We donot propose to enter on a detailed description or minute criticism of the performance by the Tan-kuei-cha-yuen at the Lyceum Theatre on Friday evening, but the incident of the appearance of a Chinese Company on a foreign stage deserves a more extended notice than we give in our summary of nows, Up to a certain point the exhibition was entertaining, but when the novelty of externals had worn off, and the audience had made a short but sufficient study of the style of the acting, the. music, the dress tind the miscrenrscene generally, Uey found the play not alittle wearisome. The first two pieces went off briskly, and the programme formed a fair index to their plot. Phe English name given to the first was "The Three Doubles; or the Fairy Goldfish and the Blushing Peony,"—a fairy comedy in which gold-fish, malicious sprites, take the form of a young lady, the Blushing Peony, and of various peo ple who endeavour to assist the bewildered parent of the Peony to decide really his daughter. Next, in the absence of their elders, by dress for comic or tragic parts. In both these pieces, there was a considerable amount of really clever acting; and though the adjustment of " properties" on the stage, la Chinoise, struck the foreign observer as the height' of theatrical simplicity—and awkwardness, also, when the attendant "super" stumbles in the actor's way as he making a majestic exit—the thorough familiarity with their reles, and strict attention to business of every performer, was an example not unworthy of imitation, We will not insult our chamber music" friends by speaking too favourably of the squeaking of the wry-necked fifes," which piped vigorous accompaniments, of regaled our ears with interludes from some Chinese composer's magnum opus; but we can credit them with following closely the develop-of the play. There was even a barbaric siveetness in the croquetallet fiddle which led the orchestra, and the whole harmonized in exceeding inharioniousuess with the falsetto screeches in which most of the dialogue wag chanted. The dresses were magnificent, consisting generally of heavy brocaded silks, Weighty with gold and silver embroil dory, or robes of light texture and brilliant colours; and beards played too conspicuous a part to be overlooked. Con sidering the number of performers usuall engaged, the readiness with which ex appeared in his place and delivered his part, without either call-boy or prompter, was marvellous. The tumbling which was introduced as a pleasing variety in the middle of a sanguinary conflict, was first-rate though not of a novel kind. The third piece was an historical drama, which the preparer of the descriptive progeamme—rho appears to enter thoroughly into the flowery vein characteristic of Chinese phraseology=-had named "The Bridge of Golden' Water; or the Jewelled Girdle; a tragedy with a moral to it." Unfortu nately, the development of Chinese traged; involves what an energetic foreigner would be apt to term an "infernal row," and apparently no consideration for barbarian tympana could induce a mitigation of this lively accompaniment on the present occasion. Wooden horrors clattered, brazen cymbals clanged, and sounding gongs sweetly swelled the chorus. The development was otherwise slow, and though in a native theatre this is doubtless regarded as an advantage, on the present occasion, taken together with the noise, it caused the withdrawal of many of the audience, ourselves among the number, long before the moral was reached. We can therefore say nothing aboutthat, orthe succeeding plays. Wehave since been "seedy " with an unaccountable seediness, which our medical adviser thinks may be due to cymbal on the cerebellum, The symptoms are a weary and distressed air, and an irrational impulse to thrust the fingers into the ears Though many people did not stay out the performance, however, we have no doubt that all who went were satisfied with th experience, and gratified with the oppo tunity which had been afforded them bj the entrepreneur, of witnessing a Chine play. The attendance was not so good we anticipated, but perhaps a lower scale of prices would have been more suitable, and it would also, we think, have produced a more satisfactory financial result, The weather, however, which was cold and disagreeable, may have deterred many.
We believe that the native Company found nothing to call forth admiration in the arrangements of the foreign theatre, on the stage or off it, from the sunlight to the footlights; and it is probable that, given many opportunities of observing these, they would never think of adopting any of them in their own theatres, But it would be strange if even in China such a phase of interaction were not productive of some improvement.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.