Page images
PDF
EPUB

THE DRAMA.

Still pleased to praise, but not afraid to blame.

BOSTON THEATRE.

THE amateurs of the theatre have been gra tified this season with the performances of the two greatest tragedians in America, Messrs. Cooper and Fennell. They are both favourites and deservedly rank high in publick esti mation. It was unfortunate for Mr. Fennell to appear in the same walk of the drama, almost immediately upon the recess of Mr. Cooper, as the popular opinion was not then in his favour. Some of his first characters were played to very indifferent houses.

Feb. 23.-Othello and The Jew and Doctor.

In the personation of Othello Mr. Fennell displayed much excellent acting; we cannot however bestow on it unqualified praise, for he appeared at times cold and unempassioned, when we thought fire and pathos were necessary. He conducted the business of the last act in a manner somewhat different, and we think more natural, than has been customary on our stage.

Mr. Usher deserves credit for his exertions in Iago, but he has played it better. His utterance was sometimes so rapid, that his sentences near the close were not distinctly heard.

Mr.

Fox in Cassio was more successful than we have ever before seen him in the same character,`` Mr. Downie's Roderigo was tolerable.

Feb. 25.-Hamlet and The Poor Soldier.

Mr. Fennell's Hamlet pronounces him at once a gentleman and a scholar. He portrayed the strong and impetuous, yet noble and generous passions of the young prince with great truth and beauty. The eye was pleased with his countenance and person, with his dignified and manly deportment, and the ear charmed with his eloquence; while the mind was gratified with his correct and classical reading.

Mr. Usher we think throws too much action into his representation of the Ghost. His motions and gait are too rapid, and want dignity, to impress the mind with a suitable idea of the "majesty of buried Denmark." Horatio, in relating to Hamlet the appearance of the ghost to Bernardo and Marcellus, says

A figure like your father

Appears before them, and with solemn march,
Goes slow and stately by them.

We know a hint is sufficient for Mr. Usher; his own judgment will tell him that a little more solemnity of deportment is necessary, to give the proper effect to this aerial visitor.

We repeat the approbation so frequently bestowed on Mr. Dickenson's Polonius.

While we pass over unnoticed the King and Queen, and are sparing of the lash to the cour

tiers, we dare not withhold a petition to the shade of Shakespeare

O pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,
That I am meek and gentle with thy butchers!

Feb. 27.-Earl of Essex and Paul and Virginia. Essex, Mr. Fennell; Southampton, Fox ; Queen Elizabeth, Mrs. Shaw; Countess of Rutland, Mrs. Powell.

March 2.-George Barnwell and Robin Hood, The two principal characters in this tragedy, we are told, are generally performed in London by Kemble and. Mrs. Siddons. Whether they are of less importance on this side of the Atlantick, or whether certain performers hold them by right of possession, we know not; but we have been accustomed to see them in the hands of actors, to say the least, of very mod, erate capacities. Milwood by Mrs. Shaw was not entirely without merit, and in some parts her conception of the character was undoubtedly correct. As we we understand this is one of the characters Mrs. Shaw claims as her property by contract, we take the liberty to notice a few instances of false grammar and pronunciation, which occurred in one short scene, requesting her to correct them by the author be fore a repetition of the play

His bloody hands shows he has done the deed, but shows he wants the prudence to conceal it.' 'What gold, what trinkets, or what else of valne have you brought me ?"

Dr. Johnson's definition of trinket is, a thing of no value, a toy.

Nature's first, last, dear purrogative.'

'That imaginary being is an emblum of thy cur sed sex collected; a mirror, wherein each particular man may see his own likeness, and that of all mankind's.

From Mr. Poe's Barnwell we expected little satisfaction, and of course were not disappointed.

March 4.--The Rivals and Spoiled Child.

This play, by the united exertions of the company, was rendered very pleasing. Mr. Bernard afforded the audience a hearty laugh by his whimsical performance of Acres. Messrs. Dickenson and Fox, as Sir Anthony and Captain Absolute, played with much spirit and vivacity. Mr. Caulfield gave us the Irish baronet in a superiour style. This gentleman has of late become almost a stranger on the boards. He is always welcomed by the smiles if not by the hands of the audience. Mr. Barnes's David was good.

We are pleased to have an opportunity of bestowing applause on Mrs. Shaw; she was quite at home in the character of Mrs. Malaprop, and used every exertion to merit applause. Mrs. Stanley's Lydia was well. It is not a character which will set off her talents to advantage.

Little Pickle, by Mrs. Poe, if we may be allowed the use of a pun, was a very green Little

Pickle. We never knew before that the Spoiled Child belonged to that class of beings termed hermaphroditical, as the uncouthness of his costume seemed to indicate.

March 6.-Venice Preserved and Sixty Third Letter.

Jaffier, a gentleman of Boston, his third appearance; Pierre, Mr. Caulfield; Belvidera, Mrs. Stanley. With the exception of the two last mentioned characters, the play was stale and flat; it was unprofitable in the most extensive signification of the word.

March 9.-The Beaux Stratagem and Lying Valet. Mr. C. S. Powell, formerly manager of the Boston, and now of the Halifax theatre, played Scrub and Sharp. His performance was highly gratifying,

March 11.-King Lear and Spoiled Child.

The representation of Lear, which had been some time deferred on account of Mr. Fennell's indisposition, excited great expectation, The critical auditories which attended his previous performances have pronounced high encomiums on his merits; his personation of Lear will in no wise lessen or disparage his well-earned laurels. It was embellished with nice discrimination, which secured the approbation of the scholar, and a pathos which found immediate access to the heart. His imprecations on Goneril and Regan exhibited a fine pic ture of the contending passions which agonized

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »