THE THEATRES.
DRURY LANE.—" A new comic piece, in two acts, called Snakes in the Grass," was performed at this theatre on Tuesday for the first time, with very tolerable success. Here is an outline of the story. Mr. Janus (represented by LisroN) leaves the neighbourhood of South Mims, where he had been living upon a good independence, and comes by the stagecoach to a hotel, where a marriage is on the point of being celebrated between the son of an attorney and the daughter of a gentleman named Walton, who is much addicted to the pleasant pastime of angling. Some quarrels of different sorts had existed between the several members of the two families, but it is hoped that the expected marriage will settle all differences. The bride and bridegroom, with their fathers and mothers, come into the hotel at the moment of Mr. Janus's arrival. He addresses them all with great kindness and familiarity ; and when some one requests to be informed to whom the party is indebted for this unexpected civility, Mr. Janus answers, " Perhaps you are acquainted with the Smiths of London." One of the ladies replies that she does possess a friend or two in that very extensive connexion. "Then," says Mr. Janus, "a first. cousin of John Smith is a second cousins of my wife." There can of course be no mistaking the identity of the individual so very exactly described ; and he is immediately, " as one of the family," invited to the wedding-dinner. It is, however, the whole business of Mr. Janus's life to set honest people by the ears ; and he not only succeeds in creating a quarrel between the bride and bridegroom, but rakes up all the old squabbles which had existed between the angler and the attorney. His wife Airs. Janus (represented by Mrs. GLOVER) makes her appearance on the scene, and very ably seconds her husband's operations. The two " Snakes in the Grass" are, however, detected and exposed in the course of the piece ; their own matrimonial relations are disquieted by a reasonable jealousy ; the harmony which had been interrupted by their machinations is entirely restored ; and a couple of marriages concludes the entertainment.
This piece has the singularity of making its first appearance before the audience with the wrong end foremost ; as all the persons of the drama come upon the stage at the very beginning of the action, and
the conversation which takes place between them intimates so plainly the whole of what is to follow, that a child may understand the course in which the events are to succeed each other. There are therefore no means whatever for the interlacing of any intrigue, and it is impossible that the audience can be surprised at any thing which occurs. Every scene is "complete in itself;" and the whole taken together consists of little more than a series of si'llations in which an opportunity is presented for the exhibition of Mr. LISTON.S peculiar countenance, asset Mrs. GLOVER*S extraordine sy abilities. It may be observed that Mr. Skinner, an attorney, is made to utter some sentiments which are not usually looked upon as very characteristic of his profession. Notwithstanding his inauspicious name, he is described as kind, candid, and reasonable, and so very everse to litigation, that he surrenders his claim to a piece of land to which he had a good primes facie title, and of which he had been for some time in actual possession under the will of the late owner.
" Quodeunque mihi sic ostendis incredulis odi."
Snakes in the Grass may have a fair run as a farce: as a substitute for comedy, it only wants probability, plot, incident, and dialogue.
ADELPHI.—This house has produced a successful comic burletta, called the Bold Dragoons. It is rather short; but full to overflowing of fun, humour, and bustling comical incidents, which follow upon each other without interruption through the whole piece, and keep the audience in a continued fit of laughter. The jokes are very fair and pleasant; and the little piece was excellently performed,—particularly the part allotted to JOHN REEVE, who, in a hussar uniform, and under the name of Hannibal Nits, was altogether one of the drollest fellows that we have ever seen upon any stage.
Previous page
