pulpit and the buffoon, to chace the present race of Romances out of existence. A total want of agrément, the defideratum of our more recent ftage-pieces, is the bane of happiness to the one now before us; an antidote may be found in every fuccessful effort of the mufe, which we would recommend future candidates for dramatic fame to study with attention-this is-THE STRICT OBSERVANCE OF A DETERMINATE END. MAY 16. The Will-Fairy Feftival-Wandering Jew. 17. (For the Benefit of Mr. Suett) Twelfth Night-Shipwreck. 18. (For the Benefit of Mafter Welsh (Country Girl-Lilliputian Performance-Prisoner. 19. (For the Benefit of Mr. Barrymore) Belles Stratagem-Don Juan. 20. (For the Benefit of the Theatrical Fund) The Will Lilliputian PerformanceDoctor and Apothecary. The Theatrical Fund is an excellent inftitution; and we are happy to fee that the public continue to esteem it fo. COVENT GARDEN. APRIL 21. A Cure for the Heart Ache-Raymond and Agnes. 22. Wives as they Were, and Maids as they Are-Ditto 24. A Cure for the Heart Ache-Harlequin and Oberon. 25. Italian Villagers-Farm House. The Italian Villagers" has little plot, and lefs incident. We fhould have thought that the pen of Mr. Hoare might have done fomething more than frame a dialogue for the mufic of Shield, enchanting as that mufic is. 26. (For 26. (For the Benefit of Mifs Wallis) The Guardian-No Song no Supper, Margaretta by Signora Storace, in which character the introduced, with a sweetnefs and delicacy peculiar to herself, the plaintive air of "Lullaby.”—Comedy of Errors. 27. Italian Villagers-Raymond and Agnes. 28. Ditto-Ditto. 29. (For the Benefit of Mr. Holman), The Tatlers-Crofs Purpofes-Netley Abbey. Expectation had been raised towards a new piece, left unfinished by the late Dr. Hoadley. Holman patched it up for his benefit, under the title of THE TATLERS. It was an heterogeneous mixture, and ferved the purpose for which it was brought forward; we believe a repetition is univerfally decried. It is a pity for the Fanny Allworthy of Mifs Manfell, that The Tatlers have not been heard again. This is a charming girl, and, with a little attention, fhe will very foon become a no less charming actress. MAY 1. Italian Villagers-Raymond and Agnes. 2 and 3. Ditto-Ditto. 4. (For the Benefit of Mr. Pope) The Game- 5 Italian Villagers-Raymond and Agnes. 8. (By Command of their Majefties) Wives as 9. (For the Benefit of Mr. Johnstone) Inkle and Yarico - British Fortitude - Honest Thieves. This farce is judiciously altered by Mr. Knight, from the comedy of the Committee. The characters are, are, in general, heightened, the humour rendered more forcible, and the plot more interefting than the original. It was very well received, and, we doubt not, will become a favourite with the town. MAY 11. (For the Ben fit of Mrs. Martyr) Abroad and At Home-Surrender of Trinidad, (a temporary piece, the words by Mr. Crofs.)-Irishman in London. 12. Wives as they Were, and Maids as they Are-British Fortitude-Honest Thieves. 13. Cure for the Heart Ache-Honeft Thieves. 15. Abroad and at Home-Raymond and Agnes. 16. (For the Benefit of Mr. Fawcett) Not acted these feven years (and, if Mr. Fawcett is to be Sir Pertinax M Sycophant, we hope that it will not be acted for feven years to come) Man of the World-Entremets- -Peeping Tom. 17. (For the Benefit of Mr. Munden) Every One has his Fault-Rival Soldiers-Pofitive Man. Mr. Murray, in Lord Norland; Mrs. Lichfield in Edward; and Miss Wallis in Lady Irwin, gave a new intereft to this excellent comedy. Mr. Murray was the beft Norland that we have feen: and it is no flattery to Mifs Wallis, to fay-that her Irwin surpassed Mrs. Pope's. MAY 18. Wives as they Were, and Maids as they Are-Village Fete-Peeping Tom. A new entertainment, called THE VILLAGE FETE, came forward on this night, in honour of the royal nuptials. It opens with a number of boys and girls, and men and women, whose rejoicings awaken the lord of the manor, before whofe houfe they are convened. He enquires, from his widow, the caufe of the tumult which has difturbed his repose, and finding that it was the the product of loyalty, he defcends with his wife and his fervants, with his men and his maids;-opens his cellar to the throng, and his heart to the occafion. We are next, with the intervention of a rural love-fcene, between the couple who are to head the village-proceffion, favoured with the aforefaid proceffion, which proceeds to his lordship's garden where a fine tranfparency beautifies the whole. The lovers make their vows at the font, join in an hymeneal chorus expreffive of loyalty and affection, and the piece concludes. We now perceive that we have neglected to mention Peter, the village-preacher, who, at firft, anxious to difband the populace, left they fhould give a loose to their carnal appetites, is prevailed upon, with little reluctance, to taste of his lordship's ale, convert his fermon to a fong, and reel over his fublunary blifs. In good truth, how this thing was produced we know not; and by whom we with not to learn; for we are afraid that fome refpectable man has bemeaned himself with the authorfhip of it. As to old QUICK, he is difgraced by appearing in the fcene, and we can excufe him on no other account than that of love to his Royal patron. In fine, every performer of merit was degraded, as far as he or the contributed to this exhibition. If we are to have thefe repeated CONGRATULATIONS, let them be written by men of fpirit and invention. The public are miferably placed, in cafes like the prefent: between a respect for their King and a refpect for their own understandings, they know not how to act it is abfolutely a fatire on that King to tender him honour through fuch a medium and we are perfuaded, had the audience at Covent Garden fo reflected, that The Village Fete would have experienced, what it irrefiftibly called for, an univerfal and unqualified rejection. We are not apt to judge by comparison, and it is well for The Village Fete that we are not; for, the recollection of what we faw at Drury Lane, induced by the fame event, under the title of THE FAIRY FES- TIVAL, must have heightened the severity of our remarks. If an excufe appear by faying-that, as Drury was beforehand with her more kingly fifter of Covent Garden, Covent Garden, from her grand alliance, was obliged to get up a teftimony of her regards, under every untoward circumstance of hafte and anticipation; we reply—that it is better not to produce any thing, than to produce something which may be called nothing. MAY 19. (For the Benefit of Mr. and Mrs. Knight) The Jew-Sheva by Mr. Ellifton Honeft Thieves-Village Fete. 20. (For the Benefit of Mr. Bowden) Woodman -Rendezvous-Irishman in London. HAY MARKET. MAY 10. (By Permiffion of the Lord Chamberlain) Under the patronage of his Royal Highnefs the Prince of Wales, and his Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence: for the Benefit of the Unfortunate Sufferers in the Action between Sir John Jervis and the Spanish Fleet, off Cape St. Vincent, were performed the Battle of Edington, and the Romance of an Hour. On the 4th of May, there was another MASQUE RADE at the King's Theatre in the Hay Market. |