The Theatres.

THE THEATRES .

At the Vaudeville Mr . Thornc is again getting ready another comedy for the evening programme , by first playing it at an afternoon performance . Since he became the sole lessee of this house , he has put one comedy after another on the stage in a manner , and with such a company , which perhaps have never been surpassed . Before "The School for Scandal " had in the least lost its

popularity , " London Assurance " was played in the afternoon , and soon after produced in the evening ; and whilst it was yet at the height of its fame , " Money . " by Lord Lytton , took its place ; and now Holcroft ' s sterling old comedy , " The Road to Ruin , " has been played in its turn for the benefit of the proprietor of the theatre ; yet we mav exDect it will shortly be promoted to the evening . No

doubt Mr . Thorne finds , as Bro . Hollingshead does , that by a constant change of the programme he draws round himself an audience he may call his own . On a recent Saturday afternoon an appreciative audience assembled to see " The Road to Ruin , " and much genuine gratification was afforded them . Mr . Thorne of course took Silky , and executed the details of the part with exquisite skill ; indeed ,

some of his admirers have th . light he never displayed his talents to greater advantage . But his Graves , in "Money , " we think he has made more of than anyone who has before played the part . Mr . William Farren , as Old Domton , also , of course , the part he played some nine years ' since on the same stage , when the comedy ran for six months . Mr . H . Wigan ' s Sulkv was equally well rendered ,

whileMr . C Warner , as Harry Domton , the careless spendthrift , but good-hearted fellow , won much applause ; this is a character well suited to Mr . Warner , his stentorian voice and fine figure come well to his aid . Miss Alma Murray charmingly played the unsophisticated " Sophia . " Miss Kate Phillips was a vivacious Jenny , the waiting woman . The widow Warren was also well portrayed

by Miss Sidney , who threw much stress upon the vanity of the widow . Mr . M . Lestocq , Mr . J . R- Crawford and Mr . John Maclean in their respective characters were all that could be desired . No wonder with such talent the fortunes of this house are steadily improving . Mr . Sidney Alport , the acting manager , will take his benefit to-day , when we hope it will be his benefit in every sense of the word . The popular comedy of " Money " will be the programme .

Bro . Holland , not content with one of the grandest spectular displays which he or any one has brought out , —we refer to " Babil and Bijou " at the Alhambra , —has added to its already renowned popularity an attraction which has drawn thousands to this home of light music intermingled with the light fantastic . VVe believe it is quite true that nightly hundreds of people cannot gain admission into this

large building . The English people run after freaks of nature . One day it is the smallest people in the world who can be placed on one ' shand , the Midgets ; the next agiant ; but now a giantess , and whom we are told has not yet done growing . If this be so , what house will contain her ? This colossal person , Mdlle Marian , was born in Germany , at Benkendorf . a village in the Thuringian mountains in iS 66 ,

and has reached the height of eight feet two inches . An average sized man can walk under her outstretched arm . She has taken the place of the Queen of the Amazons . Unlike many such persons , this young lady is of handsome features , and unaffected and gentle manners . Her predecessor in the character of Princess of the Moon was no

mean size , but by the side of Mdlle Marian she is a dwarf . From stalls to gallery the Alhambra represents just a sea of faces . " Babil and Bijou " has been placed upon the stage by Bro Holland in a way that does credit and honour to the directors' manager . 'There has rarely been seen a more picturesque and brilliant scene .

Nosv that" Fourteen Days " has been withdrawn from the Criterion , in order to give Mr . Charles Wyndham a rest , many of those who have been convulsed with laughter by Mr . Wyndham in his character as Peregrine Porter , Mr . Blakeley , Mr . Lytton Sothern ( son of the late renowed comedian ) , Miss Rose Saker ( Mr . Wyndham's neice ) , Mjss Rorke , and Miss Vining , will be glad to keep their memories

refreshed and to call to mind the pleasant evenings spent at the Criterion Theatre by placing in their albums some of the series of photographs just published by Messrs . Brown , Barnes , and Bell , of Regent-street and Cheapside . It would be impossible to have them all , but a selection may be made to recall many of the witty points of Bro . Byron's comic play . This firm has brought out some of the finest

p hotographs we remember to have seen . About thirty , we believe , make the series complete . Each act is represented and every character in each act . We cannot justly say one is better than another , so good are the whole , but , of course , the most interesting are those depicting Mr . Wyndham . Mr . Charles Wyndham , we understand , will not return to the Criterion . He is about to sail

for the United States , where , we know , he will delight the Yankees with his humour . Another theatre is about being built , adding to the already large number in London . Thus Mr . Wyndham will himself be the owner of . Like Bro . Toole , Bro . Irving , and Mr . Thorne , he will be both lessee and chief actor of his house . We hope he will succeed , but this is almost certain . He will , of course , still place on his stage the bright and vivacious pieces he has always played

in . The site of this new theatre is on a piece ot land adjoining the Grand Hotel in the Northumberland Avenue , thus adding to the renown of the Strand for theatres . Bro . Gilbert ' s merry comedy " The Wedding March " is now on the programme of the Criterion , but Bro . Hill js missed with regret from the cast . VVe understand this house will shortly close in order to comply with certain orders from the Lord Chamberlain for some alterations . It will then be to let .

« * * The new comic opera , "The Vicar of Bray , " has again been postponed , and is now announced for performance for to-night at the Globe . We hope to notice it next week . Proceeding from Messrs . Solomon and Grundy , it ought to be something worth hearing and seeing . The cast will include Bro . Hill , Mr . W . H . Fisher , Miss Emma D'Auban , and Marie Davis .

The Theatres.

" Warranted " is the title of a new comic opera in rehearsal at the Imperial . Mr . Walter Bolton , Miss M . Browning , and Miss de Marini are included in the cast . * # * The " Squire and Maria ; or , Too far from the Madding Crowd , " is the title of a burlesque written by Mr . Norton , on the play which has been going at Bro . Kendal ' s house since January , and has now gone into the provinces .

The Avenue Theatre , Northumberland Avenue , the latest of the London Theatres , will be pulled down by the South Eastern Railway Company , should their " Widening and Extension Bill" pass the Houses of

Parliament this session . It was only opened a few months ago . No doubt good compensation will be got for it . It is such a comfortable house that we hope another will be built in its stead on the same principles . It is required for the widening of Charing Cross Station .

Music

MUSIC

The Italian Opera season for 1 SS 2 will be concluded to-day ( Saturday ) and for some time to come there will be nothing beyond a few concerts , including those given at the Crystal and Alexandra Palaces , to meet the musical requirements of London . But enough is as good as a feast , and the public has small reason to complain of the provision made in the year 1 SS 2 in this branch of

entertainment . We have had Bro . Carl Rosa and his company at Her Majesty ' s , and , subsequently , at the same house , under the auspices of Bro . Mapleson , the performance of Wagner ' s " Nibelungl ' s Ring . " At Drury Lane , Herren Franke and Pollini provided for the first time a season of German Opera , and , Iconcurrently , there has been the regular season of Italian Opera at Covent Garden . It will be admitted that this , to say nothing of the concerts

innumerable which have been held meanwhile , is by no means too highly coloured a picture of the musical arrangements now in course of being completed . After this , too , a period of comparative rest will be a boon . A pleasure of which we have too much thrust upon us soon ceases to be attractive , and becomes wearisome . So we can bid farewell to Italian Opera with a li g ht heart , and give ourselves up to the pleasure of anticipating what the company , of which Mr . Gye is the presiding genius , may have in store for us in 1 SS 3 .

We must not however , forget our promise of last week to take some note of the second novelty of the season , Boito's " Mefistofele . " It was first brought out in July , 1 SS 0 , at Her Majesty ' s , by Bro . Mapleson , and its re-production last week at Covent Garden was hailed with satisfaction by the public . Being a spectacular opera , the management laid itself out with a will to provide scenery of

more than usual magnificence , and they succeeded beyond all question . The orchestra and chorus were in the best possible form , while the performance of Madame Albani , as Margherita and Elena , was exceptionally interesting . It will be remembered that Madame Nilsson , but for the disagreement which happened between her and Mr . Gye , was to have filled these parts . But a comparison is unnecessary between the two artistes . Doubtless

her interpretation would have been different and not less successful than Madame Albani ' s , yet the Iatter ' s Margherita was admirable , and was greeted with frequent applause . Mdlle Tremelli played Marta and Pantalis efficiently . M . Gailhard gave the greatest satisfaction as Mcfisiofele , and Signor Mierzwinsky was Faust . In short , the whole performance was a success . » *

Of the other performances during the week there is no need to say more than that Madame Patti had a gala nigjit on Wednesday , when she appeared as Violetta in "La Traviata , " with Signor Nicolini as Alfredo , and Signor Cotogni as Giorgio Germont . On Thursday Madame Albani took her benefit , and this day ( Saturday ) will be given " II Barbiere di Siviglia , " with Madame Patti as Rosiua , the other principal artistes being Signori Cotogni , De Reszke , and Nicolini .

The announcement that , after all the apparent success which attended him , Herr Franke , the enterprising Director of the German Opera Company , has landed himself in the Court of Bankruptcy , has been received with general expressions of regret . No doubt the expenses

were very heavy , especially when we bear in mind that no pains were spared to make every performance as perfect as possible . We trust , however , that though things may not look promising , his first season will not turn out to he his last .

! S *! r W Great anticipations arc being formed of the new oratorio , "The Redemption , " by M . Gounod , which is to be performed at the forthcoming Musical Festival . It is considered by the composer himself to be his greatest work

— " the work of his life , " to use his own words , or rather the English version of them . Whether it will turn out to be such remains to be seen . Meanwhile , it may be interesting to state that the Festival Committee and Messrs . Novello , Ewer and Co . have between them purchased it for the magnificent sum of £ 4000 . # #

* An addition has been made to the programme of the Avenue Theatre , and " Les Manteaux Noirs " is now preceded by Balfe ' s operetta , " The Sleeping Beauty , " which was originally produced at the Gallery of Illustration by Mr . German Reed . The story is slight . A young Spanish Queen is in love with a youthful noble , who , however , has a most inveterate enemy in the person of the Regent , the

Regent , in his turn , being deeply affected towards one of the Queen ' s Maids of Honour . The interest centres around the device by which the Regent is made to kiss the Queen's hand in mistake for that of the maid , and so renders himself liable to the penalty of death he had previously passed upon the noble . The music contains much that is good , several of the concerted pieces being pleasantly written . The parts are played by Miss L . Clement , Miss Trevelyan , Mr . Coventry , and Mr . T . G . Warwick .

Music

On Saturday , at the Royal Academy of Music , the Charles Lucas Medal was adjudged to William G . Wood . The candidates were ten in number . # * = ft The programme at the Gaiety has been during the present week , and for the next two weeks will be , entirely musical , a slight farce , entitled "Through the Looking Glass , " - by Thomas Stevens and Solomon , forming the

prelude to the nautical comic opera of " Billee Taylor , " by the same gentlemen . The opera was originally produced at the Imperial Theatre , in the autumn of 18 S 0 , and there , as well as in the United States , had a great run . The present performance is eminently satisfactory , and quite worthy of the applause bestowed upon it . The part of the hero was most effectively sustained by Mr . Arnold Breedon , a capital tenor and a capable actor . Miss Annie Poole

played Pha-bc Fairleigh , Billee ' s sweetheart ; Mr . T . P . Squire gave effect to the character of the Hon . Felix Flapper , Captain of the Thunderbomb ; while Mr . Arthur Williams , as Sir Mincing Lane , and Mr . VV . Elton , as the boatswain , Ben Barnacle , deserved the cordial greeting they received ; the Iatter ' s song , "All on account of Eliza , " being re-demanded . The chorus of " Charity Girls " was well given , and also encored .

Science And Art.

SCIENCE AND ART .

The London Stock Exchange , with its scene business excitement , is about to be ' represented in a picture by Sargent , who is so well-known as successfully delineating portrait pictures containing masses of men , the House of Commons , 1 S 74 , and the House of Peers , 1 S 7 G , being the first of his works of this kind , and for the painting of which he was allotted by the Sergeant-at-Arms and Black

Rod respectively rooms in each House . Later on , the Liverpool and Manchester Exchange , with over 300 portraits—of all the principal representative men—in each picture were published ; the last great work being the present House of Commons in the Session 1 SS 2 , and recently exhibited at Bro . Gladwell ' s , in Gracechurch-street . 'This has been most successfully etched by the artist , and is one of the

largest and most elaborate etchings ever produced , the portraits of Bro . the Marquis of Hartington , Bro . Sir James McGarel Hogg , Bro . Alderman Fowler , and Bro . hir Michael Hicks-Beach being amongst the most prominent . The present undertaking is intended for publication , and the view taken gives to the bold style of the architecture a most imposing effect , and , we think , promises to result in a very effective picture . We also

understand that the portraits are to be taken in the studio , as was the case with the pictures of the Houses of Parliament . Each member sat individually for his portrait , thus making them all faithful representations . Anew electric light will shortly be fixed in the rooms in Austin Friars-passage . We hope to see Bro . Finn , and other Masonic stockbrokers , among the group . ft ss

A meeting of the Council of the Royal College of Surgeons was held on Thursday week , when Mr . Spencer Wells , of Upper Grosvenor-strcet , was elected President in succession to Bro . Sir Erasmus Wilson , P . G . Deacon , whose term of office had expired . a . « a

There has recentl y been held in the Art Galleries of Messrs . Howell and James their seventh annual exhibition of paintings on china , by lady amateurs . These exhibitions are invariably attractive , the bulk of the work displayed showing great taste and skill , and oftentimes considerable originality . Among the patrons is H . R . H . the Princess Mary , Duchess of Teck , who honoured the exhibition with her presence on Thursday week .

It is in contemplation to employ the electric light for illuminating purposes at Windsor Castle . ¦ 9 * # The funeral of Mr . Hablot K . Browne , so wellknown to readers of Dickens's works under the cognomen of "Phiz , " took place on Friday last at the extra-mural Cemetery , Brighton .

« « * Among the events which have marked this year's celebration of the National Fete of France roust be noted the inauguration on Thursday week , in the cemetery of Pore La Chaise , of a magnificent white marble

monument , having Corinthian columns and capitals of exquisite workmanship , to the memory of the celebrated historian Michelet . On the sides of the pedestal are inscribed the names of the countries and cities which have subscribed towards its erection , England figuring very prominently among them .

Another event connected with the same fete was the grand inauguration banquet held at the new Hotel de Ville , Paris , at which M . Grevy , the President of the French Republic , the Prefect of the Seine , the President of the Municipal Council , the President of the Senate , the President of the Ministry , Lord Lyons . G . C . B ., our

Ambassador in Paris , and the Turkish , German , and Spanish Ambassadors were present . Politics were avoided , and , happily for the guests ,, only three speeches were given . In the evening the building was splendidly illuminated . The new hotel takes the place of that fired eleven years ago in the terrible days of the Commune .

* - # * The Society of British Artists has received the following additions to its list of members , namely : Messrs . F . Barnard , Edward F . Brewtnall , J , Charlton , A . H . Marsh , John Scott , J . D . Watson , T . J . Watson , and R . C . Woodville . Mr . Carl Haag has been elected aft honorary member .

* •* * Mr . Ruskin is making arrangements with several gentlemen of Sheffield for the transfer of the Walkley Museum to more commodious premises , on a more accessible site , there being no space in the present building to exhibit the several art-treasures which he has in readiness to forward to Sheffield . He will also establish it on such a basis as will secure it freely and fully for the benefit of the people of that town for ever .