The Easter entertainments at the English theatres have been ac-
corupanied with other attractions than those customary at this season : a new Amphitheatre of enlarged dimensions and improved construction, erected on the site of Astley's, was opened on this occasion by Mr. BATTY, the equestrian manager, who has vaulted into the saddle left vacant by DUCROW ; and the Haymarket reopened with a renovated in- terior, a remodelled proscenium, and a superb chandelier lighted with gas—which, being its first appearance at this theatre, figured as a blazing star in the bills, and produced a brilliant effect in the house. The promised 'novelty of a peculiar character' at Covent Garden, turned out to be of a very exclusive kind, consisting simply of closed doors : the dark and deep-browed portico frowned gloomily upon the bright and busy portals of its opposite rival.
Old Drury bears off the cap and bells for the best Easter extrava- ganza; the genius of classic burlesque, who whilom presided over the bolyday revels of the Olympic and Covent Garden having been sum- moned to do his comic spiriting at Drury Lane. Fortunio and his Seven Gilled Servants have been pressed into the service of Momus; and the wondrous feats performed by the train of fairy flunkies are exhibited in so lively a manner on the stage as to falsify the axiom
" That wbat's impossible can't be, And never, never comes to pass."
No mortal master ever had such faithful and efficient followers : For- tunio is pitted against a dragon as voracious as him of Wantley, but a more delicate monster with a taste for wine. Tippler drains a conduit dry at a draught, and Strongback straightway walks in with a few pipes
of old port, and the fountain spouts wine instead of water; the dragon drinks himself drank, and being unable to keep his feet loses his head. This drunken dragon, by the way, is a very facetious fellow : his jaunty manner of carrying his tail tucked under his arm, and the comical way in which he reels and staggers while, kitten-like chasing his tail, are extremely diverting. But there are more marvels yet : Fortunio is sent on an embassy to the Emperor Matapa the merciless, first cousin to the Great Bear, and savage enough for Ursa Major himself. This im- perious potentate imposes on the youthful ambassador all sorts of im- practicable conditions, which the supernatural suite fulfil to the astonish- ment of Fortunio and the utter discomfiture of the furious despot : Gor- mand devours whole batches of bread, making mere mouthfuls of quartern loaves, and clearing the bakers' shops to the last twist. In short, all the prominent feats of the fairy tale are realized.
The puns, parodies, and satirical hits of the verse dialogue, give point and pleasantry to every scene ; and the performers keep up the ball of fun with unflagging spirit. Miss P. HORTON, as For tunio, makes a charming cavalier ; Mrs. SEALE is a facinating Fairy ; Mrs. C. JONES, a formidable fury ; Mr. M. BARNETT, a pauper peer ; Mr. HUDSON, a right merry monarch ; and Mr. SELBY a most ferocious and arbitrary autocrat. Miss WEBSTER'S dancing eclipsed her running, and though she lost the race she won applause. The dance of fairies dressed out as courtiers, who creep into flowers when their revels are interrupted, is a pretty fancy ; and the concluding vision of a flock of sheep with golden fleeces, is the only part of the entertainment that invites the shears.
The Haymarket, relying on the attractions of its choice company of comedians and the new decorations, produced no novelty on the opening night. The alterations are great improvements, and the interior now presents a light, cheerful, and elegant appearance: the dark portraits and scarlet corsets are removed, the warm neutral tint of the box-fronts being relieved by gilding and tasteful designs in colour and the pro- scenium has a handsome architectural character. The addition of backs to the seats in the pit is an acceptable convenience, that recon- ciles the visiters to the innovation of stalls ; and the gas diffuses such a flood of light through the house that it alone is enlivening. The comedy was the untiring School for Scandal; with Madame VESTRIS'S Lady Teazle, FARREN'S Sir Peter, Mrs. GLOVER'S Mrs. Candour, anticsr.AND'a Sir Oliver, C. MATHEWS'S Charles Surface, and Mrs. W. CLIFFORD'S Lady Sneerwell. All the old favourites were warmly welcomed, and Mr. WEBSTER was especially called for to receive the thanks of the audience for his attention to their comfort.
On Tuesday, Miss JULIA BENNETT made her debut as the Widow Cheerly, in that mawkish mixture of cant and claptrap, absurdity and commonplace, the Soldier's Daughter ; and produced a very favourable impression on the audience. The lady is young, handsome, and viva- cious, With a pleasing voice, person, and manner. She entered into the spirit of the scene—character there is none to personate, and evinced an acquaintance with the stage that obviated any visible trepi- dation: we would fain, however, assign to this cause undue and oc- casionally inappropriate emphasis on particular words and an exube- rance of vivacity, that stage-tact will probably soften down.
Mr. LEONARD, who played at the Haymarket once or twice last sea- son under the name of O'NETL, has dropped his Hibernian patronymic, and become a member of the corps as the head of the Irish brigade. He appeared on Thursday in a new farce, written for him by Mr. MARK LEMON, called the Bashful Irishman ; the fun of which consists in the extravagant impudence of the Irishman who calls himself bashful. In the confident assurance necessary to the part, Mr. LEONARD is not defi- cient: it is in the ease, address, and humour, essential to convert the absurdity into drollery, that he is wanting. The farce, to be sure, is one that POWER himself could not have made successful: as it was, it fell flat, and the announcement of its repetition met with considerable dissent.
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