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[June 
RETROSPECTIVE VIEW OF THE DRAMA. r 
Drurv-Lane. —May 25. 
Mabmoud—Little Pegey’s Love ~A Dra- 
matic Giza The Sulian. 
Gee was for the benefit of the wi- 
dow Storace and her orphan child, 
who, by the premature deceafe of her 
hufband, was left unprovided for. The 
Olio coubited of the moft admired airs, 
compofed by the late Mr. Storace. The 
houfe was remarkably full, and the 
Jiberality of the managers and perform- 
ers was highly {poken of. 
June 9. The Belle’s Stratagem, and 
The Sultan, for the benefit of the widow 
of the late unfortuaate Benfon, and her 
children. Mrs. Jordan fpoke, in her 
ufual fuperior manner, a neat written 
addrefs to the audience (a brilliant com- 
pany) on the fubjeét of benevolence. 
Mir. Braham, Madame Mara, and Mrs. 
Storace alfo lent their afliftance. 
Tune 15 (Wednefday) Mahmoud, and 
The Deaf Lover. The houfe clofed this 
evening for the feafon. 
CovENT-GARDEN. 
June 7 (Monday) The Bufybody, and 
Foe Tr fb Minuck. This was announced 
the laft night of the company’s per- 
forming for this feafonm. The chief of 
the company, however, played again the 
fuceeeding night, with a view to increafe 
the fund eftablifhed for the reliet of de- 
_cayed performers. 
‘The winter theatres. have, in the 
courfe of the batt feafon, brought out 
NINE pleces each, pantomime included. 
xt theie, the productions at Covent-Gar- 
den have been the moft fuccefsful. 
Havy-MARKET. 
jun (Saturday) Peeping Tom, 
Te sen 8 (frit time) Bannian Day. 
With the above, entertainments, this 
theatre epened for the feafon, to a very 
thin audience. 
The new piece of Bannian Day, is 
eferibed to Mr. Waldron, jun. It con- 
more of fprightly converfation than 
fits 
interefting pict, and ferves to introduce 
fome very agreeable mufic by Dr. Ar- 
nold. Fhe fory, trifling as it 1s, is 
Very defective he nero of ithe piece, is 
& nival i sent levan, who, marrying againft 
Bis father’s Sole emia 2 confe gacadly, 3 dif- 
ee Beg ae eral itcess gives rife i the 
a fe aes Ma, a tea phrafe fora 
cay when we is NO alicwance of meat. 
"Ene Lrithman though guilcy of fome natu 
aka clan pers, Ae vie of lanenage fitter 
£ or his s valet, than a ¢ entheman of fortune. 
Pe mMiake meuiale for aicd: tility aC. is 
neither natural fora gentleman, nor does 
it conftitute an Irifh bull. The ret of 
the charaéters are common, and feveral 
obvioufly borrowed. 
June 16. Merchant of Venice, and 
Bannian Day. Mr.Paimer played Shy- 
lock this evening, for the firit time. 
Though not equal to Macklin, he was 
refpeciable. He differed from the ufual 
readings in fome parts, particularly in 
the following : 


“¢ Many atime, and oft, 
€ On the Rialto you have rated me, &c.7 
Which he thus varied: 
“¢ Many a time and oft 
“ On the Rialto——you have, &c.”’ 

This certainly is better; for though 
many A tte, and of’, is @ common ex- 
preffion, it is an idie repetition 5 ; but b 
uniting the off with the R:alo, which is 
the moit public 4 place in Venice, it gives 
the obfervation additional ferce. The 
following paffage alfc, which, as printed, 
is certainly unintelligible : 

‘¢ When the bag-pipe ea Y th’ nofe 
«¢ Cannot contain their urme en aiteétion 
 Moyrers of pathen {wa ay 7 to the nivod 
“ Of what z ee or Joathes ” 

Mr. Palmer thus delivered : 
“‘ When the bag-pipe fings i’ th’ nofe, 
“ Cannot contain their urine—for affe ection , 
“ Mufier of pation, {ways it to the mood 
6 Of what it likes or loathes a 


This we alfo deem the beft expofi- 
tion, notwithftanding many others which 
have been propofed. Mr. a has 
repeated this charaéter with additional 
fuccefs. 
June 20. 4l! in Cood-Humour, Bon- 
nian Duy, and Fhe Spanifo Barber. The 
flovenly manner in which the firft piece 
was hurried over, was tru ly reprehen- 
fib] 
uae 22. The Flitch of week and 
(fir time) The Magie Banner, or Two 
Wives in a Hove. Alfred, whofe ode en- 
tures have already been the fubjeét of 
other unfuceeisful aaa is the hero of 
the Magic Bannrr, a P! ay in three acts. 
This is an humble attempt to unite 
broad farce with the fublime. Alfred’s. 
difguife, as a peafant, when he takes re- 
fuge in a cottage, and negiecis the wo- 
man’s cake that was at the fire, and. 
committed to his care; and alfo his dif- 
guife as a minitrel, are the chief inci- 
dents; the reft is mere patch work, ab- 
furd, and ridiculous, eipeciaily the part 
whieh gives rife tothe fecona title. 
Fawcett 
