2 MAY 1829, Page 8

DRAMATIC MONOPOLIES.

MONOPOLIES are the giants of modern days, which all true men should unite in assailing and slaying, wherever they are to be found. Mr. BUCKINGHAM, with the valour of a knight of old, has taken the field against that great Fum the East India Company. The provincial cor- porations are mustering their strength for the liberation of enthralled corn from the hands of that huge son of earth, that vast Titan, the Squire Wronghead. With these examples before us, it were disgraceful should we fail to cope with two inordinately wicked giants who inhabit castles in this very town, where they imprison amusement, and tyran- nize over the public diversion. It is superfluous to add that they go by the name of the Patentees. Away with the monopolies—a free trade in the drama! for the Patentees, the griping monsters, do but imitate the system of minor theatres, while they levy the major taxes on the unhappy who visit their castles. This very week, we observe that a couple of Frenchmen were whirled round a pole at the peril of being smashed to a jelly at one of the self-styled classical temples of SHAKSPEARE! These exhibitions used of old to he proper to Bartho- lomew Fair, Astley's, and Sadler's Wells ;'but now the Patentees trade on them. For the honour of our national theatres, we insert the para- graph narrating the accident to which we refer.

" ACCIDENT AT DRTJRT-LAINE Tnearem.—During the latter part of the gymnastic performances of the two Frenchmen (Les Alcides), Messieurs Manche and Daras on Monday evening, when the taller of the two had fas- tened himself to a pole fixed perpendicularly in the centre of the stage by his feet, while his companion held fast by his hands ; the pole being made to revolve rapidly by a sort of windlass, the parties were in the act of being hurled round with a fearful velocity, when the bottom pin of the centre pole gave way in a slanting direction, which caused the pole to strike an upright, that forced itself through a trap, when the pole became loosened, and Monsieur Dares was precipitated from it to the stage, a distance of nearly fifteen feet. Monsieur Manche continued to suspend himself by his feet, which were fixed in the first instance to the firmest part of the pole. A cry of terror pervaded the whole of the audience when the accident occurred; which, however, was calmed on their hearing that the adventurous foreigners had fortunately sustained no serious injury."

It is reported that the spirited manager has engaged the celebrated glutton Hungry Joe to make his appearance on the stage at the next Whitsuntide holydays, when he will perform his admired feat of eating a pair of worsted stockings fried in train oil ; after which he will swal- low a gallon of hog-wash, and fourteen yards of Epping sausages; the whole to conclude with the bolting of a leg of mutton, a bushel of potatoes, and a peck loaf ; to be washed down with four gallons of brown stout, which this gifted glutton will take off at a draught to his Majesty's health. The rival theatre, not to be behind in attraction, has, it is currently reported in the green-room, secured the talents of the renowned dog Billy for the same period of fun and frolic; who will destroy a hundred rats in seven minutes and three seconds ; after which he will kill two badgers and a polecat in a pitched battle; the whole to conclude with the worrying of fourteen tabby cats, whose united vociferation in the contest will produce the most extraordinary and agreeable effect. Vive monopoly!