Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time;
CO 3, by
Andrew Franklin]: The Scenery, Machinery, Dresses
and De
corations entirely new. The Overture
and Musick
composed by
Florio. The Scenes, designed by
Greenwood,
and painted by him,
Banks,
and assistants. The Machinery, Dresses
and De
corations designed by
Johnston,
and executed by him,
Gay,
and Underwood. The Female Dresses designed
and made under the direction of
Miss Rein. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. "With thy exception of
Pizarro, this is one of the most magnificent spectacles the stage has for some time produced. The dresses...are attended with particular accuracy to the
costume of the
country...
and the scenery is locally
correct" (
Monthly Mirror, Mar. 1800, p. 173). "As a singer [
Mme Mara's] powers are indisputable; but as a performer she exhibits herself in a light which alternately provokes our ridicule
and pity. Her delivery is an absolute libel on the profession. To the defects of a foreign pronunciation she joins a natural impediment of speech, which partakes too strongly of a lisp to warrant her bearing part in the prose dialogue of a play. What
could possibly induce her to appear before the public under such disadvantages, unless she did it in
compliment to the
composer, we are at a loss to
conjecture; nor less are we puzzled to ac
count for the supineness of an audience which can patiently tolerate such puny efforts" (
Dramatic Censor, I, 347-48).
Morning Chronicle, 14 June 1800: This day is published
The Egyptian Festival (2s.). Receipts: #320 18s. 6d. (277.6.6; 42.8.0; 1.4.0)