever came before us, or entered into our contemplation. Such an unhappy modulation of voice, such judgment founded on base imitation, and such a display of tenderness, so like one maudlin drunk, have rarely exhibited themselves to public ridicule. If Mr. Colman had, instead of the Cardenio of Cervantes, wished to represent the knight of the woeful countenance, receiving the Duenna Rodriguez, with the yellow counterpane wrapped round him, he could not in feature, look, and manner, have found a more correct likeness than Mr. May manifested in Octavian. As this gentleman is not from Scotland but Ireland, there is hope that he will return. The passage from Holyhead is never safer than at the present season! The liberties taken with the author's text, "tedious it were to tell, and harsh to hear," but we shall note two or three improvements. Mr. Carles în Bulcazin, when he should have said-if I hear " a single Moor bewailing the fatigue his coward body suffers, on the instant my *The Morning Herald next day informed the public that the Cheats of Scapin (which was performed) was put off through Mr. Liston's ind sposition (who had no part in the piece). These are the critics who direct the public judgmeut to admire the fine ladies of Mrs. Jordan, Mr. Elliston in tragedy, and Mr. Pope in every thing! 2 * Eu el qual trage parecia la mas extraordinaria fantasma que se pudiera pensar. P. 11. B. vii. сар. 48. scimitar shall search his body through;" put the comma after instant, and read—“ his coward body suffers on the instant, my, &c." Roque, by Mr. Thompson, another genius, pronounces Granada, Grandda. Mr. C. is perhaps to blame for Lope Tocho, pronounced as if it were Toko, when according to the Spanish pronunciation it ought to be Totcho; as well as “ dimpled cherubims," when cherubim is the Hebrew plural, and you might as properly say oxens as cherubims. Mrs. Mathews, in Zorayda, was interesting, and performed with much pleasing and unaffected ease. The chorusses were suug in a style vying with what is termed a Dutch concert, but at the same time wholly disproving the position that “variety is charming.” THEATRICAL CHIT-CHAT. It has been said that Mr. Jones, the Irish manager, was to manage at Drury, to give Mr. Sheridan £.3000 per annum, and to take for his pains a quarter share of the-profits! but the report is untrue-Mr. T. Sheridan is appointed manager, and Mr. Wroughton, assistant or stage manager. Mr. Harris offered Mr. Colman £.1000 for the Africans; or War, Love, and Duty. Mr. Carles has taken Mr. Putnam's place at the Haymarket.-Mr. "P. was bound to go. Mr. Young is engaged by Mr. Harris for five years, at 18, 19, and £.20 a week. We fear that this is a first rate put out of commissiona yellow admiral with nothing but his pay to comfort him in his retire ment. ASTLEY'S AMPHITHEATRE. On the 27th June Mr. Astley junr. produced a superb pantomime called The Magic Pagod. We did not see it till the second night, when the house was crowded beyond all example, and the satisfaction of the spectators appeared to equal their avidity to partake of the amusement. The piece is full of splendour and ingenious contrivance. Mr. Montgomery's Clown, though by no means unequalled, is very clever, and Mrs. Parker's agility in Columbine is very extraordinary, considering that it is a run against Time. Crossman's tailor is the most surprising and droll thing ever exhibited, and, with the numerous other attractions, is sure to fill the house. The horsemanship here has at present no rival. ROYAL CIRCUS. This theatre was on the 27th June very liberally opened for the benefit of an institution to provide for the indigent children of free-maBetween the previous entertainments and the pantomime, an address in verse was delivered, which had for its object to appeal to the charitable feelings of the audience-as thus: sons. "What smiling faces-see- I'll send the treasurer round to take the fee;" and he was as good as his word, for, on the instant, Mr. Daniel, the inventor of the life preserver, as well as founder and treasurer of this institution, with another person, visited every part of the house, with two quart pots, and took the fee to bribe St. Peter; so that many were induced to take a step towards heaven, who entered the Circus without any thoughts of travelling that road! A new pantomime has appeared this month called The Witch and the Wizard. It possesses a vast deal of drollery, and much ingenious invention. In the latter, the machinist has distinguished himself very happily, and in the former, Mr. Bradbury is all in all—his Clown is excellent. Notwithstanding the heat of the weather, Mr. Saunderson, the leader of the band, continues to let his hair grow, rather than spoil the fine effect which it produces. PROVINCIAL DRAMA. Theatre, MANCHESTER.—Sir,—In your valuable Miscellany, The Monthly Mirror for March last, I have lately observed a most illiberal and wanton attack on our respectable theatrical manager, Mr. M'Cready, signed" A Townsman." A bare reference to the paper in question will sufficiently show, that it is as barren of criticism as of liberality. Mr. M'Cready is the same gentleman of whom honourable mention has so frequently been made in the first series of your publication, as the liberal manager of several provincial theatres, and particularly Birmingham, where, notwithstanding so slanderous an assertion to the contrary, if fame is not a liar, he was universally esteemed, both as a public and private character. If he did not there meet with that success his exertions merited, it could only be attributed to the general pressure of the times. It would much exceed the limits of my paper, to give only the names of the various novelties introduced this season: suffice it to say, that since its first commencement, our manager has been most indefatigable in his endeavours to please: every attraction of scenery and machinery, dancing, &c. incessantly varied; every new performance, as soon as stamped with the approbation of a London audience, has been introduced, and with a promptitude never before experienced in this town (if we perhaps except the last season at the old theatre, under the management of Mr. Young). Several popular pieces never performed at our old theatre, as the Caravan, Lodoiska, Perouse, &c. have been splendidly introduced. Mother Goose with a profusion of new scenery and machinery, and the powerful aid of Mr. Bradbury of the Circus as clown, has been particularly attractive, as also the melo drame of the |