Answers To Correspondents.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS .

All Letters and eommiinkalions must he addressed to the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE , 67 Barbican , London , E . G . i " We bare received a letter from a correspondent , signed "An R . W . M ., & c , " but unanthenticated by name and address . We cannot

deviate from the well known rnle , universally adopted by the press , that all letters must be accompanied by tho name and ; address of the writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a Ignaranteo of good faith . P . T . D ., Birmingham . —Glad to hear from you ; shall rely on you for next week .

The Drama.

THE DRAMA .

Eetrospect ef tfoe Year — Shakspeariart Bevivals—Christmas Novelties .

IF we were ask < 3 tl to characterise iu a single word the dramatic history of 1874 , we would describe it as a year of experiments . On every hand a su spicion appears to have arisen amongst managers that the public htftt grown weary of their accustomed fare , and required a more than usually appetising menu to ensure a continuance of their patronae'e . All kinds of expedients have been adopted

to tickle tho tastes of playgoers , and in very few instances indeed have these been attended with more than a moderate degree of success . The latest opcras-bouffes , fresh from the Parisian mint , melodramas of every conceivable variety , burlesques of the newest , and comedies of tho oldest type , have all in turn sported their brief hours upon the stage , to little of to no avail . Theatres like the

Gaiety and the Prince of Wales ' s , which for years past have pursued a beaten track , certain of the- world ' s approbation , have been compelled to resort to new devices to retain the good will of thoir clients , whilst not a few theatrical Juouses , such as the Queen ' s , and the Sadler ' s Wells , aro b & lieved So have retired from tho profession altogether . It has been a year of xlonbt and half-heartedncss

on the part of managers , characterised hy few absolute failures , and by still fewer triumphs . A glimpse at the list of new plays produced during tho year , shows that about one-half of tthose brought out at the West-end Theatres wero burlesques , extrai ngazas or opera s-bouft ' r * . Of those , some two or three were not without literary merit , and one , Les Pres

St . dermis , produced not long sin . se at the Criterion , will probably be heard of again . Tho rest , in respect of humour , invention , fancy or point of any description would compare disadvantagesnsly with the entertainments of a country fair . Their chief , and ofto n their solo merit , lies iu tho music , which , though not of a very hig h order , or , indeed as a rule , very original , nsua lly comprises some light . and

catching melodies . In this category we fear we must class tho bjss . ' esque of Blue Beard , produced in the autumn of the year at the Chari * . ;* Cross Theatre . Strange to say , however , this has proved ono of tile ( two or threo great successes of the year , and may bo said , for some wsnths past , to have divided the attention of the town with the iDyc-sam Knx & let . Tho reasons of this extraordinary popularity arc not far to seek . Miss Thompson , the manageress , is one of the very ; faw

genuine burlesque actresses upon the stage , and , what is stjlll more important , she really believes in burlesque . A capital dancer , with a correct taste for scenic effect , and an abundance of animal spirit , she has collected arox . 'jid her some of the best burlesque talent to be had , and by dint of frequent rehearsals , secured au amount of cohesion , and apparent esprit de corps amongst the company , that tho absurdities which abound in the play fly off liko the bubbles of "Champagne , and leave behind just tliat amount of mild exhilaration

^ Ivbich seems to be the desideratum , in modern dramatic entertain

ments . Mr . Lionel Brough , as tlac hero , introduces some funny * ' gags , " and his "business" throughout is of a most comic character : whilst Mr . Edouin , in the Heatheni Chinee , gives a ^ character new to the Loudon stage , and delightful in its humorous eccentricity . Of the more serious productions of tho year , perhaps the two most Worthy of notice aro Lady Clancarty and The Two Orphans , both

of which were brought out at tho Olympic . The firafc , an original historical play , by Mr . Tom Taylor , has an exciting melodramatic plot , some fine situations , and two or three excellent parts . These qualities will probably secure for the drama a certain degree of popularity , but they will hardly . btain for it a place iu the permanent literature of the country . t'he other play , The Two Orphans ,

produced in September last , is a translation , by Mr . John Oxenfovd , of Les Deux Orphelines of Messrs . D'Ennery and Corn ion , brought out at the Parisian Porte-St .-Martin a short time previous to that date . It is a play full of incident , crime aud intrigue , powerfully conceived , and elaborated with great dramatic vigour . The interest it excites , moreover , is genuine and well sustained . Tho plot ; circles round the

persons of a beautiful bliud girl and her sister , cist without protection upon the wilderness of Paris , and separated h-om each other at au early period of tho play . Tho adventures of the two are admirably pourtrayed , and some striking phases of Paris' ° n life are revealed in the representation . Another adaption of ' " . ie same piece , by Messrs . Paul Meritt and George Conqnest , was ^ . educed at the Grecian in October , under the tide of The Blind Sister , and was

moderately successful . The Haymarkct Theatre has produced a fair number of novelties during the year , bnt none of them have achieved more than v . n succfe d ' estime . Charity , by Mr . W . S . Gilbert , was rrilnps the most successful of these ; Queen Mab , by Mr . Godfrey , '•¦ i ¦" . hut an indifferent imitation of the Robertsonian comedy ; Zi-. m , Witnc , an inartistic adaptationoi Lc Yoyaac de M , Perrichon ; ttL . ut A ZLa / Xcap

The Drama.

Prince , by Robert Buchanan , though by no means devoid of merit , was hardly of a character to win any groat amount of popularity , and was moreover produced at an unfortunate time of tho year . The most successful venture of all , has been the revival of the evergreen Our American Cousin , with Mr . Sothern in his famous character of Lord Dundreary . In spite of all the adverse criticisms bestowed at

different times upon this play , it has still sufficient vitality to draw crowded audiences whenever it is performed ; and at the present time wo doubt if tho whole of tho metropolis can boast of another theatrical performance which will afford the same amount of thorough seasonable enjoyment . The Prince of Wales ' s Theatre has never quite recovered from the

loss it sustained in tho death of Mr . Robertson , and , during the past year , it has experienced a number of vicissitudes . It has , in tho first place , lost tho services of its most talented actor , Mr . Hare ; in tho second placo , having , for a time at least , exhausted the popularity of Caste , School and Ours , the management have been induced to attempt a higher aud older order of comedy , and tho successful

production of The School for Scandal , in tho spring of the year , more than justified their determination . Later still , it was announced that The Merchant of Venice would bo given , but here some difficulty arose , and tho idea was abandoned . At tho present time a very pleasant bill of fare is afforded by Mr . Robertson ' s Society , and a new two-act comedy by Mr . W . S . Gilbert , entitled Sweethearts . This

comedy exhibits Mr . Gilbert's powers as a dramatist in their most favourable light , for Mr . Gilbert is weak in the elaboration of a plot , and here ther-o is none at all ; whilst the dialogue is in Mr . Gilbert ' s happiest vein . The comedy consists of two tableaux ; the first in the spring of 1844 , the second in the autumn of 1874 ; in the one , two lovers , full of affection for each other , part under a misconception ;

in the other , the lovers meet again , after a lapse of 30 years , the lady still cherishing her old affection , whilst tho man finds a difficulty in recalling even the name of his former sweetheart . The two parts arc admirably sustained by Miss Wilton and Mr . Coghlan . Tho Vaudeville , like tho Prince of Wales ' s , has been all tho year in want of an author . Mr . Albery , who promised so well in his

Two Roses , has been deficient in the necessary application to follow up his success . His two productions of the year , Wig and Qown at the Globe , and Pride at the Vaudeville , have both been sadly wanting in originality and finish . Recently tho managers of the Vaudeville have revived The Two Roses , Mr . Thorne being tho only member of the original cast remaining in the company , and some capital houses

have proved that the old favourite has still the power to charm . The most important dramatic event of the year has unquestionably been tho revival of I Camlet at tho Lyceum . Whatever opinion may bo held as to tho capabilities of Mr . Irving as an actor of tragedy , there can bo no doubt whatever of his intense earnestness in whatever part he undertakes . Whether it be a character liko Digby

Grant , in which the interest is entirely of tho nature of comedy , or in parts like Eugene Aram and Mathias , which aro essentially tragic , the personality of the actor is , for tho time being , completely merged in tho character ho is pourtraying . Some trifling mannerisms may , and do , appear in his impersonations , bnt these are only superficial idiosyncrasies , and do not , to any appreciable

extent , mar the general effect of his performances . His reading of the character of Hamlet is intelligent and scholarly , and his bearing throughout that of a gentleman , and a man of rank . But tho great charm of his impersonation lies in its thorough genuineness . Every incident in the play appears to be acutely realised by the actor , and not a lino or word is allowed to fail of its appropriate effect . The

play , moreover , docs not vest entirely on Mr . Irving . Mr . Chippendale as Polonius , and Mr . Compton as the Grave-digger , may be said to divide equally with Mr . Irving the chief merits of the performance , whilst Mr . Switibunrno in the pare of the King , Mr . G . Neville as Horatio , and Mr . Mead as the Ghost , are each of them well chosen for their respective roles . The female parts , unfortunate !}' , are not

so veil filled , but Miss Pauncefort is not without a certain amount of power as the Queen . This revival is one of the few diamatic events of the year that we can look back upon with satisfaction . The Gaiety Theatre , after having run its usual course of modern comedy , comedy drama and opera-bouife , without making any great stir amongst tho playgoing public , has also made an attempt at tho

legitimate , by producing , with an exceptionally strong cast , The Merry "Wives of IFindsor . Mr . Phelps sustains the character of Falstaff , and Mr . Vezin that of Ford ; whilst Mrs . John Wood as Mrs . Page , Miss Rose Leclereq as Mrs . Ford , aud Miss Furfcado as Anne Page , play parts for which they are severally well suited , and in a more than respectable manner . Perhaps after all it will he

found , notwithstanding tho assertion of Mr . Chatterton , that Shakspearc does not of necessity " ^ ell ruiu . " We hope to give a more detailed notice of this performance on a future occasion ; but in the meanwhile we cannot refrain from expressing our satisfaction that two London managers should have thought it politic to introduce " the immortal bard" once more to our notice .

The Christmas novelties arc of the usual hackneyed type , Aladdin , and the Vokes troupe at Drury Lane , The Ba . hcs in the Wood at Covent Garden , Beauty and the Beast at tho Princess ' s , and The Children in the Wood at tho Adelphi . At tho Globe wo have th' 3 Lydia Thompson troupe , late of the Charing Cross Theatre , with the burlesqne of Blue Beard , now converted intoakindoF amateur pantomime .

The harlequinade is sustained by Miss Thompson , columbine , Mr . Beckett , harlequin , Mr . G . Barrett , pantaloon , and Mr . Edouin , clown , whilst Mr . Lionel Brough disports himself iu the part of policeman . We cannot help thinking that the change is a mistake . The fun falls very flat , and lacks the heartiness and " go" of even an indifferent harlequinade of professionals . Mr . Broach will

hardly improve his reputation by playing tho part of a super . Tho audience too naturally expect a transformation scene in a pantomime , and aro not likely to be satisfied with tableaux vivani . s as a substitute . Du resta—Sinbad the Sailor is the pantomime at tho Holborn , Aladdin , with Miss Carry Nelson , at tho Charing Cross , and The Forty Thieves , with the Paynes , at the Surrey .