1825.] 
it, (Rows’s Fair Penitent) which in the 
days of Mr. and Mrs. Barry had such trium- 
phant possession of the stage. But the 
character of Beawmelle (the heroine) is still 
more exceptionable than that of Calista ; 
and nothing less than an entire rewriting 
of it, and finding a more respectable sort 
of villain for her seducer, could give drama- 
tic interest to the story. Mr. Macready in 
Romont (the Horatio of Rowe) was more 
at home than in the highly imaginative and 
master characters of Shakspeare ; and was 
as usual, highly applauded. 
A more recent novelty has been pre- 
sented to us, at the same house, under the 
name and description of “a new grand 
Opera, called The Fall of Algiers,” sup- 
ported by the vocal powers of Sapio, Horn, 
Miss Graddon and Miss Stephens ; and by 
the comic humour of Terry and Harley. 
In point of plot (with the advantage only 
of a little more scenic splendour in the ca- 
tastrophe) it is a mere transcript of “ The 
Siege of Belgrade: with scarcely a devia- 
tion, even in point of character, except the 
stale conceit of a note-taking Timothy 
Tourist, for Mr. Harley, and a gross and 
outré caricature of Sir Anthony Absolute, 
under the name of Admiral Rockwardine 
(for Mr. Terry). Of the music, with few ex- 
ceptions, we cannot speak very highly. Much 
of it was pretty, which is usually the case 
with Bishop’s ; and, as usual, little of it had 
either the striking originality which sur- 
prises while it delights, or that inspiration 
of feeling and expression which seizes on 
the fancy or influences the pulse. Several 
of the songs were indeed encored; but, 
with one exception only, so evidently by a 
small and previously ‘arranged party, that 
the obstinacy with which the call was per- 
severed in, in opposition to the majority of 
the audience, placed the singers, and even 
the sweet favourite Miss Stephens herself, 
in yery painful predicaments: for what can 
be more worrying to a performer than to 
stand for ten minutes together, like a cul- 
prit during the discussions of a disagreeing 
jury, and be compelled at last to sing in 
dumb show, as it were, amidst the discor- 
dant cries of “ No, no, no!” and the 
clatter of hands and sticks that would over- 
whelm them. This is a modern custom, 
that would be “ honoured in the breach.’” 
—The only encore that actually and evi- 
dently came from the house, was Sapio’s 
“* Yes—'tis decreed—thou lovely fair,” 
in the second act, which is really very beau- 
tiful: and it is but just to say that the 
sestett and chorus that followed was equally 
beautiful, and was executed by Horn, 
Sapio, Miss Stephens, Miss Graddon, &c. 
in a style fully equal to the merit of the 
composition. The greatest fault of the 
music is its imitation of the style of Weber ; 
much of it being, in effect, Der Freischutz 
in masquerade ; and, like masquerading in 
general, with little of consistency in the 
Theatrical Review ; and Music: 
69 
assumed character. We advise Mr. Bishop 
toavoid this ill-adapted mimicry for the 
future. It is not a style suited to the con- 
stitution of his taste and talent. - If he can- 
not attain excellence in his own way, let 
him be assured he will not rise to it in this. 
There,is nothing of German depth and 
abstraction evidently in the music of his 
soul. If there had been, he would not 
have adopted such a style upon such an oc- 
sion ; for the peculiar merit of the music 
of Der Freischutz consists in what may be 
called its métaphysique: its happy adaption 
to the wild and supernatural cast of the 
story. Here, therefore, it was entirely out 
of place. 
CovENT-GaARDEN has had the good for- 
tune to command gocd houses without the 
necessity of much appeal to novelty. Mr. 
Russell, made an unsuccessful attempt in 
the character of Shylock ; and Mrs. Sloman 
was not as successful in Portia, as in more 
pathetic characters; and the play has not 
been repeated. On the 12th of the month, 
Colman’s heterogeneous, but interesting 
Opera of Inkle and Yarico, was revived 
with considerable éclat. There are strokes 
. of nature and touches of sentiment and feel- 
ing in it which atone for its incongruities ; 
and the “ broad grins’’ scattered so freely 
through it, are accepted by many, not re- 
luctantly, as excuses for an equal quantity 
of nonsense. The performers also did their 
part towards putting the best face on every 
thing: as in the acting of this Opera, in- 
deed, is pretty generally the case. For 
Mr. Colman is a sort of favourite among: 
managers ; and they generally take care to 
cast his characters in the best way they 
can. The absurdity of Wowski’s negro 
complexion in the wild woods and caves of 
aboriginal America, and even her polish 
name, and song about polish lovers, were 
redeemed by the comic acting and finely 
developed voice of Miss Love; who, if she 
had not made the mistake of trailing with 
clownish awkardness the Indian fan of 
feathers, which she ought to have borne 
with the familiarity of native grace, would 
have been perhaps at least equal, if not su- 
perior to the very best of her predecessors 
in the character. Miss M. Tree was a 
delightful Yarico, and played with as much 
pathetic sweetness as she sung.—Farren’s 
Sir Christopher Curry was in his very best 
style of acting, and commanded throughout 
the laugh and plaudit of the house. Even 
the hardness of his usual mannerism was 
in excellent unison with the character. His 
chuckling, his shrugs, and his by-play, were 
admirable ; and if he carried the comic 
sometimes almost to the verge of caricature 
and farce, the honest indignation of the 
last scene with Inkle was so happily 
mingled with the peculiar humour of the 
character, that his claim to excellence in 
this part may be admitted, almost without 
abatement. 
REPORT 
