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THE DRAMA. 







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KINO'S THEATRE. 

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REALLY, Mr. Monk Mason, this will never do after the brilliant notes of 

 preparation, in which you thought it expedient to sound after having thrown 

 the whole of the fashionable, and would-be fashionable world into a fit of in- 

 describable excitement after having divided the public mind with the reform 

 bill, the cholera, and other subjects of vital import to fall as flat as Walter 

 Scott at the Battle of Waterloo* why, you are surely laughing at the pensive 

 public you are positively playing as many tricks and fancies in your manage- 

 ment as a child in a toy-shop. Where do you conceal the promised prodigies 

 of song? the unrivalled wonders of dance ? Where, where, in the name of all 

 the muses, are your vaunted novelties ? I beg your pardon II Barbiere, Pietro 

 L'Eremita, La Vestalle, have appeared ; and then your artists are beyond all 

 praise miracles of genius though the gentle public are not alive to their merit 

 the Contessa Lazise ! Signora Albertini ! Signer Calveri ! Indeed, we are in- 

 formed that you intend making some splendid additions to your already valua- 

 ble corps Miss F. Ayton, Miss Pearson and others. Then there is Signora 

 Puzzi, endeavouring to create a sensation about the success which she met with 

 a success which you very pertinently described as rivalling that of the ancient 

 warrior, when he exclaimed "Another such a victory and we shall be ruined." 

 That jeu d' esprit is the best hit you have made this season. Seriously 

 speaking, Mr. Mason, if you are not totally deaf to the voice of pity if your 

 heart has not yet arrived at the acme of professional callosity for " managers 

 have flinty hearts" do, for Heaven's sake, something that may even partially 

 satisfy the general craving, and justify the unwholesome quantity of puffs for 

 in them alone have you shewn variety with which every paper has been filled 

 since you were created the lessee of the King's Theatre. Puffs are dainty mor- 

 sels, to be sure but such slender provision is not hospitable to your friends, 

 who crave other things. If you are determined to make your fast-day last the 

 season, you had better close your doors, and convert your theatre into a con- 

 venticle. By the way, it would not be a bad speculation Mr. Spencer Perceval 

 would join you. 



So much has been said and written concerning the tragedy of "Francis 

 the First," that little remains for us to say. As a coup d'essai it is very pro- 

 mising, and possesses sufficient merit to do honour to an acknowledged drama- 

 tist. It is a pity, however, that Miss Kemble did not take the advice of a noble 

 and talented lady, and erase a few extremely objectionable words and passages, 

 which we cannot but consider as so many blots upon its fair proportions. But 

 we may expect a little self-sufficiency from a young lady, doubtless spoilt by 

 the ill-judged flattery of friends ; we would say, however, that coarseness 

 rarely conveys force to expression. As an acting play " Francis the First" is 

 somewhat disjointed, but we must bear in mind, the tragedy was not written 

 with a view to its production on the stage, and therefore no adaptation can 

 remedy the original defect. Some of the scenes, however, are highly effective. 



" Der Alchymist" has at length appeared, and proved to be the most 

 wretched, tiresome we want a word, to express the very quintessence of tedious- 

 ness ; to express, in fact, what we felt but that is impossible. It is enough 



* For none by sabre or by shot, 

 Fell half so flat as Waiter Scott ! 



