THE THEATRES.
" BE mine to read eternal new romances of Marivaux and Crebilon," said GRAY : be it mine to see perpetual new vaudevilles of Scams and DUMAS, says the playgoer upon compulsion-the much-enduring critic, whose hard case is not sufficiently compassionated by the public or cared for by theatrical caterers. In default of the range of the Pari- sian theatres, commend us to our pet pleasure.place the little Olympic.
Both within and without it smacks of them ; for you enter it from a street as narrow and nasty as any in the fine and filthy Paris ; and the raise en scat is as perfect as at the " Vaudeville " or the " Gymnase." We fancied ourselves " assisting," as the phrase is, at the representa- tion of a French play, while witnessing at the Olympic the other night what is termed in the bills " An entirely new burletta, by the author of Catching an Heiress,'" &c. called Ash No Questions. Bearing in mind the saying of which this title forms a part, we will
" ask no questions" about its originality ; though we certainly cannot give Mr. SELBY the undivided credit of its authorship : let the praise suffice, that he has chosen a clever French vaudeville, and not spoiled it in adapting it to the English stage.
An old pensioner of the Invalids has reared up as a gentleman a young fellow, whom he supplies with money to maintain his position in society ; and, finding his protégé has been rejected by the daughter of a Baroness for his want of birth and property, and that be is about to fight with his successful rival, the lady's cousin, for taunting him with obscure origin and bumble connexions, the Invalid reveals the fact that the two rivals are sons of the same father; and recognizing in the Baroness art old acquaintance-(originally a suttler in the army, she bad been raised by marriage to rank and fortune)-he gains her consent to the nuptials of her daughter and his foster-son. The scene where the Baroness, after ordering the old Invalid to be turned out of doors, is startled by hearing him proclaim his name, Matthias, and dis- missing her liveried lacqueys, throws off her stately manner and wel- comes the veteran as heartily as though she had the brandy-keg at her back still, is felicitously conceived. The quondam comrades run over old campaigning recollections together ; and the Baroness, to show she has not forgotten her old vocation, goes through the military exercise con amore ; but when Matthias slaps her on the back, and calls her his " old girl," she checks his familiarity, yet without abating a jot of her cordiality : this is one of those little points of finesse that give such " old girl," she checks his familiarity, yet without abating a jot of her cordiality : this is one of those little points of finesse that give such
verisimilitude to the French comedy. The acting of FARREN and Mrs. Wolin is worthy of the author's skill in the conduct of the in- terview. Mrs. ORGER gives amusing effect to the peculiarities of
the Baroness : her German accent, brusque and peremptory manner, and fondness for wearing fine colours, are expressed with great gusto; but the inherent vulgarity of the woman is only betrayed by her tastes and the tone of her manner, not obtrusively displayed : her vindication of her sky-blue pelisse and yellow bonnet with red feathers, by comparing the hues to those of sunset and moon.
light, is triumphant. FARREN looks the old soldier, with his bronzed complexion and stiff leg ; and in the scene where he gets drunk, and renounces his adopted son, for refusing to recognize him before the young man's fashionable acquaintances-and the subsequent one, when, having come to his senses, he reproaches himself for his folly-are rich in seriocomic humour, mellowed in accordance with the character. SELBY assumes the heartless levity and sarcastic insolence of the man of fashion very successfully ; and V-INING, as the lover, abashed and disconcerted by the cool contempt of his rival and his own equivocal position, appears to greet advantage. In short, all the parts are played very nicely throughout,-not forgetting Miss LEE as the daughter of the Baroness, and OXBERRY as a skipping footman, all boar and scrape.
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