Rugantino; or, The Bravo of Venice

THE THEATRE.

The managers appear to have engaged the

services of Mr. and Mrs. Cameron, as they

have both played occasionally during the

past week or twelve days; but whether they

have been permanently engaged we are not

informed. Mr. Cameron played Iago tole-

rably well on Tuesday night. In the first

part of the tragedy he seemed ill at ease, and

to play without spirit ; but as the piece drew

to a conclusion and he became warmed with

the applause, he brightened up, and managed

the remainder of his part much more effective-

ly. On Saturday evening, Mrs. Cameron

played Clari. This character, as well as the

one in which she made her debut (Mrs. Hal-

ler,) have been played with no inconsiderable

success by other ladies now on the Sydney

stage; and Mrs. Cameron therefore makes

her appearance under those circumstances

under some disadvantage. Her style is how

ever so different, that without instituting

"odious" comparisons we may commend and

admire both herself and them at the same

time. In Clari she impresses the idea that

she really feels all that her impassioned lan-

guage describes; which of course gives ad-

ditional value to her acting. Mr. Knowles

played Rolamo the broken hearted father with

great talent and emotion ; and Mrs. Taylor

the character of Vesirina with all tlie vivacity

for which she is distinguished. If the corps

was a hundred strong/those two parts could

scarcely be assigned to two performers more

admirably calculated for them. The Bravo

of Venice was the after piece, and was rather

bungled in some of the scenes, in consequence .

of a few not being "well up''- to their parts.

The Bravo (Rugantino) from the changes of

character in it as described by us last week,

is ii difficult part and one well qualified to

shew on Mr. Knowles' versatility of talent.

His bearing in Rugantino is bold and daunt-

less, and his manner in Flodoardo is refined 

and graceful. Miss Winstanley in Rosabella 

is somewhat incommoded with a long train,

which fashion probably dictated for ladies of

rank with the mischievous purpose of dis-

covering how their native grace would ex-

tricate their persons from the embarass-

ment of such an ill-contrived garment. She

manages the part cleverly, and in the. last

scene is very energetic. Mrs. Larra is very

amusing in Camilla. Mr. Lane looks a res-

pectable old Duke enough and would play it

decently if he would leave off exasperating

that inoffensive letter which 'is whispered

in Heaven and muttered in Hell' Dr. John

son and Sheridan, should old Charon ever

skull them across the Styx, in order to their

witnessing Theatricals at the Antipodes of

this other world, would be horrified, and

look in vain for precedents in their Dictionaries

when they heard the dread language now and

then perpetrated. Memmo's fears call forth

many a laugh ; it is a part which Mr. Buck-

ingham always plays with humour. The

other characters have no distinguishing points

to comment on. 

On Saturday evening the Stranger was

again requested, with the afterpiece of

Is he Jealous? in which Mr. and Mrs.

Cameron personated the parts of Mr. Bel-

mour and Harriett. The admirable perform-

ance of Mrs. C. kept the house in continual

laughter. We were glad to see the house

was well attended.