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Haymabket Theatbe . —A crowd of Mr . Bucfcstone ' s patrons took their annual benefit on Saturday . The entertainments consisted of crushed ribs a vapour bath , some excellent dramatic paeces and the popular manager ' s annual speech . This last sensible and humorous composition , in which ,. according to his custom , the genial host reviewed his laJt efson , mysteriously alluded to the coming one the trials and difficulties of
such pieces were formerly in season—its nuggets on to the metropolitan stage , not , it is to . be hoped , without the old Morgianesque precaution of greasing the measure for his own behoof . In his last burlesque extravaganza , which is as well entitled to the " new and original" of the bills as many a two or three act drama , our author has had no need to stray from the nursery legend ; but he has used it , simple as he found it , as the backbone for a set of travesties upon scenes in Shakspeare in wliich the talents of the performers we have named , of course immensely assisted the plans of the play engineer . The Babes , Tommy and Sallyare personated by Mr . J . L . Toole and Miss
, K Kelly ; the wicked uncle , Sir Rowland Maceassar by Mrs , Alfred Mellon ; Mr . Paul Bedford and Mr . C . J . Smith are Smith and Brown , a pair of unmitigated melodramatic ruffians , who first undertake to perform their brutal office of chicken butchers , at the bidding of the wicked knight and his Lady Mucbeth of a spouse , Lady Macassar ( Mrs . Biltington ) , and then , in due course , after a heinous parody on that famous scene from " King John , " between Arthur and Hubert , fallout like true knaves , and leave the innocents to the mercy of the cockrobins , who do their spiriting according to the fitness of such things . Mr . Byron has , with abandoned licentiousness ( from the purist ' s point of view ) , torn ,
driven , ! ridden through , and trampled on , old associations and old proprieties . His steed is no quaint hobby-horse , but a mad Pegasus . Not the plaintive nursery tale alone , but fragments from the tragedies King Richard , King John , Macbeth , and , some goodnatured friends say , much more modern works , have been snatched by the flying wizard to fill his cauldron . The broth is lavishly spiced to the taste of the age , with the necessary quips and puns and Word contortions , and is so well served up by the Adelphi management that even a fricasseed audience could neither refrain from boisterous laughter during the progress of the banquet , nor cordial approval at it termination .
andVffnerauTbrewTut managerial existence to most portentous dimensions , was delivered in Ms best , manner . Consisting as it did , mainly , of well-worn commonplaces , its wholesale importation into our columns would be annoying , and would , after all , give a faint idea of the effect produced by Mr . Buckstone ' s mirth-provoking voice and admirable elocution . The following iudicious hints for the Pharisaical world , in which an actor repudiates from his own point of view the notion of ' ¦ ' No Sabbath" told well upon the audience ,
and , to our fancy , are worth reprinting . " Perhaps , ladies and gentlemen , I ought to tell you that we shall continue to represent ' The Contested Election ' every night , I hope for some time to come , Sundays . excepted . Why I say « Sundays excepted arises from the strange ignorance of many people respecting the actor and his habits . In arguing the propriety of opening the Crystal Palace , the Museum , and the National Gallery on a Sunday , it has teen asserted that if it were allowed we should next have the theatres open on a Sunday ; and a ¦ worthy candidate the other day , when addressing the electors of Maryiebone ; in aswer to a question vote for
on the subject , stated that he would never the opening of any of these places on . a Sunday , nor ¦ would he consent to the opening of theatres on that day . Ladies and gentlemen , there is no fear that theatres will ever be open on a Sunday in this country , for the simple reason that no English actor would on that day consent to follow his profession . The English actor is too fond of his Sunday , enjoys his rest > and is quite as grateful for it as any member of The Serious Family' can be . Neither in the provinces nor in London would the actors be found to give up their Sundays ; they are too respectable and too independent—at least I know those of the
Haymarket are . " The manager then formally declared his season over , and announced in the next breath that the new one would commence on the then following Monday ; which commence it did , accordingly , and , dogdays and dognights notwithstanding , has continued merrily to the present time . Adeijphi Theatre . —Despite the frenzy of the devotees to English undefiled , and all the fanatic worshippers of the high and dry old drama , the weeds 0 > y their foes called pestilent ) of the Punch and Judy school seem to flourish exceedingly wherever they take root . They bid fair , in course of time , to overshadow the town , according to one facto another like the
tion like the upas , according salutary banyan , tree . For ourselves—somcw . hat Iconoclastic ns we are in our tendencies—we view without serious apprehension the oft-deplored decadence of the legitimate drama . It may be asked , whether it over had a right to much of a pedestal . Who gave it that educational mission that elated toastmongcrs rave so much about at feasts to flattered dramatists and enthusiastic actors ? Its true and original mission was , we apprehend , nothing higher than to divert , and to pay . The- educational part of the story has always been an excrescence , and for some hundred years —to speak within the mark —has , unless sparingly introduced , made plays
mortally dull . ond unsubvontioned managers utterly poor . The celebrated Mr . Charles Kean himself has been almost too much of the certificated dramatic teacher to make raanagenaont answer , and had . lie not strayed ftwfiilljr from the didactic rails might probably have been by this time an object moro of sympathy than of congratulation . The public , or people if you will , havq at no timo really and truly recognised the " mission , " and it is high timo the superstitious boliof in ite existence came to an end . We admit , of course , that a modicum of instruction may always , and vory reasonably too , bo oxhibitod like so much salt , for its savour , aloug with ovory shoiv , -whether butto
tragic , comic , farcical , or extravagant "; , speak commonsensically , an oxcoss of it in a theatro , like a handful of the precious condixnont In a cream ice , is apt to provo « vn emetic . It was said and sung somo years ago by Mosers . Albert Smith and John Parry that Mr . Plancho had exhausted the hpt-bod of burlesque , but it would seetn that each frosli generation of authors finds profitable diggings without vast or laborious prospecting , Mr . Byron , who produced on Monday last , at the Adolphi , a " novelty , " called " The Babes in the Wood , " lias recently hit upon a flrBt-rato " pocket , " and is busily transferring—' -without regard to the traditional times of year at which alone
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We have to report one of tlie most agreeable musical reunions of the season , which took place on Monday last—a musical and literary maiinte , given by the Countess Montemerli , at the residence of W . F . Wolley Esq ., Campden House , Kensington . The company , though as numerous as the theatre could accommodate with comfort , was very select . The list of lady patronesses embraced the names of upwards of twenty ladies of title , among whom were the Marchioness of Abercorn , the Marchioness of Downshire , the Countess of Darnley , &c . The artistes , both vocal and instrumental , were all favourably known to the public , and included Messrs . Badia , Finoli , Oury ( piano ) , and Hummler ( violin ) , Siguori
Badia , Fagotti , Depret , and Mr . J . Thomas . ( harp ) . The selection of pieces was pleasingly varied , of a judicious lQngth , and included a vocal duet , charmingly sung by Madame Badia and Mdlle . Finoli , and composed by Signor Fiori , one of the conductors . Signor Fiqri is a pianist of great talent and musical knowledge , who has for several years past visited London during the season . The main feature of the entertainment was , however , the reading , by the Countess Montemerli , of a graceful French composition of her own , called La JFemme ct la Guerre . Seldom have we experienced dcoper emotion than when listening to the sweotyot mournful voice of the
gifted and beautiful Countess , as sho depicted scenes of warfare and bloodshed which have been , alas ! but too familiar to her heart and mind during the past few weeks that the war in Italy has rendered her a widowed wife . Attired in the national colours of her husband ' s native laud , the . country of her own adoption and enthusiastic love , she read of Italy ' s sons giving themselves up voluntarily to die for their bolovod country , with a fervour and pathos which borrowed nothing 1 from elocutionary or theatrical training . As aright and true hcartpd woman , sho uttered a touchingly tender lamentation for the Austrians of her own sex compelled to
part from their loved ones , and for what ?—to rnain- ^ tain treaties already torn to jahrods , to oppress a great peoples Though written amidst sorrow and agitation , this effusion Avas read undor ciroumstances of still deeper gloom and pain . Tho Countoss and her husband wore amongst those who placod tho greatest faith in tho promises of the French Emperor , and nurtured the most sanguine hopes of Italy ' s unification and nationality through his interference How groat is now their disappointment
—how bitter their digonohantraent 1 A friond who had frequently , during tho war , expressed a doubt of Napoleon ' s sincerity and disinterestedness , buf ; only to encounter tho most vigorous and eloquent contradictions from Madame Montemerli , met hor at Campden House on Monday , for the first ( jimo since tho announcement of the unwelcome peace . With toolings of the deepest sympathy and sorrow , her friond addressed the Countess »—Well now , dour Madame , what do you think of tho Fronch Emporor r Tho Countess could only reply— -Je stu ' s consternoa /
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CRYSTAL PALACE . Makhstg hay while the sun shines , is the order of the day at Sydenhain ; and really the programmes of Mr ; Bowley not Only puzzle our choice , but defy all our good will to report them . The Early Closing Society ' s Association ' s Festival , on'Saturday last , should not , however , be passed unnoticed . This valuable body , which , is entitled , on account of its perseverance , to the warm gratitude of the labouring classes—and , as Lord Brougham said , elsewhere , who now-a-days is not a labourer ?—and to the earnest commendation of all liberal mindsj has -won a distinguished place on the roll of successful agitations ; and we can sympathise with the pride of its promoters and managers when they gather about them at these anniversaries a crowd of workers for whom they have wonfrom hard-fisted capital , by simple
, reason alone , the boon of such half-holidays . It were as needless repetition to catalogue the attractions provided for the numerous company as to dilate upon the beauties of the . Palace , the park , and the prospect . It is worth notice , perhaps , that the tropical heat of the last few days has , by putting all but the most indispensable modicum of fire out of the question , lent an unwonted clearness ( the Thames nuts purity out of the question ) to the metropolitan atmosphere , and fresh charms to the glorious landscape that stretches from the Palace foot . The glittering edifice itself has never been so distinctly seen from London as on Saturday and Sunday last , and the daily frequenters of the terraces tell us that on no previous occasion have they observed such brightness in the air about them , or compassed such wide and beautiful panoramic effects . concert at
There was a vocal and instrumental half-past three o ' clock , consisting of a selection of overtures , glees , songs , * md ballads . The principal artistes were Madame Weiss , Miss Banks , and Miss Palmer , Mr . Weiss , Mr . Montem Smith / and the Polyhymnian Choir , under the direction of Mr , William . Rea . Mr . Weiss sang " The Slave ' s Dream " in his usual happy style , evincing a high degree of power , taste , and feeling in the execution . Tne charming ballad , _ " Mary of Argyle , " was also finely sung by Mr . IMontem Smith . He seemed to breathe the spirit of the song . Miss Banks warbled so sweetly , "Lo , here the gentle Lark , " -as to call forth repeated rounds of applause . The Polyhyinnian Choir , consisting of eighty male voices , sang several part songs , very effectively , proving the ability and zeal of the director , Mr . Hea .
Mr Coward played a selection upon the Handel organ , and there was plenty of music in the grounds . The arrangements were excellent , and me last of the visitors , of whom there were 8 , 500 during the day , reluctantly dispersed at nightfall . On Tuesday no less than 21 , 793 persons attended a festival , feathering of six thousand metropolitan charity children . The streets were alive at an early hour with files upon files of urchins debouching upon the railway station , with their customary following of spiritual pastors and masters , parents and patrons , mittee Bumbledom
churchwardens and com -men . dismounted for one day only from its great destrier is a goodly sight , and the care and kindliness wherewith those little ones are watched over by . their potent governors on such occasions as . this is no less sweet to look upon . The juvenile choirs occupied the Handel orchestra . Their musical proficiency in parts songs was quite as marked as is desirable ; and , in such unison passages as wo have been used to hear in St . Paul's Cathedral , the effect of their fresh young lungs , working in pure air at high pressure , was , we neod hardly say , most imposing .
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PALACE OF THE PEOri ., 13 , MUSVfEU .. HIM .. On Saturday last another step was taken by tho spiri ted pronjotors of this undertaking , whose-quiescence , by many set down erroneously to entire abandonment , seems only to havo l > qen dictated by prudent ¦ regard to the stato of tho money market and the absence ot all speculative feeling . But . they have < nuy n _ line ^ bwt to better their spring , for wo arc glad nov to flad Lord Brougham taking a Prominent p « il . imonfc thorn . This amiable evorgropn , together w 1 11 a tew choico spirits to represent literature « nd t ' jo ™* arts , the Guards' bund , ^ T ^ F uTJon TthS , excellent banquet , formed the light M ™™* " ™ ai * * tf insnofition f tor wo can hardly call it an
amugu-, ration ) while the heavies wore roprcsciuea oy mr . JdSVSernmn , Sir Chnrlos SJ * , Mr . Kennard , a nisi cd guest , on X proposed site of tlw building , all tl oso e " cellenciofl of tho schomo with which our constant readers are already familiar . THey hailed £ ?«» section and elevation upon him | . took him in Sink wit f « c ?" and figures , , and finally pourided SE into a marguoo -where they were in turn com-« olle < to ylold the goodnatured lord to the attractions of Uv . Rhode / hospitality , and tho excitement of ti / bta ohampotro . Hie lordship , in answer to an ablo address drawn up , on behalf of tho committee ,
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^ ^ Jht-t 23 . 186 S . V - THE LE ADEE . 863
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Leader (1850-1860), July 23, 1859, page 863, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2304/page/11/
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