| Citation |
RNYG.779.225
8 Dec 1779:31 (333)
New-York, December 8.
On Monday evening the Theatre Royal was opened, and the
Comedy of the Miser and the Lying Valet were presented to a
very numerous and polite audience, who expressed the highest
satisfaction at the whole performance.
Mr. Rivington,
I have the pleasure to inform you that I spent my evening at
the Theatre Royal, to see the comedy of the Miser, performed
by a few of gentlemen collected from the Army; give me
leave to assure you, Sir, that I have seen the play worse
done in London, even when it was in its meridian for capital
performers. The representative of the Miser, did it
infinite justice, he happily conceived the character of old
Love Gold, and the richness of his gesture (judiciously
conveyed to us by a due balance of judgment) rendered him
not only pleasing, but characteristic; he had also many
lively touches of the late celebrated Mr. Shuter in every
department of stage manoeuvre. The gentleman who sustained
the part of Frederick, was easy and perfect, as the
character requires no other requisites to support it, we
could expect no more--Clermont had all about him that we
could wish to see, he was just in his design, and happy in
his execution, I could wish to see him under the banners of
Melpomene, as I think he is possessed of abilities to
support it. When I talk of Ramilis, I shall only say, that
never I received more pleasure from Mr. King, with this
observation only, that the present, seems to have had the
advantage of a genteel education, if we may judge from his
manner of walking the stage, I do assure you, Mr. Printer,
should I pass over the personator of that triffling part of
James unnoticed, I should think myself remiss in my
observation, I could wish to see him support a part of more
consequence in the Dramatis Persone, his veins are certainly
replete with humour, which must always constitute him a
darling child of Madame Thalia.
Lappet was done every justice to that Fielding ever
conceived, I remember the great Mrs. Clive in the character,
but must assure you that I don't think she was possessed of
the Je ne sais quoi of the lady who favoured the public with
her representation at the Theatre Royal in New-York. The
rest of the ladies were very decent and well received, in
short, the piece was well done, and dressed with the
strictest judgment of character.
I shall not trouble you with a tedious detail of our
farcical exhibition--it amazed me, for tho' the characters
of this little piece are many in number, there are few that
afford us any variety of contrast--Sharp and Kitty Pry, were
beyond any thing that we could expect, nay indeed surpassed
many similar performances that I have seen supported by the
greatest pillars of Drury Lane or Covent Garden.
To the honour of the nmanagers be it said, that (on so
laudable an undertaking) they are willing to prepare every
necessary auxiliary to the drama, from which motives we may
expect to be entertained with every embellishment of the
scenic art. I shall leave them to add the laurel to the
wreath, and if they continue as they begun I heartily wish
them success.
Auditor.
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