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Article THE DRAMA. Page 1 of 2 →
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The Drama.
THE DRAMA .
The principal novelty since our last has been the production of Mr . Sheridan Knowles ' s play of The Wreckers Daughter at Drury Lane . We object to the subject—to the animus of the drama , so utterly opposed as it is , to the sweetness and purity developed in the other plays of the same writer , but must give all praise to very many passages containing the essence of poetry in its most beautiful and touching development . The subject however—it is a tale of blood—we think infelicitous ,
and trust that it will remain a solitary mistake of the gifted author . Mr . Edwin Forrest , the Roscius of America , has made his bow to a London audience . Although not among his ardent admirers , we may not be the less competent to test his merits as an actor . He is at this moment , from the retirement of Mr . Charles Kemble , second only to Macready . His very failings partake much of a similar character , depending upon physical force to prevent them from becoming glaring faults . We are too well pleased by the visit of the American Roscius to judge him in comparison with the " illustrious dead , " it is enough to hold honourable competition with living talent , and this Mr . Forrest has done ,
however the crooked policy of his " manager" may have compelled him to appear under the great disadvantage of high prices , when at the rival house , Kemble in his farewell engagement has given Macready the great chance-hit of full houses at " -reduced charges . " Mr . C . Kemble has quitted the stage—and he has left it , after many , many years of exertion , with a well-earned fame , and with the best wishes of all who love high art , and respect private worth . _ His last whom is the bachelor ' " cloak to
character was Benedick . And upon " s descend ? The retirement of Mr . Kemble—the last of his theatrical race—is a grievous loss to the stage . Mercutio , Doricourt , Falconbridge , Mirabel— -all have gone with him . His valedictory address was an unaffected farewell to an art , which , as he admirably avowed , he " passionately loved , "—a farewell , delivered in the most simple and affecting manner . Mr . Kemble shed tears , but not alone—there were hundreds who marked their feelings at the separation , by the like
touching testimonials . ADELPIII THEATRE . —A burletta , entitled Sir Roger de Coverley , has been produced here—unheralded by any of the customary paragraphs , and without even an underline , in the previous play-bills—we wish the public were more frequently permitted to exercise their unbiassed opinion upon an author ' s pretensions . The papers of the Spectator , in the second volume , have furnished our author with the materials of a very
pleasing drama , and he has preserved the vein of Addison with no mean proof of dramatic tact . The piece commences with the visit of the " Moralist of the age" to De Coverley Hall , where he witnesses the different characters of the Baronet ' s nephews , Augustus and Henry—the former ( Yates ) an exquisite of the first water ( and most excellently played)—the latter ( Hemming ) , the lover of Helen , the protege' of Sir ( MrsYates ) In the oriinal there is a gypsy scene
Roqer . . g papers , where "White Moll" figures conspicuously , and John Reeve is thus furnished with a character which he delineated with all his usual raciness and force . Moll and Augustus are the characters that mainly draw forth the merriment of the audience ; but it was reserved for Mrs . Yates to secure their favour by throwing into her part a pathos so powerful as
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Drama.
THE DRAMA .
The principal novelty since our last has been the production of Mr . Sheridan Knowles ' s play of The Wreckers Daughter at Drury Lane . We object to the subject—to the animus of the drama , so utterly opposed as it is , to the sweetness and purity developed in the other plays of the same writer , but must give all praise to very many passages containing the essence of poetry in its most beautiful and touching development . The subject however—it is a tale of blood—we think infelicitous ,
and trust that it will remain a solitary mistake of the gifted author . Mr . Edwin Forrest , the Roscius of America , has made his bow to a London audience . Although not among his ardent admirers , we may not be the less competent to test his merits as an actor . He is at this moment , from the retirement of Mr . Charles Kemble , second only to Macready . His very failings partake much of a similar character , depending upon physical force to prevent them from becoming glaring faults . We are too well pleased by the visit of the American Roscius to judge him in comparison with the " illustrious dead , " it is enough to hold honourable competition with living talent , and this Mr . Forrest has done ,
however the crooked policy of his " manager" may have compelled him to appear under the great disadvantage of high prices , when at the rival house , Kemble in his farewell engagement has given Macready the great chance-hit of full houses at " -reduced charges . " Mr . C . Kemble has quitted the stage—and he has left it , after many , many years of exertion , with a well-earned fame , and with the best wishes of all who love high art , and respect private worth . _ His last whom is the bachelor ' " cloak to
character was Benedick . And upon " s descend ? The retirement of Mr . Kemble—the last of his theatrical race—is a grievous loss to the stage . Mercutio , Doricourt , Falconbridge , Mirabel— -all have gone with him . His valedictory address was an unaffected farewell to an art , which , as he admirably avowed , he " passionately loved , "—a farewell , delivered in the most simple and affecting manner . Mr . Kemble shed tears , but not alone—there were hundreds who marked their feelings at the separation , by the like
touching testimonials . ADELPIII THEATRE . —A burletta , entitled Sir Roger de Coverley , has been produced here—unheralded by any of the customary paragraphs , and without even an underline , in the previous play-bills—we wish the public were more frequently permitted to exercise their unbiassed opinion upon an author ' s pretensions . The papers of the Spectator , in the second volume , have furnished our author with the materials of a very
pleasing drama , and he has preserved the vein of Addison with no mean proof of dramatic tact . The piece commences with the visit of the " Moralist of the age" to De Coverley Hall , where he witnesses the different characters of the Baronet ' s nephews , Augustus and Henry—the former ( Yates ) an exquisite of the first water ( and most excellently played)—the latter ( Hemming ) , the lover of Helen , the protege' of Sir ( MrsYates ) In the oriinal there is a gypsy scene
Roqer . . g papers , where "White Moll" figures conspicuously , and John Reeve is thus furnished with a character which he delineated with all his usual raciness and force . Moll and Augustus are the characters that mainly draw forth the merriment of the audience ; but it was reserved for Mrs . Yates to secure their favour by throwing into her part a pathos so powerful as