THE THEATRES.
The Olympic Theatre has been opened for " legitimate " business, under, the auspices of Mr. George Bolton, the young gentleman who managed it for a few weeks last year. The company is a very fair one; for although it does not comprise any name of decided brilliancy, it possesses the capa- bility of representing any drama in a respectable manner. Mr. Henry Betty is at present no more than a declaimer with great sameness of ges- ture; but he has natural advantages, and as he is by no means deficient in energy, he may work into an effective actor. Mr. and Mrs. Walter Lacy, Mrs. C. Jones, Miss Charles, Mrs. Gordon, (a superior actress for serious parts,) Mr. Wilkinson, and a smart ready low comedian named. Cowell, form no bad list; and, with proper management, there is no appa- rent reason why the enterprise should not succeed.
We say, "with proper management "—for we have misgivings that Mr. Bolton intends to make his theatre a vehicle for the production of his ow* pieces, without that amount of judgment which is requisite to enable LAM to discriminate, when he surveys the creations of his own brain. The burlesque which he produced on the opening night, and which was meant to be violently severe against the modern state of the stage, is probably- the most unmitigated rubbish that ever was seen within theatrical walls,—* wretched satire which hits no one but its author, and him most unmerci- fully. By this hopeful production he shows, that he can neither construct a plan, contrive a situation, nor invent a joke. There is a dreary abseil.* of sparkle, that could only be atoned for by the strongest sense, and ala absence of sense, that could only be atoned for by the most brilliant sparkle. It is a miserable thing, without one single quality to recommend it.
The audience treated it as it deserved, and condemned it with a fury which one seldom sees exercised in matters of taste. The very creditable performance of The Hunchback had put them into good humour, and even the dances which were introduced into the burlesque gave great satisfac- tion; but no good humour could remain proof against the melancholy trash uttered by the dramatis personte. At first, of course, parties were divided; but at the end the expression was that of unqualified execration. And yet this burlesque has been put on the stage with a liberality worthy of a good cause. New dresses, frequent changes of scenery, glittering pro- perties, all show the manager's determination to wake the piece eucceed if it were possible. He has evidently the spirit and zeal necessary to mak* 4, good theatrical lessee; if be will only abstain fi-om—writing himself.
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