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Cnnmtmtal Mates-
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attention to one egregious and constant mistake Charles Kean commits m this as in other parts—viz ., the alternation of explosive rant with calmness . One moment he is ranting till his voice is hoarse , and the next he is as quiet as a melancholy recluse . Now every one knows that even in the subsidence of rage there is peculiar agitation ; and although the voice may be low , its tones are tremulous . •• , In Charles Kean ' s Macbeth all the traged y has vanished ; sympathy is impossible , because the mind of the criminal is hidden from us . He makes Macbeth , ignoble—one whose crime is that of a common murderer , with perhaps a tendency towards Methodism . I believe my readers by this time are pretty well assured of my impartiality , and that the opinions I utter are irrespective of personal considerations ; they may be erroneous , but they are mine . Moreover , I have praised Charles Kean enough on other occasions to be allowed , without suspicion , to sav how poor his performance of Macbeth seems to me . And
for that opinion I have assigned the reasons . If any one seeing Macbeth can discover in Charles Kean either tie heroic soldier or the imaginative man ; if he can say that the reading of the character as a whole , or of individual passages , was such as embodied the plain text , then let what I have written go for nothing . Let me add , however , that bad as the performance was , it had fine points . The weariness of guilt was tragically , and even imaginatively pourtrayed ; the terror after the deed was terror , although I think it had more the aspect of a housebreaker ' s fear of the police than of Macbeth !' s agitated conscience ; and the desperation at the close was desperation . At times Charles Kean does things so veil , that one is at a loss to conceive how it is he can have been acting fine parts so many years , and yet fall
short of what every one demands in a Shakspearian character . It is now some twenty years since Mrs . Charles Kean first attempted the character of Lady Macbeth in London . She was then a charming actress of comedy and the lighter parts of tragedy ; her very charmingness was an obstacle to her representation- of Lad y Macbeth , according to the received notion in England ; and she failed in it . I do not remember her performance ; but I suspect that it was much better than the public , accustomed to the Siddons' type , would accept . Indeed , I am very much of Mrs . Siddons ' s opinion , that Lady Macbeth was a fair , delicate , womanly
¦ woman ; capable of great " valour of the tongue ; " capable of nerving lerself for any one great object , but showing by her subsequent remorse and broken heart that she had been playing a part . Be this as it may , Mrs . Charles Kean was not successful then , and is successful now . I do Dot accept her view of the part , but , at any rate , she has a view , and realizes it with a vulture-like ferocity . In no scene was she weak ; in the sleep-walking scene she was terrific . It is not , however , so much the acting as the " getting up" of Macbeth
which will attract the public . In most respects the mise en scene is worthy of loud praise , and makes one almost forget the bad taste of the play bill , whereof a whole page is devoted to an exposition of the authorities of the costumes adopted . Charles Mathews has set a wretched example , and one may now expect all managers to make the play-bill a fly-sheet of criticism and erudition , unless a little timely ridicule warn them of their danger . Charles Kean . makes a formidable display ; talks familiarl y of Diodorus Siculus , Pliny , Strabo , Xiphilin , and the JEyrliggia Saga . Xiphilin !—he reads Xiphilin ! What a name to fling at the pit ! How many of his ' public ever turn over the leaves of that abbreviator of Dion Cassius ? And the manager himself , does he really read Xiphilin P "A question not to be asked , " for listen to his preface , ¦ written in the choicest English : —
" The success which attended the production of King John last season at tins theatre has encouraged me to attempt another Shakspearian revival on the same Hcale . The very uncertain information , however , which we possess respecting the dress worn by the inhabitants of Scotland in the eleventh century , renders any attempt to present the tragedy of Macbeth attired in the costume of that period a task of very great difficulty . I hope , therefore , I may not be deemed presumptuous if I intrude a few words upon the subject , and endeavour to explain upon what authorities I have based my opinions . " Could ho have heard the " guffaws" which saluted that bill , he would have fervently wished it unwritten . It was praiseworthy in him to take so much pains about his costume : but suppose Mr . Smith were to follow this example , and tell the public all the books on the Australian diggings ho might have read before producing Gold , or Mr . Webster were
to tell us all the authorities upon which he based his opinions before he produced Masks and Faces ! This is a digression . Let me return to the mise en scene , which really does display research and ingenuity . All the old stage " business" has been altered , and mostly improved . Thus , the wounded soldier , instead of coming on as if he had run all the way from the battle field , is brought in on a litter . The banquet scene , again , has a most life-like and picturesque aspect—it is a real glimpse into feudal times . The appearances of Banquo ' s ghost are admirable , and ghostly . The scenery throughout is both pictorial and historical . For a spectacle one cannot desire anything more animated , varied , imposing . It shows—what I have always said—that Charles Kean has a real appreciation of artistic mise en sebne , and that whatever one may think of him as an actor , he deserves miWi ' n mirmnrt as n , manager . But there is a want perceptible through it
all—the want of a poetical mind . Melodramatic effects he can reach—he falls short of poetry . Thus , the least effective portion of the present mise en scene is the witch portion . In the first place , for one who pretends to care for Shakspeare , it is a gross violation of the poet ' s meaning to multiply the three weird sisters—those Parcae of the north—into some fifty absurdly attired witches , called in managerial English "the vocal strength engaged for this occasion" ( and strength of lungs they did display !) How much effect is lost by this need only be hinted . In the next place , these witches exhibit a fatiguing unanimity : they all simultaneously throw their arms up , and down again , as an expression of rejoicing , till one thinks they are puppets moved by mechanism—living marionettes . The same mistake is committed by the other crowds upon the stage—they throw themselves into the same attitude at given signals , thereby destroying the peculiarity of a mob of individuals .
These are "but small deductions from the general effect , winch is , assuredly , very remarkable ; and for those who want to see Macbeth arranged as a spectacle—indifferent whether it be Shakspearian or not—I can promise them that a visit to the Princess ' s will be a treat . Indeed , I am anxious that all my readers should go , if only to test the accuracy of what is here written on the acting . \ . The length of this article forces me to say in a few words that Casimir Delavigne ' s play of Louis XL . has been cut down to three acts and produced at Dettey Lane , Davenport playing the leading part . It has not had much success . Bavel has been gaining " golden opinions from all sorts of people" at the Peench Plays in the old pieces , among which Une Fievre brulante may be named , not only for his acting , but for the insolent Vinrlnpss nf M . Leonard , who plavs Grassot ' s part . This low
comedian—I speak of M . Leonard—has an accent which should banish him from any stage except that of Strasburg , and he has no particle of humour to redeem it ; yet the audience laugh at him and his provincial " gaggery " as if it were exquisite . To be sure , " the French are so superior to our actors ! " At the Haymaeket Bulwer ' s comedy has been produced ; but of this another pen will write . I think for one week I have said enough . Vivian .
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A IjIVIKO Tiotttrt :. —I approached the house . She was at the window—it wan thrown wide open . A birdcage hung rather high up , against the shutter-panel . She was standing opposite to it , making a plaything for th « poor captive canary of a piece of sugar , which she rapidly oH ' eml and drew back again , now at one bar of tlus cage , and now at another . The bird liopped and fluttered up and down in his prison after the sugar , chirping as if lie enjoyed playing his part of the game witli his mistress . How lovely she looked ! Her dark hair , drawn back over each cheek so as just , to leave tho lower part of the ear visible , was gathered up into a thick simple knot behind , without ornament of any wort . She won ; a plain white dress , fastening round the neck , and descending over the bosom in nuinber-Ichh little wavy plaits . Tim eago hung just high enough to oblige her to look up to it . She was laughing with all the glee of a child ; darting the piece of sugar about incessantly from place to place . Kvory .- " ; , ¦ " " ~ 7 ~ ^ - moment her head and neck assumed somo new and i / ' - ^ .. ^^ / ' / X lovely turn—( 'very moment her liguro naturally lull * . ' \ . \ - \ , { J ' '• . •> , /; C * Wo the position which showed its pliant symmetry """* rY'' ^^ " ^ -n W * - ' " h'nt-liift glow of the evening atmosphere ucl li i * ' * X ' '' , ' ' i -y ^ Tl >> "hining on her—the farewell pause of daylig ht over yL— }< £ ' * \ 1 .- \ —P kindred daylight of bijuuty and youth . — CoiJJJNfl ' fl
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MONEY MARXIST AND CITY INTELLIGENCE . Friday Evening , February 18 , 1853 . DiriUNti Mm past week there Iiiih been a steady rise in nil kinds of stocks mill shares . The announcement , on the part of ( bo TreiiHiiry to deduct , id . per emit , interest , per diem on Exchequer Bills , caused them to recede from 52 , CO , to : IO , 44 ) premium , and latterly to 25 , 35 ; but the . corresponding effect on OouhoIh wan to 1-uino them to 1 ) 9 j -J , for the 10 th <> f March account , to ft J for money . Home iinoasiiumH wrh felt during the early part of ( ho week respecting the deuiHion the Hank of England might arrive at , at their weekly mooting ; for as foreign exchanges are generally against us , some speculators apprehohded that the . JJiink might raise the rate of < lisoount . However , Thursday passed over without any change * ; and all sharou havo risen considerably during the week . J'Yenoh shares , however , have taken the lead , a rise of JU 2 and . fill per share haH taken plat : *) m the leading French shares , and a strong disposition to buy in still evinced . The reports of several of the English railways have now been published and show considerable improvement , with , perhaps , the exception of tho Midland . Tho London and North Western meeting takes pliwo to-day , but' a ( lrst-ram renort cannot be looked for . It in Maid that , their dividend wdl bo 5 per cent ., carrying over jL'OO . OOO . Great anxiety prevails for the arrival of the Australian piuiketH , which , it . is supposed , will bring home most important nowh . Gold-mining shares , particularly Australian , have rallied again . One or two of the minor companies have been st'iiding out strong atailk ol ablebodied workmen ; and it , is generally admitted that tho new prospective ( system of dividing profits with tho workmen , and thuu giving vhow tho Btrongout possible intercut in tho welfare
of the undertaking , is tho best yet adopted . Californian mines are somewhat low , in absence of remittances and any very important intelligence . Amongst other reports , it is statod , that considerably beyond half a million is now on its w » y to this country from Australia .
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BRITISH FUNDS YOU THE VAST WEEK . ( Closing l ' uion . s . )
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FOltKIUN FUNDS . ( Last Oi'fioiai , Quotation duiung tub Wumc vvmva FillDAT EVKNINU . ) Brazilian New ti per ( Hs . i )» I Russian , 1 H 22 1 ^> Danish 5 pm- 0 < n » ts 107 fj Sardinian Bonds 05 Dutch 4 per Cent . Cortif . l ) H Spanish » p . Contn 4 « i Ecuador f > Spanish 3 p . Ctn . MewDel ' . 21 < i Granada Deferred 30 Spanish Com . Certif . of Mexican 3 per Cunts 23 } Coupon not funded . ,., -1 } l ' ortuguotJo dj per Cents . UB
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Satur . Mond . Tuck . IVedn . Thurn . J'Viil Bank Rtoclc 227 J 22 H 22 H 227 228 228 3 per Cent . Hod JOO J 100 J 100 JJ JOO J 100 J KX ) £ 3 per Cent . Con . Ans . 00 j 00 j | i ) i )| i ) 0 § 00 } 01 )} Consols for Account ... Of )* 01 > g 0 !) j ; 00 $ 00 J 'Mi 3 } per Cent . An 103 i 103 § 103 4 103 g l ( Kj | KKIJ New 5 per Cents Long Ans ., 1 HH 0 < tg 04 ( i 7-1 ( 1 India Stock 2 ( 10 2 (((( 2 ( ii ) Ditto Bonds , £ 1000 ... v 00 Ditto , under iil ( MH ) ... « 0 00 50 46 Ex . Bills , £ 1000 52 p 52 p -.. . 45 p 35 p 25 ' p Ditto , £ 500 45 p 35 p Ditto , Small 52 p 45 p 45 p
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NOT SO BAD AS WE SEEM . Eveet-one Bhould go and see Bulwer ' s play , at the Haymarket , not because , in itself , it is a piece specially to be enjoyed , but because it is one of the things the town is talking of , and will have your opinion about . To view , hear , and criticise Not so Bad as we Seem , with the ordinary theatrical canons in your mind , would be as mal-apropos as the Dublin gentleman ' s call for " the author , " when Helen Faucit was making Sophocles a popular dramatist . It is a play sui generis , and to be talked of with much gentle consideration for the author , who had to write for miscellaneous amateurs . If you have seen Charles Dickens and his friends play
it , you will find peculiar amusement in comparing tho amateurs with the professionals—a comparison not to ho gone into nere , partly because unfair to the " gentlemen , " and partly because unfair to the " actors . " If you did not see the amateurs , still see the actors , and if you do not fiijd the piece go well in the Haymarket , you can amuse yourself with guessing what it must have been at Devonshire House , and vice versa , if yon please . The scenery , dresses , and general " mounting" evidence discreet enterprise in Mr . Webster : it would seem that , like the post-boy , who reserves his "trot for the avenue , " ho puts forth more power as his lease of tho Haymarket expires . As a manager , he goes down—like the sunin glory . I * -
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190 THE LEADER , [ Sattjbpay ,
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 19, 1853, page 190, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1974/page/22/
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