Dramatic Review. "...Good, my Lord, will you see the Players well bestowed ?— My Lord, I will use them according to their desert." SHAKSPEARY. No. CCCLI. FRIDAY, FEB. 27, 1824. Vol. VIII. Theatre-Ropal. THE JEALOUS WIFE.-For some time past, it has been our determination to make out a list of the Comedies exhibited in our Theatre since the commencement of last summer season; and, by an arithmetical process, proceeding upon a comparison of the number of those plays with the number of years which a man has to live, to shew the very slender chance (supposing the same system to be persevered in) which the youngest of our readers has to see the representation of a twentieth part of the excellent acting comedies in our language. We are most averse from opening up a new quarrel with Mr. Murray, who, (without reading our Work, we are to presume,) has adopted many of our ideas, and, who, by producing none but the very best Comedies, is entitled to praise. But we submit to his own impartial judgment, whether the perpetual routine of half a dozen Co. medies, or so, can be satisfactory to the public? Sure we are, that a much greater number is within the compass of the comic ability of his Company. Why, among others, is not The Twelfth Night brought out? We can make suggestions to the Manager now with the more confidence and pleasure, from a knowledge, that every suggestion of ours which he has adopted has been equally advantageous to the management and agreeable to the public. Having got thus far in our remarks, an appeal to the public spirit, and we may add, virtue of the inhabitants of Edinburgh, made by a highly-talented native of the city, has been put into our hands, and feeling it to be a duty to give it every publicity, we are reduced to the necessity of being more brief than we would wish to be in our notice of the performance, and of breaking faith with our Correspondents, if our promises made to them are not to be considered conditional. Mr. Jones, who acted Lord Trinket, met with that friendly greeting which was due to him as a gentleman of the most correct deportment, upon emerging into public life from "a sea of troubles," or rather of sufferings, all but overwhelming. Every ebullition of generous feeling is grateful to us, though we must say, (without the most distant reference to the present case,) that in our Theatre such ebullitions too often interfere with the dispensations of distributive justice. In Mr. Jones' case, there was no mistaking the motive of applause which hailed his appearance. Mr. Jones' Lord Trinket is one of his very best parts; and would he confine himself to such parts, he would make us eloquent in his praise. All the other characters were admirably sustained, with the exception of Mackay's Russet, which we never can like. Mrs. Siddons, who acts Mrs. Oakly, has not the " angry frontlet on" of her illustrious namesake in the same character, but the peevish frontlet. However, her's is conformable to the modern way of acting the part, and we must pronounce it excellent. MR. H. E. JOHNSTON. We are sorry to see the above highly distinguihsed Performer under the necessity of making the following appeal to his townsmen. A similar one was made to the public by the present Proprietrix of the Theatre-Royal, on the death of her husband, and in several instances since; we therefore hope our fellow-citizens will step forward to-morrow evening, and shew that, when a fellow-citizen is in difficulties, they will not desert him; to say more would be superfluous. We therefore subjoin a copy of Mr. J.'s address "Mr. H. Johnston, in announcing his Benefit, intreats the indulgence of the public, in calling their attention to his concerns in the above Theatre. Mr. J. has now for nearly two seasons struggled with slender funds, and under considerable privations, in the management of the Caledonian Theatre. Last winter he commenced the speculation with no small share of spirit, and aided by a Company, generally acknowledged to have been effective in all its departments. Perhaps the best proof that can be given of the truth of this assertion, is, that several individuals who were then introduced, now grace the boards of the Theatre-Royal. All persons in the least degree acquainted with Theatricals, must be aware, that to secure an efficient Company in the leading seat of the legitimate Drama, it is necessary to give a limited encouragement to an opponent, to operate as a spur to the exertions of the conductors of the more essential institution In making this assertion, Mr. J. disclaims all personalities. No one is a greater lover of a pure and well appointed Drama than himself; and a more serious respect for the conductors of that Drama in this city, exists not in the hearts of their warmest and most devoted admirers. Yet surely it is not necessary that Mr. J. should remind the Edinburgh audience, that monopoly is not likely to serve them well; and that security will lead the way to a careless inattention. "Mr. J. believes it is generally known, that the heavy expences of the establishment last winter were not balanced by his receipts; and the result was, his being plunged into some difficulties, though not of any great magnitude. Actuated by an ardent wish to satisfy his creditors, he was induced this year to undertake the conducting of this Theatre on a more economical scale, and at a weekly expenditure that he imagined must be covered. Time, however, has proved him wrong in his conjectures; and nothing but the greatest personal privations, and many sacrifices on the part of the persons around him, could have enabled him to weather the storm. A short time back, an opportunity occurred of entering into a treaty with Mr. Powell, for the services of his extensive Stud of Horses. Encouraged by the patronage that is now bestowed in London on the Melodramas in which these Animals are called into action, and anxious that the public should not lose the gratification afforded by such exhibitions, he, at a considerable expence, ventured on the speculation. To the frequenters of the Caledonian he appeals for judgment, whether every thing has not been done that his limited means would allow, to render the Drama of Timour the Tartar worthy the support of an enlightened audience; the cheering marks of approbation nightly elicited from those persons witnessing it, are the best proofs that it possesses some claim on public attention. Yet, notwithstanding all this, it has failed in the most essential point—that of increasing the treasury. Thus, it appears, that no exertions can be successful in recommending this Theatre to general notice, which the public, for some reason, perhaps more from habit than any just cause, seem determined to consider unfashionable. Under these circumstances, Mr. J. appeals to the Ladies and Gentlemen for their support on this night, to enable him to meet the expences incurred this season. "A small portion of public favour would render him capable of conducting the Caledonian Theatre for a short season every year, and on less funds than almost any other person. For Mr. J. to assert, that he did not wish to secure an independency by his exertions, would be to declare himself different from all mankind: yet he can sincerely say, that he should be happy to continue in the management of this concern if it would but barely pay, and allow him a moderate income, in the bosom of his native city. With these sentiments, he throws himself on the liberality of his townsmen, to whom appeals of this description are seldom made in vain; and he trusts that he will not prove a solitary exception on the present occasion." PUBLISHED DAILY BY J. L. HUIE, 14, INFIRMARY ST. |