FRENCH PLAYS AT THE OLYMPIC.
IT is now the fashion of managers of theatres to emulate the Ad- mirable CRICHTON in the quantity, if not in the quality of his achievements. Thus, Mr. BONN, the reigning monarch of the legitimate drama (unlike his brother autocrat ofRussia, who keeps a horde of diplomatists to represent his royal person) is his own ambassador to every dramatic court in Europe. We hear that he was yesterday at Drury Lane, instructing the actors in the busi- ness of a play of his own translating ; that lie is to-day at Paris, negotiating for a troop of dancers; that he will to-morrow visit Naples, to enter into an engagement with a prima donna; and will travel the next day to Vienna, to bring over a company of German vocalists. He trains tragedians, schools singers, drills dancers, and has even ventured to dictate to the Bo NAPARTE of horse-riders, the immortal DUCROW I But, if the on dits of Christmas are to be credited, the equestrian order is above being instructed; 'tis paramount, as was its predecessor in days of yore. Time was, when if an actor wished to excel his fellows, it was necessary that his or- gan of coneentrati veness, we think the phrenologists call it, should be strongly developed. Even the great exception to this rule, the versatile GARRICK—whose plastic powers enabled him to act the hero, the gentleman, and the clown, as they were never severally acted by any other individual—when he was asked to give a taste of his quality in Paris, fearing to shock the ears of the company by his imperfect declamation of their language, modestly had recourse to pantomime. The clever and adventurous LAPORTE has no such scruples; lie clips the King's English at Drury Lane or Covent Garden; supplies the place of an indisposed Basilio, in "very choice Italian," at the King's Theatre; and, after gaining the fa- vour of the public by his admirable delineations. of the valets and other broad characters in French comedy, he makes the judicious grieve by attempting to enact the gallant, gay Lothario, in "Les lours Gras sous Charles IX: We regret that we cannot congra- tutate him on the success of the dramas he selected for the com- mencement of his season, or on the talents of the performers he has engaged ; with the exception of Mademoiselle Lists, late the heroine of the Atnbigu, who is a handsome woman and a good actress. Performers of better promise are an- nounced; and we hope that, on further acquaintance, we may have the pleasure of speaking more favourably of those we saw last night. Had the performances been of a much higher quality than they were, they would not have atoned for the delay which took place between every piece, and every act. Considerable gloom was cast on the theatre by the want of auditors in the gallery ; which it would be for the manager's interest to open to the public. To conclude, we think that, although the amateurs of the drama may not always be gratified by these representations, the students of the French language will be benefited by attending them ; and we shall be glad to find that the patronage bestowed on the specu- lation may encourage M. Lament to make further exertions for the improvement of his company.
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