tyt Otairts.
On Tuesday last, Mr. Charles Kean played the character of Hamlet for the first time these two years, and the event caused no small excite- ment in theatrical circles. It was the part in which he made his regular London debat in the year 1838, and was remarkable for a degree of elaboration above the average, when other characters were made vehicles for rant. The habit of ranting has been dropped by Mr. Kean alto- gether; and it is impossible not to commend the earnestness with which he has obviously studied all the peculiarities of the character, the dis- crimination with which he delivers the calmer speeches, and the force with which he depicts the stronger emotions. There is certainly one vir- tue possessed by Mr. Charles Kean, and that is artistic conscientiousness. Both as actior and as a manager, he does his best with every piece he undertakes ; and it would be hard to find on the modern stage a cha- racter more thoroughly wrought out in every respect than his Hamlet. The audience of Tuesday night were enthusiastic in their applause ; and we may venture to surmise that in some cases the enthusiasm was intended for a sort of Anti-Court demonstration. Although it appears that Mr. Kean was invited to take part in the coming "festival per- formances" at Her Majesty's Theatre, and that he refused of his own accord, still there is a strong feeling among theatrical politicians that the management of the evening devoted to tragedy should have been in- trusted to him alone, and that he could not with a proper sense of dig- nity accept an invitation to act made by another dandy. The partisans of Mr. Kean regard the appointment of Mr. Mitchell to the chieftainship of the festivities as an unwarrantable deposition of a gentleman who for so many years has held with credit the office of "Master of the Revels" at Windsor ; while even the impartial members of the histrionic profes- sion are inclined to range thPmcelves on the same side, arguing that one manager is not bound to act for the benefit of another, in the absence of a direct request from the Court, especially when the festivities cannot possibly prove beneficial to the theatres.
Mr. Lumley's low-priced performances at Her Majesty's Theatre come to a dose, we believe, this evening. From the experience of the past year, we may look to such additions to the regular season as matters of annual recurrence. Even at the cheap rate at which they are given, we may presume that the lessee finds these extra entertainments remunera- tive; but, in order to be so, quality must in some measure be sacrificed to profit ; and such is certainly the fact, not only the company but the orchestra and the chorus having been much reduced in strength, and the ensemble of the performances proportionally impaired. The entertain- ment is undeniably well worth the money, and it is natural that it should be attractive to that portion of the public who are not in the habit of fre- quenting the Italian Opera. It would be a very good thing, indeed, if we had a theatre in London where such performances were regularly given at such prices. Even though not of the highest quality, they would be above the general standard of public taste, and accordingly would have the effect of raising it. But whether they ahould be introduced into Her Majesty's Theatre, where performances of the first order have usually been given and are expected, is a different question. We cannot help thinking that performers, when brought before au- diences less critical than those they have been accustomed to, are apt to feel the influence of their position, and unconsciously and involuntarily to pay less than their usual regard to refinement and delicacy. And— with all respect and kindness—we feel constrained to apply this remark to the charming and captivating Piecolomimi. Charming and captivating she continues to be ; but it has been observed by many more than us, that, in her comic parts, (for instance, in the Figlia del Regyimento,) she has latterly been rather too much at her ease, indulging in freedoms of by-play more like the broad fun of English farce than the grace and elegance for which she herself has been so much applauded. We do not wish to dwell upon this subject ; but we hope that the intelligent young prima donna may not refuse to take a friendly hint
PARISIAN THEATRICALS.
By their comedy, Ies Faux Bonshommes, (called at the Haymarket Double-faced People,) MIL Theodore Barriere and Capendu achieved such a marvellous success, that they are apparently dazzled by their own title. As a pendant to that felicitous production, they have composed another comedy, entitled Les Fausses Donna Femmes, supposing that a public delighted to contemplate falsity in one sex would be pleased to view it in the other. The heroine is a lady, who, having lost the heart of her lover, has recourse to all sorts of wicked expedients in order to compromise the reputation and destroy the happiness of her rival, till at last remorse induces her to undo the mischief she has done. This lady is the "sham good woman" par excellence, and there are other and fainter symbols of feminine duplicity ; but on the whole the piece is a pendant to its predecessor more by its title than by its subject, and consequently it has scarcely answered the expectations of the _public. A " revue " on a grand scale written by M. Roger de Beauvoir, and entitled Paris-Crinoline, was produced at the Ambigu-Comique on Tries- day last.
The funeral of Mademoiselle Rachel, which had been announced for Friday, took place on Monday ; and so large was the concourse of people in the Place Royale, whence the procession began, that this once famous square was found insufficient to contain them. Many were the celebrities who attended on the melancholy occasion. Baron Taylor, M. Geffroy (of the Theatre Francais), M. Auguste Maquet, and M. Alexandre Dumas the elder, were the pall-bearers the Ministry of State was represented by MM. Camille Doucet and Cabana ; and nearly all the bodies connected with art and journalism participated in the ceremony, either personally or by deputy. Prayers over the grave, which is in Pere-la-Chaise, were recited in He- brew by the Chief Rabbi ; and orations were delivered by M. Battaille, Tree-President of the Society of Dramatic Artists, by M. Magnet in the 21ame of the dramatic authors and composers and by M. Jules Janin. A discourse by some representative of the Theatre Francais was expected, and the absence of anything of the kind occasioned no slight disappoint- ment. In the evening, a lady attired in deep mourning was discovered kneeling over the newly-dosed grave : ahe proved to be Madame Ristori.
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