Drury-Lane Theatre.
Shakspeare's tragedy of KingJohn was last night revived on these boards. The part of the vicious and vacillating Alonarchi whose blood-thirsty propeasities would havc taken a wider and more deter- mined course, but that, from time to time, " fears and scrples shake him," was represented by Mr. Mlacready. His performance was distinguished by very considerable ability; but, as is almost constantly the case when he grapples with Siaksneare, art had too great a share in his picture of Kitig John Studied attitudes, strange transitions of voice, now tempestuously loud, and anon "soft as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes," without any just cause for the change, comport not with the passion or the dignity of the tragic scene. rhIere was, in Mr. DIacready's aeting, a good deal of this trickery. But, in the midst of this dross, some sterling ore occa- sionally sparkled forth. The scene in which the King endeavours to seduce hi-s minion hYuibert to commit murder was well imaginetL and finely executed. The only defect here was, the extraordinary length of the pauscs. True it is, that the situation of the tyrant, who is brooding o'er an act so horrible in itself, that he dreads to mention it even to his most devoted servant, demanids, in the way of pause and trepidation, a considerable latitade: but it has its proper boundary, and that boundary lAlr. rilacready greatly overstepped. He must have felt it; for some un- sophisticated critics gave him a hint or two on the occasion. Leav- Ing this defect aside, he certainly played the scene well. The first p art of the subsequent scene with Hubert, where the latter touches his conscience by a constant recurrence to the supposed murder of young Arthur, was also very good; but that part which closes the scene was hurried and noisy past endarance. The dyiig scene de- serves much praise. MVIrs. Bunn appeared, for the first time, as C'oustunce. If mere vehemence can imnpart an adequate idea of a d1eep and hopeless grief, her perfornance was excellent. For our own parts, one t-uch of tenderness and feeling, wlhere Con. stance laments the loss of her son, would please us morc than all thc violence of voice and of gesticulation which she bestowed on tlte en- tire character. Her beat passage. was that In which she rebukes Austria. It was pointedly delivered. Dir. Wallack plaved Faul- conbridge in a nianner rather beyond the respectable. i'e has not sufficient grasp of mind f'illy to embody this lively, satyri- cal, bold, and courageous character. Mr. Terry growled out the part of Hubert with mott uutmitigable harshness. His Hi,- bert hiadno touch of feeling about it. Hlad the character been niere melodrame, the stampilg of the feet, vwringiiig of the hands, and tossin.g up nf the head, would have produced an excellent effect. Young Arthuzr eras represented by a Mlaster Webster, who has been spoiled in the tutoring. Instcad of the unsophisticated innocence of a child, we had all Chic starts and affcted attitudes of a veteran per- former. I,ittle Chapman used to play the part very differently. DRURY-LANE THEA TRE.