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    ¦ concludes with her glimmering hope that the lunatic may be induced by drinking of it to rid her of the danger eheis in while he lives . The third act andscene are laid in a corridor of the Frankfort dead-house . A lengthy explanation has here to be given-r-which among inhabitants of the town would have been a ¦ disgusting superfluity—of the custom of bringing all dead bodies to this Morgue that the fact of death may be established . In each cell down that long gallery is supposed to be a corpse , and attached to finch'a cord connected with a bell and dial . The slightest movement after death would therefore give . ft signal . Here we have a repulsive carouse between the drunken Avatchman and Hans Grimm , who will

    not believe in his master ' s death . Madame Bert / mann and Keller are there too , from different and obvious motives ; but the excitement of her position and the frightful attitude of the drunken maniac are too much for the former—she faints and calls for drink . The deadhouse watchman ' s wine is handy , and the " red vial'' is produced by Huns Grimm , who demoniacally empties its contents into her glass . She returns to consciousness just long enough to find that the fate she had designed for Rodenberg had recoiled upon herself . As the death chill comes over her she sees the hand of the dial turn slowly round . This is sufficient proof that Rodenberg lives , and the curtain comes down upon her ag-ony and the triumph

    of Hans . None who have seen this play , and few ¦ who have read the above summary , will deny the - author ' s power ; but , for all that , the unbiased " ¦ groundlings have pretty well settled that the piece is not to be a great success . They are probably right , and , if right , the reason why—of which they reck but little—is , that though the lied Vial has ¦ enough dramatic situation and enough beautiful and vigorous language to make a half-dozen-more successful pieces somewhere and in some hands , there is too little distribution of force in it to make it answer where it is now presented . In the character of Madame Bergmann is Concentrated-a vast amount of interest

    and strength , of which a scientific dramatist would have spared some for the figures of Sinna , Rodenberg , and Karl , now colourless . But Mr . Collins is more of an artist than an engineer . He has powerful , romantic thoughts and beautiful word-colour at command ; but used ( figuratively ) to stippling and small panels , he is not at home when he has to cover an acre of canvas with a pound brush . Thus , he has splendidly painted the figure of the Widow * used up all his colour , and left round her some prutty sketches only . The attempt to achieve a very startling novelty by making a great part of Hans Grimm—if such an attempt bad been

    contemplated—is unsuccessful . The repulsive introduction of n half-maniac we cau get over ; but it is lamentable , continuing our former train of thought , to see how it has caused a waste of i > ower instead of its accumulation . The great artist who undertakes Hans Grimm painfully beats the head of his own genius against the wretched cell in which his author has imprisoned him . He is even inclined to make Grimm , as the author has made him , a reasoning idiot . Scene after scene the actor ' s power is screwed down , when both he and his hearers are aware of a grand opening . The result is a series of disappointments ; for if Grimm reasons , ltobson is wrong ; if lie is all drivel , Kobson is thrown away

    upon starts , howls , and twitches . It surely , after all , soc-nis us unnecessary to have madu Hunn half-witted as to have made Mr . Rodenberg a Jew . The dog-liko devotion of the former , which at present is made to lay in the only illuminated chamber of his mind , would lmvo been perfectly compatible with his sanity , and , with the exception of that devotion , we imagine ho is intended to be a blank . The characters and combinations of character which sane persons offer to the dramatist and the actor are still so numerous that neither of them need yet bo driven as a dernier resort to try a lifelike povtruiture of " nothing . " The attempts of Mr . llobson to do something with Hans Grimm , without

    overstepping the conditions by which he was fettered , were , wo need hardly nay , productive of , occasionally , fine results . Hia first burst at Madame Berg , mann , hi ? description of his straw-hud cull in the madhouse , his seizure of tho red vial from the -widow ' s hand , were as magnificent ns her recoil from him in the first instance , anil in tho lust , ns her superb reply to his query about tho contents of the flask . This gifted aotrcas infused all her power into her part } so much , indeed , thnt it is quite possible tho Red Vial may , after all , enjoy a u run . " The

    tical taste . The first act presented a series of cabinet pictures , and the perspective of the deadhouse arcade in the last was as perfect a scenic illusion as we remember . Strand Theatre . —We have still another novelty to notice here , and , we are glad to say , another complete success . The management have . ' produced with admirable scenic and decorative accompaniments , a burlesque called The Maid and the Magpie , or the Fatal tyoon , from the pen of Mr . Henry Byron , the author of Fra Diavolo and The Bride of Abydos . This gentleman ' s version of the old story is set forth in six tableaux . In the first , we meet Fabrizio , the farmer Qlr . Poynter ) , and his grey mare of a wife Ninettetheir maid

    Dame Lucia ( Mrs . Selby ); , , the heroine of the tale ( Miss M . Oliver ); Gianetto ( Miss M . Ternan ) , their heir , a fast young military exquisite , in love with Ninette ; and lastly , their ue'er-dowell , stage-struck serving boy , Pippo ( Miss Marie Wilton ) . The latter young person thinks , does , and says everything dramatically , insists that every one within his reach shall do likewise , and is an inveterate young opponent of all rule and order . He has no idea of pathos ( unless dramatic ); he ejaculates , " Oh for a penn ' orth of blue fire ! " at the grand climax of the drama , and is the greatest plague in life to his fussy old mistress . We should not omit the Magpie , who in due course runs off with " the fatal spoon" at the proper time , nor the blister-brained deserter , Fernando VillabeUa , the father of Ninette . In this character , the veteran burlesque King ( Mr . James

    Bland ) , was most imposing in the detail of his woes , and his pathetic recognition of his daughter , Ninette . In the second scene , the Jew , Isaac ( Mr . J . Clarke ) , appears and executes a fantastic duet and nigger dance with Pippo . Then follows the bargain between Ninette and Isaac for the spoon she had honestly come by ; a ballet of bridesmaids ; some admirable after-dinner orations by Gianetto and Pippo ; the missing of the spoon , and the charge of larceny against the maid by Madame Fabrizio . We are next conducted to the dreary , dreary moor , where in Lear-like agony old Villa&ella-goes mad , and gets arrested by the wicked -magistrate , who , spiteful at being rejected by Ninette , has just done the same office for her . The father and daughter meet in prison , and little Pippo gives them his blessing , and full directions for a decorous and properly

    theatrical exit from their troubles . The denoumeut comes off as usual . The magpie is detected by Pippo , and the spoon recovered . The procession to execution is stopped , the rancorous magistrate put to confusion , and the lovers Ninette and Gianetto are made happy . The facility with which Mr . Byron has contrived to invest the pathetic story of the Gazza Ladra with the drapery of the wildest farce is very remarkable . He has done it no violence , and has preserved the incidents intact ; but he has embodied with them so much clever wordplay , well chosen popula r music , and ridiculous effects , that the dramatis personal , themselves exhilarated , find no difficulty in communicating the

    infection of risibility to the audience . The theatrical company exerted themselves to the utmost , and did every justice to the author , who has every reason to congratulate himself upon a strength of cast which , at the moment , he might have sought in vain at other houses . Tho unquestionable dramatic talents of Mrs . Solby , Misses Oliver , Tornnn , and Wilton , and of Messrs . Bland and Clarke , found such ample scope in the several situations that Mr . Byron has very ingeniously planned for the display of their capabilities , that selection would appear almost invidious .

    afterwards . The reception accorded to the popular " Charley ' Mathews "—as he will ever be called by the million , long after he have resigned the remotest claims , to the diminutive—his fair bride , and the safe and well-approved comedy of London Assurance , was enthusiastic . Rounds of applause at each appearancewere succeeded by others at the well-known description of the Chase , delivered very nicely by the heroine of the evening as Lady Gay Spanker , and at the close of the play the . audience insisted upon a separate walk over for the huppy pair of the occasion . Mr . Mathews played the insignificant part of Dazzle — of whom it is justly asked at the denouement , "Who is Mr . Dazzle ?"—with all his ancient sprightliness

    and gentility , and , being a great deal deal thinnerif we may trust our eyes—than when we saw him . last , with more natural , and therefore effective , lightness . Mrs . Mathews , while pleasing and buoyant in the part of Lady Gay Spanker , has to contend so much up-hill against our vivid recollection of Mrs . Nisbett , that we can hardly call ourselves impartial , and would reserve , therefore , any expression of opinion upon her general qualifications until we have seen her in a part less identified with the memory of one who mainly assisted the author to

    create it . It is time that Mr . Chippendale passed out of a category in which he is often flippantly classed almost by habit . He has long ceased , in our opinion , to be "this useful , " " this valuable , " or this " eminently conscientious" actor , and is entitled to be ranked as a very able and excellent artist who never misses his author ' s intention , and , in modern plays , not seldom seizes finer shades than all playgoers can appreciate . His masterly delineation of the crisp old epicurean man of fashion , Sir Harcourt Courtly , we consider a case in point .

    Sadler ' s Wells . —Mr . Phelps , according to his annual custom , has made choice of a character not hitherto delineated by him , to display his varied histrionic talent , and appeared on Wednesday as Dr . Cantweil in the old and almost obsolete comedy of the Hypocrite . In dealing with this character , Mr . Phelps lias judiciously read it anew by the light of modern times , and , instead of making it a loud , canting specimen of hypocrisy of the coarsest sort , has given it all the slyness , cunning , and smoothness of an arch impostor . He is-soft almost to sappinessj humble to crawling ; and -his feigned sanctimony is of the weeping and watery kind . His feelings are ever overflowing at his eyes ,

    and his pocket-handkerchief is cunningly used to veil as much as to heighten his appearance of suffering . When detected , after his many doublings and deceits , his ferocious nature breaks out , and Mr , Phelps was no less terrible in this phase of bis wickedness than he was oily and subtle when ifc suited him to keep on the mask . His master-points were with the young lady when he makes the bargain to sell his consent to her wedding her lover , and his audacious effrontery and wickedness when he take s possession of his benefactor ' s house . Although the satanic nature came put when he made adulterous love to Lady Lambert , yet we have seon that scene more elaborated—a process , by the way , considering its disgusting nature , by no

    means desirable . Taken as a complete delineation of a peculiar phase of character , Mr . Phelps ' s jDr Cantwell may be pronounced to be highly artistic , and full of admirable satire and portraiture ; and it certainly should be seen by all delighting in tho higher processes of dramatic art . Mrs . Charles Young , as Charlotte , was very lively and clever , giving full effect to all the naive ami smart sayings and doings of the somewhat forward young lady . Mrs . Mnrston was admirably quaint and grotesque as Old Lady Lambert , and Mr . Marston gave the manly young Colonel with the true feeling and gusto of a thorough gentleman . Mr . Young enacted Mawworm effectively . The house was well attended , critically attentive , and judiciously applausive .

    Wo shall , howeyer , be safe in naming as a groat and successful piece of burlesque conception and execution tho grand scenn , travestied from the opera of La SoHiiambula , in which Ninette , accompanied by the whole cast , protests her innocence . The Strand company is so rich hi good voices that Bellini's beautiful strain of " Hear me swear , theu , " supported by tho chorus , was very satisfactorily sung . This is of itself iv treat ; and tho anti-pathetic vagaries of tho principal characters woro so humorous without vulgarity , that the passage was as unanimously as deservedly encored .

    Mons . Julukn anuounc . es everywhere that his twentieth and last annual series of concerts , which ho proposes to entitle his " Concerts d'Adieu , " is to take place at the Lyceum Theatre ; tho first to be given on tho 1 st of November . So natural is tho Jullien to London , so necessary , that one inquires almost pettishly , Why should he go ? Where- can ho go ? Ought ho to be let go ? " Concerts d * Adieu , " ono adds , "fiddlesticks ! ho will never march . " Jullien ,

    how-JIaymakket Theathe . — -The London managers , it would seem , combined on Monday night to put their great rival attraction , the comet , out of countenanco if for one night only , by a strong pull , and a pull altogether ; and if tho crowd that contrived on that night to get into this tlioatro was but equalled nt every other place of amusement that aunounood a now attraction , the harmless Trade Union may be congratulated upon having gone some way towards

    ever , would seem to bo in earnest , for his bills throw out mysterious allusions to a travelling caravan ot musical , artistic , literary , and scientific celebrities , and to tho world-wide promotion of a noble and philanthropic cause . As tho Mons . encourages communications , wo shall avail ourselves of sonic future opportunity to inquire into the mystery of this prop : iguudten > . ( Several talented foreign emissaries arc , we daresay , already at work , and the interiors ot ilddles will not bo sacred at tho conliiu-nt" ! customhouses for months after such an announcement

    its aim . There was no quostimi about tho density oi tho tail at tho pit door , nor , indeed , of the cohesion of tho particles forming tho nucleus . Attraction there evidently was , and all we missed was gravity ; for the return of Mr . Charles aUathews after two yours' wandering in tho United States , was seized by a thousand or two of Britons as nn opportunity for indulgence in good honest laughter to an extent which your Englishman generally wants an excuse for first , and alludes to somewhat apologetically

    llKii Majesty ' s Thicvtum , — N o would inquire of Mons . JulUon , en j > , wn , t , IC he opuld not prppngato sutlloiontly widely tho necessity oi Julllun to tho Opera House in the iJayuiarket- Ihoso doors are closed—and some say closed for over . All aorta of

    beautiful simplicity of her demeanour in her first scene , tho oloquenco of her appeal to Rcdenberg , her passionate " Look at my Ninna , " must , indeed , be eeen and heard to bo appreciated ; and none who miss the sight may hereafter protend to have seen this great actress at'horbost . Of tho Red Viaiit might be justly pretended by the management that its production was careful and regardless of expense . We can reeal no parallel to the beauty and taste of the costume , which , with tho ' mine en acdne ( of the first act especially ) , announce—as plain as drapery and colour can—the super vision of an accomplished artia-

    Untitled Article

    No . 447 , OgTOBEB 16 , 1858 . ] _ MJJ . lg- 1 __ 1095

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 16, 1858, page 1095, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2264/page/15/