Covent Garden has this week brought out a really original
comic after- piece, by MARK LEMON. The Turf is one of those broad satirical sketches of the manners and follies of the day that seem intended only to divert, but leave a grave impression after the merriment subsides. Its materials are slight, its incidents not new ; but the characters are lively, the dialogue is sparkling, the acting capital, and the interest never flags. The plot is simple enough. A pair of blacklegs plan a scheme to victimize a retired grocer who has a passion for "the turf "; but they are foiled at last, and the "legs" are fain to scamper oft without their booty. WALTER LACY, as Captain F
of a fellow of flash bon ton and cool assurance ; and WIGAN as his corn-
rogue, Bruce Siney, a chevalier d'industrie, looks the foreigner to the life : his face and dress are a study for an artist, and his French accent is perfect: his manner is perhaps too quiet and unobtrusive for the ad- venturer, but it has the rare merit of being free from vulgarity. BARTLEY as Clovis Culpepper, the would-be jockey—on the neck of whose vault- ing ambition the ;hop hangs like a sugar-hogshead—HARLEY as his servant, who sticks to the apron and sleeves, and sighs for Barbican— and Mrs. EMMY as Mrs. Culpepper, glorying in her vulgarity, and liking the Briggses because they are vulgar too—make a rich trio to represent the treacle-trade. GRANBY as Doo, the groom, and MEADOWS as Gallop, the trainer, are a parr of rogues of the true stable stamp ; MEADOWS, in particular, looks the "knowing one," whose world is the turf. His scruples at drugging the favourite for the Derby, not because his master is the owner, but because he had trained her—his remorse on finding his master is ruined—and Doo's disdain of Gallop for con- senting to the villany that Doo is to profit by—are felicitous traits of jockey morality.. The distant view of Epsom Races is very well ma- naged; and the piece altogether is a fair epitome of "the turf" in its foul state.
The Tempest is advertised for Wednesday.
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