THE THEATRES.
THE rival houses in the Haymarket divided the playgoing portion of the world of fashion on Thursday ; the multifarious entertainments for the benefit of Signor COSTA at the Italian Opera, and Lady EMMELINE STUART WORTLEY'S Moonshine at the Little Theatre opposite, being the contending attractions : the latter was powerful enough to draw royal visiters, in the persons of the Duke and Dutchess of CAMBRIDGE, The lady claims precedence—we would fain have said admiration also ; but the plain truth must be told, her attempt at comedy is an entire failure. The zealous exertions of her friends and supporters on this occasion, aided by the adroit interposition of Mr. WEBSTER, saved the play from summary condemnation ; and the patronage of fashionable folks may make it worth the Manager's while to keep it in the bills for a time ; but Moonshine cannot last. The struggle between the friendly partisans and the independent opposition was the most amusing part of the performance, and beguiled the tedium of many a wearisome scene: the eagerness to applaud any thing in the semblance of a joke provoked the malecontents to active opposition, and hisses and coughs were drowned in a fresh burst of clapping. But the crowning jest of the even- ing was the waggery of Mr. WEBSTER, who came forward in the middle of a dull colloquy, and, with an air of gravity that made the burlesque ir- resistible, insinuated that the opposition was unfair ; and, still holding his countenance, talked of "a five-act comedy" being the highest effort of literary skill. His appeal was met by laughter, and a cry of " Moonshine ! "—which he turned off by hoping that the opposition would prove to be "moonshine." The device succeeded, and the piece was patiently endured to the end ; but when FARREN came on at the fall of the curtain, his announcement of its nightly repetition was scarcely audible for the clamour. We particularize these circumstances because they have more significance than the comedy itself; which is only remarkable as the attempt of an authoress of high birth and con- nexions to hold up the mirror of the stage to the aristocratic society in which she moves.
The principal personage in Moonshine is the Countess of Clanarling- ton ; a manceuvering mother, who hawks a couple of marriageable daughters half over the world, in search of husbands able to afford a handsome supply of pin-money and entitle their wives to have coronets worked in the corner of their cambric handkerchiefs : she keeps a price-current of all Peers in the matrimonial market, books rich Baro- nets as a pia idler, hunts after heirs-presumptive, and shuns younger brothers like the plague. Her daughters are as heartless and merce- nary but not so vulgar as their mother ; who is not only a coarse cari- cature, but becomes a bore from constantly harping on the same string. Tbe plot of the comedy consists in the frustration of the schemes of this precious triad of husband-bunters ; which is brought about by the very probable device of a great Lord changing names with his younger brother, to avoid the coronet-traps that, it would seem, are set thick in the preserves of the exclusive circles : and, as if one change of persons was not enough, the sentimental heroine, Miss Montgomery, assumes the name of her married sister. Such things may occur in high life, for aught we know ; but such proceedings, if possible, in any other sphere would stamp the parties as disreputable. The butt of the piece is Mr. De Batenbille, lkl.P.,—intended, it seems, to typify " Young England" ; who is perpetually speechifying and ringing the changes on Parliamentary phrases, and gratifies a picnic party by making a speech to a hat and coat hung upon a stick to represent "Mr. Speaker." A more childish unreality can scarcely be conceived; but FARREN, by dint of buffoonery and grimace, managed to make fun out of it : he wore a flaxen wig parted smooth over his forehead and curled at the ends, with a queer hat ; and whenever he sawed the air with his arm, or spluttered out a mouthful of catch-words, there was a roar of laughter. If people can find amusement in such preposterous absurdity, there is no great harm done : only this should not be mistaken for "comedy," or the representation of real life.
Apart from these glaring faults, the lady-author betrayed an utter want of dramatic skill and tact: the scenes had neither action nor pro- gression. People came on and talked for talking's sake, without having any thing to say ; and the patience of the audience was exhausted by dull dialogues, in which the effort to be smart was much too conspicu- ous, and a good joke was spoiled by being ran down.
Mrs. GLOVER, as the Countess of Clanarlington, was at home in the busy, intriguing woman ; and not too vulgar for the part. Madame VESTEIS and Miss LEE, as her daughters, and Mrs. EDWIN YARNOLD and Miss JuLte BENNETT, as their successful rivals, were reduced by the nothingness of their respective characters to the level of walking ladies ; Mr. C. MaTnEws and Mr. H. Hou., as the two noble brothers, being mere walking gentlemen. Mr. Hors created some amusement by attempts at the pathetic ; but they were made under very unpropi- tious circumstances. Mr. WEBSTER, as a French Marquis, trading on his title and manners, was dressed a la Jenne France, as a companion to the "Young England" of Mr. EMMEN ; but being less ludicrous, he was not so effective.
The piece is admirably well put on the stage : the set scenes are per- fect pictures, characteristic and elegant. The saloon with a view of St. Peter's and Rome, the gardens of an Italian villa, and the picnic at Albano, are in excellent taste.
Exhausted by our three-hours' endurance, we did not cross the road to the Italian Opera ; and our acquaintance with the success of the varied entertainments is derived from second-hand report. The new ballet—or divertissement rather—Le Dare d'un Peintre composed by PERROT, is a pretty idea fancifully worked out ; and beautifully em- bodied by FANNY ELsfamt and PERROT, who are the only actors in the scene. PERROT is a young painter mad for the love of a bewitching dancer, whom he has once seen, and whose image he vainly strives to fix on the canvass: he is suddenly startled by the apparition of the living original in the frame of his picture ; who vanishes, only to re- turn in her ordinary dress, and bestow her hand upon him. The exquisite and playful grace of the fascinating FANNY may be imagined by those who have ever seen her. PERROT'S share in the pantomimic action was also effective. All the bouquets in the boxes within reach of the stage were showered upon the danseuse.
The curtain will soon fall on these fascinations : next week will be the last of the Italian Opera season, the most brilliant we have seen for several years. Another of those popular bills of fare, so rich infamous names as to bewilder the choice, has been put forth as the attraction to Memo's benefit on Thursday, the penultimate night ; the theatre finally closing on the Saturday following.
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